In 2009 I regarded The Divinity of Oceans, Ahab's sophomore effort, to be the pinnacle of funeral doom. It captured my number one spot that year and I confidently said to anyone who cared that they were my favorite band. To expect them to retain that title for long was unreasonable. I'm too flighty to have a favorite anything for more than a month, much less three years. But here I am writing the final entry of my year end list, writing about Ahab, attempting to describe what this album means to me.
I read a lot. I depend on fiction to provide the texture my life often lacks. Sure I try to be adventurous, I try to live fully and experience what I can, but there are things I'll never see in person, emotions I'll never feel without a little help. Literature fulfills all the desires I know are beyond reach. Music does much the same thing in my life, but literature has the ability to fill in all the details, the color, while music is mostly up to interpretation. I don't think I've ever experienced the two converge before 2012... but they did in the form of The Giant.
The Giant is based on The Narrative of Gordon Pym by Edgar Allan Poe, his one and only full-length novel. I knew this ahead of time and made sure to have a Poe collection close at hand when the vinyl arrived at my doorstep. The object was to combine literature with music, to see if Ahab had been masterful enough to capture the emotion, the broad strokes of the novel, giving a literary classic a new dimension of discovery, bringing me one step closer to actually being there on Pym's doomed voyage at sea.
I've never experienced anything like this before. I've never been so moved.
Meshuggah... I've been a fan for a long time, but never have I considered you worthy of my various lists. My admiration for you has been purely academic. I've been observing you like an anthropologist observes a primitive civilization; noting cultural advancements, rituals, tools, and your potential to thrive. I've watched you create a movement, but never capitalize on the structure you pioneered, letting other bands use you as a framework to hone and polish. And I've been patient knowing deep down that you were close to something really special.
That time has come. Koloss is a culmination of all your raw ideas, your primal aggression, your pension for other-worldly groove, tempered and sharpened into a weapon of devastating force. This album is so brutal, so thoroughly pummeling, so groovy. I don't expect you to come out with one of these every two years. But rest assured, I will be aware of every one of your releases until my demise and with the release of Koloss I know full well that you have the ability to compose perfect albums worthy of my list and many others.
A friend offered an idea for what might provide a considerable influence on my musical taste. Sometimes I like bands that have nothing to do with my identity as a metal-head and are generally unremarkable to the people who have a much wider range of musical exposure. The friend remarked that the one thing these bands have in common is the female vocal. In the moment he told me I reflected on all those "it" bands, the indescribable ones that don't fit anywhere else in my attention span and he was right. They all feature a charming female presence that lulled me into submission. The Birthday Massacre is undoubtedly an example of this affinity and Purity Ring deserves a spot right next to them at #3.
I'm not really sure if the female leads have anything specific in common. If I were to describe them, I would remark on their strength but also fragility, their lightness and cheer but also full awareness of the darkest aspects of the human conflict. And it is very possible my bias toward them could offer no objective description. The truth is that when some female musicians enter into my field of vision I become enamored, fascinated, drawn into their music like a helpless comet to a black hole. At that point my powers of relative objectivity are dashed to bits. So I'll just submit to calling this album absolutely perfect. I love the flow, the gentle rhythms, tonal contrasts, lyrical imagery, and the girl that showed them to me.
It's important to be self-aware. Self-awareness helps to guide you. Self-awareness provides the ability to know what you'll like and what you'll be better off avoiding. When it comes to music, I have a pretty clear picture of how my tastes formed, with bands that guided my preferences down a constantly winding road. The Birthday Massacre confused me when I first heard them because they're a gothy synth-pop band, and I liked them a lot. I won't say that this style is completely foreign to me. I spin Shiny Toy Guns, I toss on some M83 when the moment feels right. But this band is particularly polished. One look at a band photo and it's obvious that any and all merch is readily available in the most accessible racks in Hot Topic.
Me liking this band is in stark contrast to my entire identity, so it took me a little while to swallow my pride and relent to the elation I feel whenever the delicate but assertive vocal of Chibi fills the air around me. Ever since then I've been quietly waiting for each subsequent release. Hide and Seek affirms my allegiance and it's time to stop hiding them away in the shadowy corner of my attention known as guilty pleasures and give them my #4 spot for 2012. This album is an example of perfect song-writing with unbelievably memorable hooks, great synth-soaked atmosphere, and unwavering leadership by a vocal with a charming presence but also mature restraint.
