"...a cohesive yet unpredictable journey that is as colourful as its title suggests."
3.0/5.0. "I’m never sure whether one hit of Spectrum is enough. What I do know, though, is that I can feel the passion with which Wiener has embarked upon this journey, of one steady mind, and with help from friends, Spectrum makes me smile."
"I already knew that it was, and is, going to take something spectacular to dethrone this as the BMA album of the year."
10/10. "Colours really meaningful! Yellow brings warmth of morning sun. White pushes blood fast through veins, makes Grug run with night creatures. Pink starts soft as falling snow, grows strong as mountain. Red burn blood. Blue opens skies. Black summons old spirits to hide it all. Green returns peace. Each carry spirit of colour into ears."
Am I in Trouble? featured in the January 14, 2025 newsletter
"Spectrum is a stellar debut that takes the listener on a journey through colors and emotions. It’s a fantastic example of not only Steve Weiner’s writing ability, but also his capability with a wide range of instruments, and his strength in paying homage to what he loves, without copying it."
"...does a masterful job at embracing all the weirdness and experimentation that comes along with the avant-garde black metal space."
"If Steve Wiener’s objective with Spectrum was to capture the experimentative oeuvre of the avant-garde black metal bands, then he has without a doubt achieved his goal. However, Spectrum is far more than a black metal album. It does contain moments of extreme metal but it also draws from a whole range of influences. Ranging from moments of acoustic tranquillity to progressive enhancements to dark theatrics, Spectrum is an extremely successful experiment."
"It’s a progressive-minded approach that cherry picks elements without dragging along their dead weight. As such, precise black metal riffs, crystal clear vocals, folk straight from The Shire, and even flamenco are all present on Spectrum."
4.0/5.0 - "This isn’t what we’re used to in our extreme metal corners. In fact, this is happy metal that doesn’t feel corny—a challenging task. Any band that pulls this off deserves recognition from us, the uptight snobs and ravenous consumers alike."
"...definitely operating in musical territory which – even some twenty years later – has yet to be fully explored, and thus still has a few surprises left to throw at us."
"So maybe that’s part of what makes Spectrum so refreshing; it’s so brazen with its worship of early ‘00s experimental black metal. It wears its heart on its sleeve and doesn’t care if you love it or hate it. It exists to pay tribute to an era of music that was so vibrant and new because that’s what we need sometimes."
"Going from gentle to aggressive and back again is hardly a new trick in the world of metal, but multi-instrumentalist mastermind Steve Wiener wields a uniquely honed sense of unpredictability. This results in some incredibly flexible songcraft. With that said, a distinct and uncanny cohesion pervades."
"Am I in Trouble’s new release Spectrum is a profoundly emotional experience. You’ll want to scream and cry, hold and be held..."
"...the fact this is the brainchild of one man is pretty impressive..."
"Excellent" rating. "The whole album's interesting and unique and it's hard to compare to other artists."
An interview with Hotel Hobbies about Am I in Trouble? and the album, Spectrum
Am I in Trouble? featured on episode 4x03 of Black Scal Metal podcast
Am I in Trouble? featured on Episode 27 of HarshVocals.com podcast
"Red" featured on Episode 13 of Leitmotif and Movement podcast
Am I in Trouble? featured on the January 9, 2025 episode of Rock Radar with Kaz On ERB Radio
Am I in Trouble? featured on Episode 233 of The Heavy Rock Show
Am I in Trouble? featured on Episode 242 of The Heavy Rock Show
"...throws the curtains back on the window and forces you to look outside and go 'hey look at all of these other ideas and colors that you have been ignoring in the way that you write your music'..."
"another album of the year contender... this album puts black metal as a genre on notice... you gotta check it out, you gotta hear it to believe it. This year started with such a big bang, and this is part of why."
"Red" featured on January 13, 2025 episode of Total Rock's show, The Collective
"You cannot pin Am I in Trouble? down. Are there black metal elements? Yes, quite a few, but to call this black metal misses the target so much that it hits the barn door. There are folk influences... ...driving metal, hard rock, guitar riffs that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Savatage record, spanish guitar noodling, harmonies that belong on a Funkadelic track... all in one sumptuous stew, that you will gorge yourself until you cannot gorge no more. Then go back begging for seconds anyway."
"...a wide-ranging and instrumentally elaborate trip."
Am I in Trouble? has created a sonic playground that allows for a wide range of expression, and from what I have heard of the album, this flexibility is a great strength.
"While terms such as "avant-garde" and "experimental" are often applied in scenarios where they are not necessarily earned, I feel like a track like "Black" has done well to earn said designations."
