Ayahausca : "Yin"

When grunge was coming out in the 90s it was understood that Black Sabbath was an influence and some of that doom could be felt in some of it's more brooding moments. The opening track of this album high lights that fact. The harmonized vocals only further bring Alice In Chains comparisons. It's when I hear other things in the singers that the vocals work best for me. The shift of tempo on the second song doesn't play to the band's strengths. There is a more unique angular dissonance on the title track. The vocals continue to worship at Layne Staley's altar. They get a few degrees heavier and the more proggy groove of "Dark Matter God" that allows me to hear more of this Voivod influence their press release claimed they have. This is one of the stronger songs. I can hear some of the odd phrasing in the guitar that gives this band more of a proggy edge. "Dinosaurs" is not as focused, even with all the minor key harmony vocals. The is more of a Soundgarden feel colliding with the perpetual Alice in Chains saunter they maintain on "Mange". Like Muse sultry swagger adds a more lavish color to the mood. There is a more melodic touch to "Carbon". The switch to harsher vocals works well to set them apart from the grunge bandwagon. Feedback leads them into "Left Skull Prison". This song is darker and harder than the bulk of the album.

The minor key harmonies still keep these men in a box.It is odd to me that they are not more self aware in regards to their sound that they would think playing at the pace of "Collapse of a Life Long Lie" would work. The song is very different, but doesn't stray from the band's strengths so wildly. "Mountain of Snakes" find the pace picking up into unwieldy math rock. The vocals fight to find their place on this song. "White Ship ' also sits very oddly on this album even though I appreciate how it expands the sonic scope, though it feels like this is just a hat they are trying on rather than a multi-faceted band like Faith no More who could glide back and forth from varied genres yet still maintained the core of who they were. I'll give this album a 7.5. If you want prog infused grunge these are your guys.