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Album Review: Levi/Werstler ‘Avalance of Worms’

Published

16 years ago

on

Let me start this off by saying that I’m a big fan of Daath. ‘The Concealers’ was a contender for one of my favorite albums of 2009. So to say that I was excited when I heard that guitarists Eyal Levi and Emil Werstler were going to put out an instrumental album in the same style of music is an understatement. Add to that the fact that Sean Reinert of Cynic/Ex-Death was announced as the drummer and I was sold. I love a good instrumental record and this sounded like something fresh and exciting that I would love once I got my grubby hands all over it. 

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The first thing that I noticed listening to ‘Avalanche of Worms’ is that the technical prowess of each musician is not lost in any way. The structure and compositions of Eyal Levi are very solid and some of the riffs are crushing. The influence of classical music and classical theory is not lost at all. The shredding of Emil Werstler is technical wizardry. There really isn’t any other way to describe it. The man is truly amazing at the guitar and his jumps from minor to chromatic to harmonic minor scales is at some times mind-boggling. The drumming of Sean Reinert plays to the exact needs of the piece. 
The first track, ‘Noxious Vermin, My Friend’, is a perfect introduction to the entirety of the album: There are fast drums, thick rhythm riffs and fluid, blazing solos. The production is just the slightest bit raw, giving a ‘gritty’ sound to the song. This track is a perfect argument for those who contend that metal is the new form of classical: There are key changes, tempo changes, polyrhythms, etc… It truly is an impressive display of the abilities of each musician. 
Up until now, I’ve been lauding this album for the technical abilities of the performers. However, when it comes to the actual content of the album, well, that’s a bit of a different story. As amazing as theses musicians are, the songs themselves are somewhat forgettable once the next track comes on. This album makes great background music but that isn’t what I wanted or expected. ‘The Concealers’ was in your face and tracks like ‘Wilting On The Vine’ still gets me pumped. There wasn’t any track on ‘Avalanche of Worms’ that gave me that same feeling. Rather, I found that this album worked the best for me as background music. It’s perfect when driving, when friends are over, when cooking, etc… but it’s not really something that I would sit down and immerse myself into. 
As a testament to the skills of the musicians, this album is perfect. By the end of the album, you WILL respect these musicians: It’s unavoidable. But as an album to sit back and listen to, there isn’t enough of a connection between the music and the listener to truly be satisfied with the end result. My hope is that should there be a sophomore release, Levi and Werstler will be able to bring the listener along for the ride instead of keeping them at arm’s length. 
3 out of 5 skulls
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‘The Lost Boys’ Musical Extends Broadway Run With North American Tour Set for Spring 2028

Published

1 week ago

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May 28, 2026

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The Lost Boys: A New Musical officially kicked off on Broadway last month, and Deadline now reports that the show’s Broadway run has been extended into next year.

The show was originally set to run through November, but Deadline reports that The Lost Boys: A New Musical “has released a block of tickets through Sunday, March 7, 2027.”

The news comes in the wake of The Lost Boys: A New Musical becoming the most Tony-nominated musical of the season with twelve nominations including Best Musical.

Additionally, “The Lost Boys will launch a North American National Tour in Spring 2028, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. Additional cities and tour dates will be announced later.”

The Lost Boys: A New Musical is of course an adaptation of the 1987 horror classic from director Joel Schumacher, with the cast including Ali Louis Bourzgui as lead vampire David (originally played by Kiefer Sutherland), Maria Wirries as Star (originally played by Jami Gertz), and LJ Benet as the soon-to-be-turned Michael (originally played by Jason Patric).

The horror musical’s cast also includes Shoshana Bean as Lucy Emerson, Benjamin Pajak as Sam Emerson, Paul Alexander Nolan as Max, Jennifer Duka as Alan Frog, Miguel Gil as Edgar Frog, Brian Flores as Marko, Sean Grandillo as Dwayne, and Dean Maupin as Paul.

The Lost Boys: A New Musical is Directed by Michael Arden, featuring Music and Lyrics by The Rescues, Book by David Hornsby & Chris Hoch, Story by James Jeremias & Janice Fischer, and Produced by James Carpinello, Marcus Chait & Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring) by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.

When a mother and her two teenage sons move to Santa Carla in desperate need of a fresh start, they soon uncover the darker side of this sunny coastal community. While Lucy tries to piece her family’s life back together, Michael keeps pulling away in search of belonging.

As he finds connection with a local rock band and its charismatic leader, his younger brother Sam comes face-to-face with a terrifying reality: When night falls, Michael’s new friends are even more dangerous than they first appeared.

Joel Schumacher directed the original The Lost Boys vampire movie in 1987, wherein two brothers move to a new town and discover that the area is a haven for vampires.

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