Austin's Watchtower pre-dated the entire tech-metal genre by about a decade. A squeaky tight quartet with an obvious passion for Rush, Watchtower's superb musical ability raised the bar for metal musicians to that of your better-than-average classically-trained orchestral musician. Although most of the album clearly draws from metal influences, "Meltdown," the album's closing track, is a high-energy romp filled with an almost punkish stomp and swagger. Some listeners may find Jason McMaster's air-raid siren vocals a bit much for their liking but in the context of the manic metal swirl that is "Energetic Disassembly," McMaster's banshee call seems most appropriate. While the production on "Energetic Disassembly" is thin (Billy White's guitar is especially brittle and lacking in clarity at times), the album remains a stunning debut by a remarkable band with very few peers in those days.Highly recommended for fans of early Dillinger Escape Plan. McMaster would go on to singer for the hard-edged glam metal band Dangerous Toys in the late '80s.