Genghis Tron : "Signal Fire"

 

Every five years is the average release rate for this band, as this marks the fourth album of their 20-year career. Their first album, "Dead Mouth Mountain," blended early metalcore sounds with electronics, and they have been slowly evolving past the more abrasive elements of this formula. Their new album puts the band closer to what someone like HEALTH does, though less industrial in their intentions. The balance of atmospheric and edge is more enthralling here, as it is full of hooks. Where the last album stepped away from harsher vocals, they are back in the mix here, but used as more of a dynamic vocal color. 

There is a more 90s alternative feel to the title track that embraces more of a grungy Smashing Pumpkins-like groove. Nick from Sumac joins them on drums as Kenny from the Armed steps in to handle bass duties. On a song like "Future Worship," these more organic instruments are not felt as strongly in the mix, as they are emulating what synths and plug-ins for a synth-wave project might do. That is, until the guitar kicks in midway through the song. "Like Fotocrom" offers a lush melodic atmosphere that drifts you out into the dusk. There is a tension that builds but never gains release. It almost feels like the intro to "Tomorrow Mirage". 

At this point in the album, "Tomorrow Mirage provides the needed shift in vocal colors. The harsher vocals trade off with the sung vocals, but not in the predictable Myspace metal manner. The album's most impressive drumming flows under this to maintain the momentum. You could call the wandering exploration of sounds they embark on prog rock if you wanted. "Nothing Blooms in the Hollow" launches into an almost Dillinger Escape Plan-like chaos before finding its groove. The intricate cascading riff further solidifies their place in the sound of prog in 2026.

"Without Form" is just a synth interlude that leads into "Born Prey". where they balance the snarl of hardcore with dreaming throbbing. This spastic tantrum is slightly a regression from where the album had been leading us. "A Love So Pure" is the album's most effective balance of their screamo past with progressive present. "New Gods" closes the album with a more electronic ambiance, guiding the hypnotic pulse of what they have been doing on this album. It's the most Nine Inch Nails-leaning moment so far. This works for me. Overall, I will give this album a 9.5. Sure, the parts comprising what they do are not as unique as how they are assembled. Fans for metal core than goes prog more often than not will appreciate this alongside their fan base, who are expecting change. 

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Neurosis : "An Undying Love For a Burning World"

 

With the official start of World War 3 underway today, how could Neurosis not reconvene to drop a new album? Aaron Turner is replacing Scott Kelly. It's pretty seamless considering this. There is a hint of rock n' roll, but both Isis and Sumac are heavily influenced by Neurosis, so it seems like a natural fit and flows very organically. It's back to the dissonant sludge heaviness with an angular crunch moving the riffs. "First Red Rays" is very dark and ominous; at times, it feels as if they are looking back toward "Souls at Zero."  A low growl prevades, leading you into the desolate sonic space. 

They come on strong and don't simmer in a great deal of atmosphere until "Blind", this one moves with the kind of bong-laden apocalyptic sludge groove you expect from them, with and empahsis on the bong more than the aggression of when they were once crust punks. It veers off into more surreal places dynamically. Exeuted differently here to some extent, it is familiar enough to sit firmly in their wheelhouse.  Some what post-rock by definition, and certainly bearing some influence of Swans, yet firmly their own sound. 

There is more of a post-punk feel stirring from inside the density of "Seething and Scattered". There is a great deal of vocal trade-off that Turner blends well. They expand and recoil as a Neurosis song should. "Untethered" is sonically expansive without being overtly heavy. There is an organic, jammy feel to this. "In the Waiting Hours" is alot to take in but delivers what you want form a Neurosis song as it is pummelling when it needs to be but still takes you on a journey."The last song finds the arrangement sprawling out until it dissolves into ambiance. It winds its way around into dark folk sitting against a noisy undercoating. Things get trippy ten minutes into this. They wander off into a more tribal drone. I will give this one a 10 as I think it opens a new chapter that holds up well against their legacy, even in the absence of Kelly. 

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Genghis Tron : "Dream Weapon"

 Genghis Tron is back after a decade. It is not the original line up as they now have Sumac's drummer behind the kit and a new singer. Synths are more organic this time. While there has always been a progressive element to what they do this is more Tangerine Dream in terms of retro ambiance. They get more aggressive on "Dream Weapon" . I am not sure though it is aggressive enough to be called metal. The drumming is impressive. For progressive rock it is kind of on the more straight ahead side and feels complex but not experiment. Of the first four songs , two of them are sprawling synth pieces and two are actual songs. 