I have an image in my mind of what a true artist is: someone who is bombarded by images and sounds to the point of insanity, the only respite from this suffocating burden being expression. The true artist in my mind doesn't sleep often, doesn't have many friends, struggles with normal every day requirements like food and cleanliness because he spends every waking hour translating the images to paper, to canvas, to staff. You can tell these sorts of people by the art they create. It's raw, unrelenting, incomprehensibly complex, and certainly takes some time to "get."
The project of Whourkr is composed by one guy, a guy who goes by the name Igorrr. And from what I've heard of his body of work so far, he is the eponymous artist of which I speak. This album is dense, it's chaotic, it's razor sharp, but also a whole lot of fun to listen to. Each riff is sliced and diced into maybe 20 parts of varying rhythmic complexity, the same for each vocal part. But, with all the rough edges this album succeeds at being thoroughly fun to listen to. I don't know how that's possible. I don't know how a person can use so many rhythmic and melodic ideas in one track, much less a full record and strike gold with each variation. I can only hope that Igorrr, along with being the perfect image of the obsessive artist, is generously prolific for the next few years.
Evoken have been around for a long time. They're one of the bands that originally defined funeral doom and with every release they contribute more ideas for other members of the genre to take influence from. Bands like this are untouchable because they're not trying to compose music for the sake of music. They're trying to express very personal emotions as accurately as they possibly can. And with age and experience the emotions the band is trying to express become more complex, having a direct relation to the complexity and texture of each new release. So in that respect, in the respect of creating crushingly emotional music, Evoken can do no wrong.
I would be dishonest by omission if I didn't mention my one criticism of this album. I've spent months trying to lock down exactly how to describe this criticism and this is the best I can come up with: The production is confusing... I honestly don't think it's poorly done or mishandled. It might very well be that whoever did the final mix had the intention of confusing fans like me. It might contribute to the overall other-worldly, spacious environment the composers had in mind. Some parts have gobs of reverb, some parts are crystal clear, some parts strike with almost preemptive attack, some parts have strange pre-delays, the drums sound damp in the mix, the guitar has no mid-range presence whatsoever. All of this confuses me, and for the longest time I wanted to say it distracts from the overall experience. It could have been more organic, cohesive. But, I do feel this album, it does effect me in a profound way, and it's possible that is partly due to the tactics used in production. I've never heard an album like this before and I wouldn't be surprised if my confusion evolves into a deep admiration given more time.
Listen, I'm pretty skeptical when it comes to catchy chorus lines in death grind. I want my death grind to be brutal, unrelenting, and razor sharp. After a full spin I want my nerves to burned out, frayed beyond the prospect of healing. So when a noticeable sing-along part comes up in death grind I'll be the first to say, "Get this pansy shit out my ears." I don't know where this senseless hatred for a hook in this context comes from, but it's there. Given that sentiment, I have no idea why Anaal Nathrakh is immune to this requirement. This is death grind, no doubt, and there are hooks, big memorable hooks, hooks that in the context of a crowded dimly lit venue would force the unworthy fans to... sing along. I don't want to speculate too much on what makes them different from the rest of the pack. I'll just say that Anaal Nathrakh has blown me away with Vanitas for the mere fact that they got me to sing along gleefully to searing death grind.
Nothing is original. The concept escapes us completely. For every action taken there is a conflict with multiple possible solutions which we review based on our experience with previously made decisions. It may feel like we could pick the decision out of thin air but there are myriad influences that operate outside of our immediate consciousness that guide us. The artist faces these conditions and tries to choose the path that most effectively projects the emotions that he feels. Music that we may consider original isn't original in definition but it can still feel remarkably so. Each new composition is a collection of previously explored ideas expressed from a perspective that's foreign to us. It's this view from someone else's perspective that is the beauty in all artistic expression. If we can see someone else's perspective then it gives us texture and context to better understand our own perspective.
Having said that, if I were to pick an album that embodies what original music feels like, this is it. Vaura is a collection of artists with dramatically different backgrounds, all bringing their vastly unique understandings of music into one cohesive album. I can't begin to imagine the creative process that was employed during the writing of this album, but all involved obviously worked well together incorporating as many previously traversed ideas as they could, displaying them in fresh new ways. If we are in the age of the narcissist, of self-promotion, of ego over selfless contribution, this album makes a good argument to the contrary.
