Strangeweather : "S/t"

My bud Sean at Cvlt Nation was on the right path when he called this album perfect. This is Portland based bands first release as a four-piece. At times they play a dark hearted Neo-folk with an Appalachian breeze blowing through the melody. The members switch off vocals resulting in  bringing  wide range of moodiness to the gloom not unlike Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, these kids just don't engage in the gymnastics and instead weave a dirge like mourning to melodies each instrument and voice embraces while adding another swathe of gray to the sonic tapestry. This is not to say they are not capable of weaving intricate webs of angular beauty as they do on "Dear Disaster" it's just not on the Mr. Bungle level,nor would that sort of thing really work with mood being established here.The Sleepy Time comparison is only a stab defining one element at some points I can hear a little Rasputina at others Murder By Death, namely the "Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left of Them " album.

The vocal blend on "All the Prisons part 2" confirms they have really created something unique here. At times the lyrics carry the indignant unease of post- punk, but the sound track they are set upon has the elegance that I'm always bitching about as being the x-factor that all these wanna be goth bands don't get. This gives them more emotional weight and at times makes them heavy in feeling rather than metal. At other times the lyrics have a romantic disillusionment. The two female singers are particularly stunning on "Dear Disaster".

The cello driven "Midnight Sun" strips away the multi layered sound that has prevailed thus far on the album. There is more of a rock feel to "Two of Pentacles".The vocal performance is one of the albums most impassioned.The guitar snakes along with a hunger that gives it an almost metal aggressiveness. The sequel to this song is a little more on the ethereal side.It should come as no surprise that I am going to go ahead and slap a 10 on this one. This album will appeal to a wide margin, fans of Amanda Palmer,Chelsea Wolfe, Rasputina, Sleepytime, as well as Agalloch's more chill moments will all find something to sink their teeth into. One of the rare album that achieves this kinda of dark beauty with depth the their songs. The first song I played for my girlfriend was "All Prisons part 2" and she thought it was just more of the droning drug music I like, so you have to listen to this as a whole work to really get the full effect or have been involved with heavy narcotic use for a period of more than five years. Do not play while operating heavy machinery.