Like Swans these guys are a non-metal band that has influenced tons of metal bands. They start their newest album out on an intense cinematic path heavy with sonics and ominous in it's intentions.there's brass blaring, there are string wailing, there's sounds ringing out with feedback all of it holding a plodding drone.The bring a chaotic clamor at time but it's too well orchestrated to think of it as noise when their are middle eastern melodies snaking their way into the song. You can also hear how bands like Explosionsinthesky owe a ton to these guys in terms of dynamic flow. As seminal an act as these guys are with any instrumental album is question after the first song is how much longer will they be able to hold my attention or will this just become background music.
The second song is more of a prolonged interlude of ambient, then the third song pulls the same trick , which at this point is beginning to seem like a waste, it's even more minimalistic in it's lingering clicks and other onomatopoeias . This doesn't even become back ground music because I hardly know it's even on. So it all hangs on the fate of the final 13 minute monster" Piss Crowns Are Trebled" to save the album. They do save face and begin to play actual music , which is a pretty breath taking combination of elements coming at you in one storm cloud. A gnarly bass tone that drags the tempo to a doom like march and then string paints everything else with despondent beauty. This could be the soundtrack to any massive apocalyptic movie. This all builds up into something that really puts the rock in post-rock.
While this almost feels like a waste of an album do to the noise and ambiance that loiters in the middle portion, but when they do play actual songs it's pretty amazing so I will go ahead and give this a 7.5 while I wonder i I need to own these two songs.
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