9) Eagle Twin - The Feather Tipped The Serpent's Scale
You can look at your guitar amplifier as a tool. You can look at it as a means to an end, a fancy piece of equipment that expresses exactly what you tell it to express. You can also look at your amplifier in awe, suggesting a riff and then waiting for it to spit back raw sludge, razor blades, and acid. I wouldn't say many bands worship their amplifiers, in fact I'd go as far as calling amplifier worship a very small genre of doped up, filthy scoundrels. This is how I see Eagle Twin. Their music isn't the most intricately composed or thought provoking. But they wouldn't want those things. They want crushing tone accompanied by a whiskey soaked, lurching message and they want for you to sit back and worship as they obviously did while recording this. I have no problem with that.
10) Svartidauði - Flesh Cathedral
I need to get this list started with something and this seemed like a good place. I'll explain. Anyone who knows me knows my favorite black metal band is Deathspell Omega. I am of the opinion that since they showed up on the scene nothing else has been able to hold a candle to the expertly crafted cacophony they consistently create. Other bands can try and I'll of course give them a chance. Svartidauði gave it the old college try this year. Flesh Cathedral is their first full-length and because it's a debut they earn some extra credit in my book. This album is expansive, it's evil, it's got a swirling void of an atmosphere. I love the unorthodox vocals, sort of half-way between a death growl and a black metal rasp with plenty of reverb. There's some real passion in the vocal delivery. I can picture him being absolutely exhausted both physically and emotionally at the end of a tracking session. The guitars have a nice tone on them, playing melodies with enough dissonance to cause disorientation without losing the focus of each track. I don't want to name faults because this band has a bright future. I'll just say that unlike my aforementioned favorite black metal band, I was an observer, not a participant.
Everything dies, but not at the same time, which is the ultimate cause of grief, conflict, and the horrible realization of one's own mortality. We can find comfort in routine to distract us from our imminent demise, but the routine will degrade over time and eventually crumble due to the fragility of life and the destructive force of nature.
My parents taught me many things when I was younger. One of the messages they found most important was that I get a good education and a good job with a good salary. They taught me this because that's what they wanted to do but were never able to. My father dropped out of college early on and never went back claiming school just wasn't for him. My mother started out as a journalist, but soon gave that up to focus on starting a family and eventually she went to nursing school, a career that has little opportunity for growth and little opportunity for wealthy success. They are reaching retirement age now and they feel more than ever how if certain decisions were made, if they had the money to go to good schools, if they managed to find jobs with real earning potential, retirement might not be such a scary prospect.
Their perception is based on the reality in which they grew up. My grandparents were extremely hard-working. On one side there was a modest factory worker, on the other there was a doctor. These were careers, single jobs that kept their families afloat. That is what was demanded in their environment. The job market in the United States was simpler to wrap ones head around. If you worked diligently for a given company, they would reward you with a long career and benefits for your family, benefits for your retirement. Of course this is an example of a good story. I fully realize every generation has had to struggle for success. My point is simply that the idea of a career was one long-term job, with one company, with the opportunity for growth and eventual retirement.
And this is the perception that I was taught when I was younger. It's the reason I went into the field of computer science and it's the reason I signed on with Bank of America. I've been with them for 5 years and seeing the shift of this career model, not only at my own job, but in the behavior of my parents workplaces as well, has been profound.
Here is what's going on: Large companies no longer respect their employees. They look at a dollar value of your worth to the company and from that decide to keep you on or let you go. If oversees workers are cheaper, the company will not hesitate to replace you no matter how good your work is. Pensions and other retirement benefits are quickly become a thing of the past. My pension was recently dissolved. The conclusion of this is that there is no job security at large corporations anymore and it won't be returning with any turn-around of the economy. The small companies never had job security to begin with. They are the upstarts, the entrepreneurs who took a substantial risk and hoped for the best. With both of those options of job security unavailable one has to take a different approach. And that different approach is to focus on individual growth
The current environment of fly-by night start-ups and companies based on intellectual property rather than goods is extremely volatile, but it's driven by a unique sort of person who is resilient to this volatility. That person is one with many skills who can find small jobs to fill the time and keep him afloat. The modern worker is a web designer/programmer/consultant. The modern worker is a yoga instructor/hair dresser/stripper. The modern worker who succeeds in this rapidly changing world is multi-faceted, but one new requirement is necessary for these types of people to survive as they deal with so many responsibilities and so much pressure. They need to be absolutely passionate about their work.
