Neurosis, A Sun That Never Sets

Neurosis, A Sun That Never Sets (2001-Relapse Records)

So you think this is a metal album right? Well ok it could be to most people but it really is not metal. This band really started as a punk band. Over time the albums came out and the style changed. That is what a band should do so now album number seven is here.

The start of this album can be considered quite mellow or slow. But the contents are far from that, very well thought out and also constructed with amazing direction to consider pace and dynamics.

Big shout out to Steve Von Till on the vocals here. Amazing work and on track two "The Tide" he shows how it can be done. Nice slow speaking parts but with his voice showing the story. Acoustic guitars and violin build this into a stunning wall of noise. it is so easy to get lost in the first few tracks and even consider this album to being linked to heavy metal. You really do not notice the guitars here like on a typical metal outfit. That is why the album is chosen to be here. The textures and guitar sound are less than riffs but more harmonics. Amazing stuff, I don't know if it is just trained ears that hear this but it is a real treat to my ear drums.

At the time of the albums release the band were on a high commercially with the previous albums Through Silver and Blood and Times of Grace gaining positive reviews across the music industry and opening the band up to so many other fans (like me). So the next album could be expected to be the same but not so and this reviewer can still remember the day he got this on CD. One of those rare album where you go right back in for a listen. When on the bus I was not bothered about the congestion when I had this in the cd player. "From the Hill" has all the contents of the more noisy dynamics from the first track but slowed down. Nothing is rushed here and it again shows how good the band are at feeling what they want to do.

The title track helps give some melodic feel into the longest track here "Falling Unknown" reminds me of very early Cheap Trick mixed with an evil Thin Lizzy helping King Crimson tune up. A kind of rock start to the song thunders into more sound scape that build and build up. You never really care if it gets to the top and could be considered a little to long, but a band in this good shape has to be recorded.

The album has been listed in a folk metal category for the elements it contains. Very unusual to have violins and viola on a metal album but this really does help this album out in making it bigger. Also this was the first album the band made that had clean vocals, with the vocals rarely moving from the slow spoken style.

From this album on the Sludge metal seem to evolve into a very large part of metal music. Neurosis may not have ever wanted to be on MTV but some bands after them were very much helped by the contents of this album. This shows you do not need to sell out by becoming more pop or more radio friendly. Why not use popular art instead.

A Sun That Never Sets is available easily via Neurot Recordings

Twitter: 29xthefun 

Isis, Celestial

Isis, Celestial (Hydra Head-2000)

I still think this is a new sound as there has been so few albums to do this so well. At the time it was called Sludge metal, doom, post metal and many others but it really is just loud rock music at the end of the day.

So ok it is not quite Little Richard but still it is just drums, bass and guitar. In 2000 the music world was being blasted by the likes of Limp Bizkit and Korn and others on the fringes of the metal world we all trying to copy that down tuned bass tone.

Isis were not easily led and with a fairly minimal idea for an album made one the the best metal albums in the 00s. The start of the first track gives and idea what is going on here. Sounds of someone typing on a computer keyboard. Sounds like someone hacking into something, could it be in the future or...

Well track one quickly leads into "Celestial (The Tower)" and the guitar noise begins. more like really big riffs that span the whole spectrum of sound. Like a machine digging away at the earth throwing up chunks or rock and dirt. Scratchy guitar parts add into the atmosphere. Singer Aaron Turner appears with screaming vocals that can barely be made out over the sound of the band. He says the album deals with the erosion of privacy as technology advances.

As track two "Glisten" thunders in you can feel as if the album is being made to hurry up a little, that feeling as if the connection will go. Leading back to what the album is about very well. The band work well together in delivering the big riff like noises. "Swarm Reigns (Down)" feeds off the rest of the album well. Now you feel a sense of desperation in the music. The dynamics on this album are fantastic, you really do feel something on each track. Something you just didn't get back in 2000 with other metal bands.

"De constructing Towers" yet again changes scope in the music, more of a jazz feel to it, guitars and drums are frantic. They keep on rolling as if no purpose, like covering up something. Ending with a single acoustic guitar. The music is so good you feel as if it really must have been done before but not to these ears.

With the end near "Collapse and Crush" sounds like its title, big slow doom guitars and strong guttural vocals accompanying the band. All the time still having the chugging guitar sound. This track goes into a nice clean guitar sound and at the right time too. You welcome it with open arms. The track does build slightly heavier but nothing like before. As I say the feel of this album is just amazing. "Gentle Time" closes the album with guitars and riffs that if sped up I feel would still sound the same.

Back in 2000 I was lucky to see some great metal bands like Pantera, Slayer and Metallica. But I was more exited about seeing this band in 2001. They don't sound that much different live as well. But the power and the simplicity is remarkable. With the world turning to baggy jeans and chains it would have been easy to miss this album. Not now as here it is, thanks to this blog a chance to hear an album that will never age or be cool.

Celestial is easily available but if you get the chance get the double album with the add on EP as this was to be a double album when recorded. One year later the second part was released "SGNL>05" is just as epic and essential. I may even review it later on.

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