Nate Bergman is not an artist that can easily be categorized. He is the frontman for Lionize, a band that is groove-heavy enough to tour with Clutch and not feel mismatched. But even with that being the case, Lionize has one album that is heavily influenced by reggae, so it’s not easy to place a singular label on the band. It’s not surprising, then, that his new solo album Metaphysical Change doesn’t fit easily into any one category. There are elements of country, blues, and the kind of rock and roll that fills arenas and festival venues.
While everyone has been impacted by COVID-19 in one way or another, the effect it had on Bergman is profound since he was stuck overseas when everything shut down. That left him not only far from home, but also from his studio. However, he didn’t let that stop him. He recorded demos on his phone where he played every instrument and provided his own harmony vocals. With the help of collaborators like Brit Turner of Blackberry Smoke, Frank Iero of My Chemcial Romance, and Per Wiberg of Opeth, he was able to put the album together.
A significant portion of the album is rock and roll, specifically the kind of rock and roll you hear from bands like The Rolling Stones and Blackberry Smoke. “Just Like Dylan Said” and “Livin’ on the Line” (which features Brit Turner) are a couple examples. Both songs feature prominent organ and backing vocals reminiscent of a gospel choir. They are the kind of songs that make you want to get up and boogie, but the rock songs aren’t just of the boogie variety. “Lords of Water, Lords of Grain” has something of a grungy feel both in the the guitar and the overall mood while “Highway Friend” leans pretty heavily into psychedelic sounds.
The latter half of the album is a little more subdued and contemplative. “Ode to Manchester” captures the isolation he experienced. You don’t have to wonder where he was emotionally when he sings, “”How do you get home when you’re 10,000 miles away? How do you stay dry when all you feel is rain?” That would be enough to make you feel something, but those lyrics hit even harder because they are accompanied by strings and high sustained notes on the slide guitar. Similarly, “Goodbye Munich” is a plaintive song where the strings help convey the melancholy mood.
“Repeats Until You Die” shows Bergman at his most contemplative. In it, he wonders (as probably a lot of us have in the last two-plus years) if time was “ever really yours”. The mood gets even heavier when he sings, “Have I already died?” It’s not the sort of song you put on when you need an emotional pickup, but he does a good job giving voice to thoughts that have been common among a lot of people over the last couple years.
Not surprisingly, Metaphysical Change by Nate Bergman isn’t easy to categorize. Yes, there is plenty of rock in these songs, but calling it simply a rock album is insufficient. It is a complex emotional journey that expresses the doubts and questions that have been fairly universal as we navigate a worldwide pandemic. One thing is certain: you can’t listen to this album without feeling something.
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This album is suburb!!!! It’ll be on repeat all weekend.