During older generations most work was a passionless chore. Jobs were dangerous and generally unrewarding, and this taught the people of this country that their career was not something to feel passionately excited about. It was the only means to start a successful family. One can imagine the toll that takes on a human being. Some themes of the hard working man of previous generations reflected this enormous weight: domestic abuse, alcoholism, and abandonment.
That previous environment based on pumping out tangible goods is what is shifting, what is giving us a ripe opportunity. When the job market is no longer based on industry, but based on ideas, people can literally dream up any original idea and market it. That is what I'll refer to as post-capitalism. As stated before the shift has implications. Goods are a constant need which is why older generations had greater job security. Ideas are short lived and perpetually expanded upon, which is why our environment is so volatile.
But, overall this is a change for the better. People just have to find something they want to do and work at it every minute they can, and then find something else and work at that, and then find something else and so on. There is a lot of reward in capitalizing on your own personal passions.
This new perception of mine leaves me in a pickle, however. I have one skill working at one company who is waiting with hot anticipation to replace me with an oversees worker. I need to find other marketable skills. I need to identify a handful of passions and get to work... I know I want to keep writing, I know I like to help people (the possibility of massage therapy has crossed my mind), I'm knowledgeable of music in a way that most people are not, and I know if I don't start working on these things in a real marketable way, my future is at stake.
I already accepted Prometheus wasn't going to be a modern classic walking into the theater. After reading a couple reviews (making sure I didn't stumble upon on any major spoilers), it was evident that Alien is an untouchable composition in the annals of Sci-Fi. But I still wanted it to be decent. I wanted Prometheus to be a solid effort with a decent script and a few memorable characters. But it wasn't. It just wasn't.
I'll start off with what I liked. Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender are so good at what they do and they were allowed to show a little bit of that during the course of this film. Noomi was taken right to the point of desperation and she approached it with such an honest sense of strength. And Fassbender has quickly become one of my favorite actors exhibiting unbelievable professionalism and poise. Watching him play an android with a hidden agenda was mildly disturbing, which is exactly what it was meant to be.
The actual beauty of the film shouldn't be overlooked either. I gratefully tip my hat to the set designers and CG artists who were involved in this effort. All the environments were stunning and fully engrossing. I never doubted any of the sets for a second; all of it was believable. And I am proud to admit that CG presentation as a whole is getting damn close to reality. It was only a matter of time before technology gave the willing artist the ability to create a believable environment on a computer screen, but that day is here.
But the flaws... finally I get to the point where I can blow off a little steam... For anyone that doesn't know, the point of this film was to explain the brief encounter with a technologically advanced humanoid being featured in the original Alien film known by the people involved as an "architect." In Prometheus, the architects are said to be the origin of life on earth. They came to earth and created us. Keep in mind that the premise doesn't include any other life on the planet. So instead of embracing the theory of evolution, the film says, "Oh yeah, humans aren't a result of evolution, we were engineered by this other race of humans and put here." WHAT?! Why at this point in our society would the writers of this film decide to throw evolution in the trash?!
But accept that for a moment, while I give another spoiler. The architects are bad guys!? Why?!!!! Why would you make the an ultra-advanced humanoid being a violent warrior?! That doesn't make any sense... To achieve limitless innovation to the extent of intergalactic travel a society would have figured out a solution to violent behavior. Technology isn't the only thing that advances. Every part of a society evolves, including how to deal with one another. Violence obviously isn't an intelligent solution to ANYTHING! But, oh well, the architects gave us life and for some unknown reason (follow me here), they set up a military installation on a distant moon and developed biological weapons with the purpose of returning to earth and wiping us out.... WHAT?! I know, I know, that's the mystery, that's the unexplained that Noomi wants explained, but that doesn't make it any less stupid.
