Network, The - 'Bishop Kent Manning'

An aggressive concept album that is supported by solid musicianship and a willingness to expand their core sound.

Concept albums can be a mixed bag, depending on the story and how the band approaches the material. The ones that work take a basic plot and work the music around the concept, making sure that the individual tracks are as important as the whole package. The_Network takes a stab at it with their sophomore album Bishop Kent Manning, a tale of a corrupt televangelist’s fall from power.

Supporting this twisted idea is chaotic hardcore punk that acts as a catalyst for the lyrical madness that unfolds. Throaty growls that tear through blood vessels and muscle mix with precise, razor-sharp guitar work, all backed by a powerful rhythm section. The band provides a sonic jolt on “Your Own Personal Time Bomb” and “Following And Failing” that is akin to a roundhouse kick to the jaw.

With such a forceful approach, Bishop Kent Manning could have turned into a disheveled mess; however, The_Network throws in a few moments of tranquility to break things up. “Corpse Paint” takes several unexpected turns in its seven minutes, with an ominous clean intro giving way to the strongest performance by the band on the album.

The concept of Bishop Kent Manning, written by guitarist Kevin Howley, is well-done, though some may find the vocals hard to decipher underneath the wall of fuzzy guitars. There was a short story written on the band’s web site that corresponds with the album. It’s a useful tool to piecing everything together, but not necessary to those that just want music to crank up loud.

Bishop Kent Manning is a concept album for those who hate the idea of a concept album. The narrative is engaging, without distracting from the music itself, and the band makes sure to compose tracks that can each stand alone. The_Network can take solace in the fact that they were able to create an album that has a riveting story with a grim cacophony of sound to back it up.