Rush — Vapor Trails

From the whip-cracking opening kick drum and snare assault of "One Little Victory" it becomes crystal clear that after a five-year hiatus Rush aren't just throwing out an album for the hell of it. Vapor Trails feels like a release with drive and purpose. That purpose yields another defining moment for the band, much like 2112 and Moving Pictures were a lifetime ago.

Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart stack their 17th studio release with enough guts and gusto to send us all back to school. Terms like "subtle" and "beautiful" don't normally describe Rush's work, but "How It Is" could possibly be the band's masterpiece, blending classic Rush mood swings with an almost pop vocal line that threatens to stick in your head for days.

On "Secret Touch," Neil Peart throws in an off-time drum shift that'll make your knees buckle. You want thunderous, yet tasteful bass rampaging? You want complex time changes and drum fills up the wazoo? You want guitar playing that covers the map? You want it all wrapped up in a tune you can hum along to? It took a while, but you got it!

Vapor Trails shows the band at their snarling heaviest — a high-octane, energized Rush.

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