I can see how you'd think that I'm being too critical about that, but just listen for a second. Sci-Fi is all about viewing reality from a perspective that doesn't exist yet. It's about imagining a place in time that is so far removed from current events that each journey into the unknown is an opportunity to introduce an entirely new way of thinking and feeling. What the writers did with Prometheus was to view the future through our violent, short-sighted eyes. We know violence already, we know war and we know how dumb and primitive it is. We know what bashing people over the head with heavy things looks like. I want to know something else. And this film failed to show me a single perspective that was at all futuristic.
Now let's take a second to discuss the characters other than those skillfully executed by Rapace and Fassbender. Uhhh ummmm... oh sorry, I FORGOT THEM. Seriously Ridley... You used to be really good at that; giving a character some heart, some fragility, some god damn humanity. But I guess you forgot. There was one moment that is absolutely unforgivable. Near the end when the ship captain makes the decision to destroy the architect's ship by ramming theirs into it... The two supporting characters just sort of say, "Alright, gotta die sometime..." WHAT?! I get that it's cool to go out in a big way, but to not give a second thought to instantly committing suicide. They literally just threw their arms in the air and embraced it, not really understanding at all that the human race could have been in danger. It took them about 5 seconds to decide it was alright to die. They even ended the scene saying, "I'll see you on the other side buddy." FUCK.
Oh, and one more detail before I close. When you find an alien's head, your first reaction shouldn't be to shove an electrode into it and bring it back to life without a single ounce of preparation or precaution. That shit just wouldn't happen. And to make the head explode afterward... Where the fuck is Michael Bay... I know he's here somewhere.
Overall this was a pretty film with a couple great actors in it. That doesn't nearly make up for how shallow it is, how many disposable characters there were, how little they felt when their life was at risk, or how blindingly dumb the conflicts were that endangered their lives to being with.
I almost never write negative reviews these days. We have enough resources at our disposal to be able to avoid things we might not like. Generally speaking, any moderately high profile movie, album, or book has been reviewed a handful of times before you're able to experience it and a quick search will let you know what to expect. I realize most people like to just dive in regardless of other people's opinions. I just don't like taking the risk.
There is one exception to this guideline though. If an artist I've really grown to appreciate releases something, I'm going to give it a shot. Very few artists have made it into my favorites and once they have, I'm going to give them my full attention. Haruki Murakami is one of the few. He's proven himself time and again with outstanding examples of surrealist fiction (my favorite literary genre). So when 1Q84 came out I didn't bother looking up reviews; I immediately pulled out my nook and hit the download button.
The story began like many of his other novels: the introduction of a couple colorful characters, vivid descriptions of the setting, beautiful analysis of the musical piece playing in the background while inner monologue carries on with existential speculation. But, I could sense a change in the style. There was a bit more repetition. It took me a little time to notice the pattern, but after the first few chapters it was obvious what Murakami was doing. He was dumbing down his prose by highlighting important thoughts, events, and descriptions by repeating them every 20 or so pages.
Now, the reason I got into surrealist fiction in the first place was because it attempts to describe things foreign to our world, things that people have never seen or thought before. And Murakami is a master of creativity, coming up with conflicts that place very human characters in situations that would be otherwise unfathomable. I can understand that otherworldly content like this might throw someone not well-versed in the genre and a little repetition is good to keep a new-comer from getting lost and discouraged by the density of such foreign ideas. But, at this point I don't need that, and Murakami has never taken this approach before. With his previous novels he dives in to the deep end before you can even realize what's happened, forcing the reader to pick up clues and swim to eventual understanding. 1Q84 doesn't take this approach, it introduces an idea, explains it from various points of view, and then repeats it so there is no misunderstanding.
1Q84 is quite simply Haruki Murakami's attempt to reach a wider audience... And as rich as a couple characters are, as original as the main plot might be, I found myself perpetually frustrated by the repetition. It was like he was dictating the story to a 10 year old. So for me, his tone seemed borderline condescending and to trudge through this 1000 page novel was ultimately a chore.
There is a subtle indication of the changing seasons that I wait patiently for around this time of year, when the light from the sun seems to be too much for the cold. The bright rays stab through the final gusts of winter, separating them, weakening them, until they can't put up a fight anymore. The morning's dew may still be frost on blades of grass, but when the sun breaks over the horizon, the frost quickly sublimates into a fleeting mist.
