There is a line between being ambitious and indulgent. A 21-minute song opening the album crosses the line. Sure having the sonic power to create an attack like Swans is an improvement for the band, but I am never going to listen to a 21-minute song more than once, there are just better investments of my listening time. I mean maybe if you are just sitting around getting high you have that kind of time to spare, I just don't have it. Ten minutes into the song things have a very powerful ringing sound as things both drone and groove at the same time. This album is full of dichotomies so if you do not appreciate clashing concepts it might not be for you. 15 minutes into the song things take a turn and build into a noisy almost black metal blasting ambiance.
"This is Not a Prayer " also highlights the band's weakness which is the limited range of Micheal Bearden's voice, it just stays in an ugly scream. I get that this album is a catharsis to rant about his bulimia, but there are plenty of musicians with equally disturbing disorders who still make melodic music that balances out the setting of inner rage with wider dynamics. The double bass of the drums adds a more metallic drive to the song. The sludge-tinged noise of the band does stir up a particular sonic space. They are choosing to be abrasive. It is the weapon they are using in this confrontation. Things are less post-punk and begin to cross over to hardcore on this album. Despite the addition of Interpol bassist Brad Truax, they are more like Black Flag and less like Joy Division on this album.
Everything works better as a whole on "Clemency". Even when the vocals gurgle and yell into the syncopated punches it fits, similarly to the Jesus Lizard but not as dark. "Permanent Embrace" finds the music shift from a syncopated tension that could almost be found on a Tool album to blast beats and buzzing guitar when the song accelerates to its peak. So, the obnoxious vocals counterpoint the sonic heaviness. Musically this is pleasing to me, and in some ways an improvement for the band, but with the more produced and polished sound to have the vocals just squawking with no clear purpose, makes me around this down to an 8. This makes the album still a great piece of musical art, it just depends on how high your threshold for abrasive vocals is. It rubs my persona tastes the wrong way as the strong vocal is a make or break for me. Vocals might be something you tune out if the guitar is hefty enough in that case the album with work for you. It drops on Dias Records.
No comments:
Post a Comment