The Rationale Quest - All decisions should be made at the lowest level possible- (Subsidiarity)

A casual listener will find 13 incredibly catchy and well constructed songs. It's the kind of album anyone can listen to straight through without thinking twice. The tracks end before anyone realizes six minutes have passed, and even the odd time signatures feel natural. Three instrumentals entrance the listener even when they're repetitive.

It's a shame that many will stop here, because there's much to enjoy in Snakes & Arrows' innumerable layers. The band, along with producer Nick Raskulinecz (about whose work with Shadows Fall I remarked, "One could listen to Threads of Life for days") have created a sonic masterpiece.

Acoustic and electric guitars weave together seamlessly, blending into an open and textured sound. In the superb "Workin' Them Angels," for example, gentle strumming in the pre-chorus builds into loud power chords for the chorus. And on "Faithless," the audience can hear synthesized strings in the background, reminding it that Rush was once known for heavy keyboard use.

There is no weak spot here.