It's important to mark this shift in some substantial way so time doesn't just slip by without punctuating events to fill our memory. So for me that means picking a few songs, making a playlist of music to keep in my car where I can listen with the windows down. This list will be devoted to spring, it will be devoted to the blossoming warmth, the collective awakening of all things from the cold.
#1 - Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
Starting the mix off with such a song may seem a little... cynical. But it's exactly what I was going for to lead into the more beautiful emotions born of spring. Let's take a second to think about all the fake things and step outside into the world that often seems so distant (clothing optional). Let's logoff, shutdown, and unplug, if only for a few minutes, and just listen to the birds and feel the breeze man. Life is too short to spend watering fake plastic trees. (Yes I do realize the irony of expressing that in a blog...)
#2 - The Flashbulb - Meadow Crush
Now that we're outside let's establish some boundaries... just kidding. But we do need somewhere to roam, earth to walk on. Leave that to Mr. Benn Jordan, a master of creating lush atmosphere complete with emotionally stirring melodies that seem to dance around the sky like sparrows darting about for their morning meal of mosquitoes.
#3 - Deftones - Beauty School
And now for something a little heavier. I've been a big fan of these guys since I first started taking music seriously. White Pony was one of my first albums and I've loved everything they've put out since. The Deftones are very good at developing a song with humble beginnings and letting it bloom into a big memorable chorus that has the potential of getting lodged in your head for longer than most people are comfortable with. This song is a perfect example. It bursts forth from the ground and blossoms into something rather beautiful. Your mind has no choice but to take a picture and store it away. For me it's filed under "Songs to play the first day I can roll the windows down"
#4 - M83 - Skin of the Night
Speaking of well-written choruses. Have you ever wished during a great track that the chorus would repeat just a few more times before the end? M83 took this thought into advisement and wrote a track that is literally 80% chorus and for me it never gets old. The words and the inviting delivery warm the blood in my heart. I found myself hitting the "play again please" button a lot when I first discovered it. And every spring since, this has been in heavy rotation on my headphones, in the car, on the stereo, everywhere I can put it.
#5 - The Smashing Pumpkins - Mayonaise
The Smashing Pumpkins are one of my go to bands when I need a break from metal. They have just enough edge, just enough aggression to gently help me down from the adrenaline fest that is my usual listening experience. This song doesn't have much of an edge, but for a Spring Mix there is no better track than Mayonaise; a song about enduring the hard times and trying again. When I can, I will. This is a perfect track for shaking off the last few icicles.
#6 - Queens of the Stoneage - Make It Wit Chu
Spring stirs up all sorts of things. Some don't need any explanation.
#7 - Alcest - Summer's Glory
Yes, the song is called Summer's Glory. I've obviously picked the wrong track, but no! A big reason why I appreciate Spring is that Summer is just around the bend. The gradual progression is nice but I am admittedly a little impatient for the kind of heat that makes you sweat without even moving. So I chose this song to build up some anticipation. Alcest is probably the most metal band on this list so far, but it comes from a sub-genre so removed from the angry foundations of what metal is, I'd have a hard time calling it that. Alcest has managed to come out on the other side of the spectrum creating some really beautiful music. Their new album Les Voyages De L'Ame is worth looking into if this strikes a chord.
#8 - Devin Townsend - Deadhead
This song embodies my cheesier side. I can remember moments during past relationships when I've played this song in the car, starting the track immediately when I know there's a strip of road that I can push the gas pedal to the floor while I glance over lovingly at the cute girl in the passenger seat as the warm wind rushes through the car like a torrent. In those moments I wanted her to know that she was my goddess and I was the fucking man. Usually after the song was over, the arbitrary girl would be thoroughly unimpressed... ha. I should date nicer girls.
#9 - Meshuggah - Swarm
It's about time I put something legitimately heavy on here. This is another one from this year and the album from which this track comes will certainly be a contender for best of 2012. But the reason I picked it for my Spring Mix is the undeniable fact that all of our swarming friends will soon be coming back from dormancy. The mosquitoes, the horse flies, the hornets and wasps. I welcome you back into existence with a punishingly brutal song and I hope my mortal flesh is sweet enough this year for you little guys to dig in.