The mood drops down to more sedate going into "Alone in the Heart of the Light". This is almost too happy for me. There is more introspection than brooding. The drumming on this album is pretty great all the way around , even when they are not rocking out. This song works off more of a floating drone. If you are smoking weed then I can hear where this might work really well for you. This future space stoner vibe continues on " Ritual Circle| . At this point in the album is is more than likely that you have gotten too high and have forgotten these guys were a metal band. Dynamically mid way into the song it builds where the drums get more intense. I am not sure I would call it metal, but is is more dynamic. The punches are metal influenced in their intent for sure. '" Single Black Point' starts off pretty cool it reminds me of a newer King Crimson song, then kinda floats off into the clouds of synths . 

The drums have more of a rock feel on "God Mother" that closes the album. It is about as metal as Porcupine Tree. They eventually sonically pound harder than your average prog band  Which is an effective dynamic. I will give this album an 8.5, I enjoyed what I heard of it , not dark enough for my personal tastes , but I can appreciate what is going down here as the album sounds great. It really depends on what you want from this band in terms of if it will live up to your expectations of what their come back should be like .

Sumac : "What One Becomes"

This is a super group of sorts, consisting of Aaron Turner whose former band Isis would get flagged by the FBI if they every re-united. Along with Turner are Nick from Baptists and Brian Cook from Russian Circles. With their powers combined they make the kind of too cool for you metal you might imagine. It's sludge with post-rock nuances and math rock twists to the chugs to keep it from being more metal. The vocals have a lower more death metal grunt. They come on pounding at you then mid way into the second song the going gets weird and the atmospherics was the song way in swells of feed back. The bass tone is pretty serious and this has the potential to really bring the smack down, when not getting caught up with trying to through the math at you like they have something to prove. The drumming is technical, but still has plenty of balls.

The elven minute "Clutch of Oblivion" awakes with a slow pulse ringing out. The guitar work is very sonic , but refined. It has a western wander over it that reminds me of Kyuss' more introspective moments. The ghosts of both Isis and Russian Circles can be felt here. When the coarse roar of the vocals converges back into the song there is more of your typical sludge thing going on. Things build into a more mathematical groove midway into the song. "Blackout" takes great thought into where to place it's meticulously timed poundings. This creates a math rock meets sludge dynamic. It's hard to argue against the execution of this, but it's more of an exercise in instrumentation than a songs that really pulls me in for repeat listens. At seventeen minutes it makes this a very over indulgent exercise almost to the point of being masturbatory. At around the nine minute mark they begin to make me watch the clock. It eventually builds into something with a burlier rock groove that goes off on a Fugazi like jam.

The last song is plenty angular and plenty heavy, even building up into blast beat of sorts, but it kind falls flat on me. This is metal for people who are normally listening to Shellac. I am sure fans of These Arms are Snakes and Russian Circle are really going to dig. It has more of a pumped up noise rock vibe, than hitting you hard on the sludge tip. I'll give it a 7.5, but I know plenty of kids who are too hung up on being hip, slick and cool will be listening to this like it's a badge of courage.

Mamiffer : " the World Unseen"

It's been a strange mix of reviews the past couple days so I am going to keep the weird going. Aaron Turner is more than likely glad he is not in a band called Isis these days. That name alone is click bait. This project is much different focusing on atmosphere with Faith Coloccia handling the vocals. Synth and piano takes center stage away from the guitar, which is often just left to ring out from the corners. It is pleasing to the ears though the ethereal nature of what they do requires a little more glue in the song writing department, just ask Sigur Rios or the Cocteau Twins. Thus making this an album that is more of  pleasant back ground music as it pulses in waves rather than giving you anything to sink you teeth in. So if you are waiting for a riff or a groove then you will be waiting for some time as they are not coming.

One question you might want to ask your when approaching this album is how many drugs do you do? Or do you like to listen to music before you go to bed. Both options are helpful. The middle section of the album might make you space out and forget this is playing while you float around the room. There are really only three movements of this album that feel like real songs. When I say this I get emails from the bands all the time complaining about how they were using real instruments so that makes it a song. Once you get more spaced out than Tangerine Dream, then you are dealing more in wavelengths than you are music. There are some nice fey dreamy moments on this album, when they decide to make them more like a song I really like it, not something I need on my iPod, but it works for what it is. The fact the album cover looks like space is very fitting.

"Domestication of the Ewe" is the next song that finds the vocals helping to congeal the space into something like a song. This is broken up into three parts so I think it was the second part that pulled me back in.  I normally rate albums using a formula of dividing the albums good songs by the total number of songs, this album defies that form of measurement, so I am going to go off of what percent of this album was I interested in it or did it catch my attention so based off that scale I think I can give it a 6. The beginning was strong and then when the vocals came back in toward the album's 3rd act my ears perked back up. If you are checking this out because you are a fan of Turners other work then refer to the second paragraph of this review as it's nothing like Isis , Sumac or Old Man Gloom.
Mamiffer "Parthenogenesis" from Daniel Menche on Vimeo.