#10 - System of a Down - Peephole
Time for the finale, which is an opportunity for a few quick words of warning before you get out there and enjoy the warm embrace of the new season.
Ok, ok... I phoned this one in. But seriously what did you expect? Death is my favorite band, the reason I picked up guitar. And Human was originally released with a terrible production job. So in 2011, I spun this masterpiece a lot and loved the shit out of every moment. That's it for 2011, time to bring on 2012, which is already promising to be a good year, even though those pesky Mayans say it'll be our last.
I've been following Valborg since they started out noting each of their releases as having potential but not being fully realized. This is weird stuff with no discernible influences that I can tell, which automatically earns my attention, but it wasn't until Barbarian that I was really impressed. This album is so fucking moody, so hypnotic and atmospheric, at moments you could call it minimalist with it's apparent simple song structures, but there's a lot between the lines here. On Barbarian, Valborg painted a picture of a hulking, lumbering soldier, battle-ax in hand, on a journey. During some tracks he lays waste to small villages, bludgeoning peasants into muddy battlefields. On others he wanders, he reflects, he regrets. And on the second to last track (I like to think when he meets a special lady) he sings a rock ballad that if played with a different guitar, through a different amp, in a different country, could have easily made it onto a Scorpions album. What the fuck you might say. What the fuck indeed.
I love black metal that doesn't sound quite like black metal. I like my black metal to have acoustic guitars, parts that don't blast, I like it to have hooks to remember and atmosphere. Shining's motivation is pretty simple. They write songs about killing yourself; a message that's been done a million times before. Luckily the lyrics aren't in English and every other aspect of this album is fucking awesome. Each track has a pulse strongly rooted in rock structure with groovy rhythms and blasts used sparingly with great effect. And even though the lyrical theme is recycled from youthful rebellion, the lyrics are delivered with passion. There are moments on this album where the words seem to come out of the vocal's throat like razor blades, shredding the poor guy to pieces. He's obviously a god damn lunatic, but most great artists are.
When I first spun this it didn’t quite click. But as the year limped on, I kept listening to it and it started to melt into my perception of what 2011 was. This album is pure pain and longing drowning in subterranean distortion, guided by someone who has a better grasp on writing hooks than anyone in the business. I sang along to this album more than any other in the past year and every time it left me right on the edge of an emotional breakdown. I’m so happy the Warning crew is back picking up where they left off. Picking up the task of bringing grown men to tears.
I've played the song Holes in the Desert off this album so many times... An absurd amount. Everytime I hopped in my car and wanted to feel just fucking cool, wanted to drive fast, take turns wide and fucking blast the doors off of compact KIA's and Ford Fiesta's, I put on Holes in the Desert. It makes me feel like James Dean, like Steve McQueen. Just for that one song, this album makes the list, BUT THE OTHER TRACKS ARE GOOD TOO.
#6 - Corrupted - Garten Der Unbewusstheit (Garden of Unconsciousness)
There are some people who have fantasies about creating the perfect football team, their dream team of athletes who have proven themselves worthy on a personal level. Since I'm indifferent to sports the dream teams I fantasize about are collaborations of musicians, groups that should get together because a shared project would be undoubtedly captivating. The vague interest took on a new form when I first listened to Altar, a collaboration between drone veterans Sunn 0))) and Boris. That album was perfect, and I wanted more. And it wasn't until 2011 until I heard something of a similar genre that really effected me. Garten Der Unbewusstheit by Corrupted was the album I was waiting for.
This is not a collaboration though, so prefacing this review the way I did might seem awkward, until explaining that the only way I can describe Corrupted's sound is Earth+Boris. The beginning of Garten is very Earth-like, with clean guitars, a slight twang, played excruciatingly slowly. For every gently strummed chord there is a melody written to emphasize the feeling of being lost. Each line leads into the next seamlessly with a low whispered vocal acting as a guide through endless layers of dark reverberating atmosphere.
Then like a landslide of molten lava, a very Boris-esque riff comes in accompanied by a subterranean growl and the word heavy is instantly and forever redefined. This is perfection in composition, this is an example of veteran musicians who know exactly how to manipulate their listeners. Even though it might take a little patience for someone not accustomed to drone, given time, Garten Der Unbewusstheit will raise the bar for drone, for great album-writing in general.
