Tag Archives: Isis

SUMAC – What One Becomes

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SUMAC - What One Becomes album cover ghostcultmag

With the formation of SUMAC back in 2014 featuring Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom), Nick Yacyshyn (Baptists) and Brian Cook (Russian Circles, These Arms Are Snakes) and the release of their début album, The Deal, shortly afterwards, the metal community was taken back by the sheer exponential experimentation that was introduced on this project. And let’s just say that they left quite a raw post-metal-ish impression. Nevermind that the expectations were already set pretty high with such an all-star line-up, but what is more stunning is that they met them effortlessly with The Deal, showing the machinic beauty in minimalistic chaos.

Now one can only wonder what to expect from SUMAC’s sophomore release, What One Becomes, having newly signed to Thrill Jockey Records. How are they going to show progress after such a smashing début? Well, they sure as hell did something because the bar has officially been set higher for all bands in the cold metal game. This 5-track LP is a masterpiece of mechanical pandemonium and order, props to Kurt Ballou (Converge) for mixing. All tracks clock in a minimum of 10 minutes, with the longest one, ‘Blackout’, being a 17-minute journey. One of the aspects of this record that stand out the most from the previous is that on the balance scale of control and chaos… a tad more weight was placed on control although chaos still has more emphasis.

The first stand-out track, ‘Image of Control’, pushes out an interpretation of what it feels to be in constant battle with an anxiety-ridden mind. It begins its manifestation with confused out-of-key guitar distortion and cavernous vocals. But as the clouds of confusion begin to break, the lone guitar signifies the deep breathe of relief to finally gain order in the midst of it all. And so begins the heavy monologue of awkwardly orchestrated harmony between the zombie guitar/bass riffs and marching drums. To the untrained ear, it may sound like just noise. But with each additional listen, one will realize the strong musicianship and technical skills needed to create this amazing sound.

Another stand-out track is, without a doubt, ‘Clutch of Oblivion’. It starts off with a somber annunciated guitar riff which leads into a slow progressive groove that can easily give you an Isis flashback. But SUMAC is a lot dirtier sounding and experimental, which is one of the greatest differentiations from the band members’ past projects in general. Nevertheless, the track suddenly shifts from that familiarity to this wall of epic sound, bringing the listener back down to harsh cold earth. The technicality is most notable on this track because the time signatures throughout this entire track (and every track for that matter) are so strange and unpredictable that it leaves you intrigued.

With the magnitude of progressive and experimental metal available for your listening pleasure, you can often find yourself knowing what’s coming next whether it be a down tempo breakdown, extended distortion or ambience. But with SUMAC, you truly cannot see what’s coming. Every track on the album leaves an everlasting feeling and one can easily find themselves circling back through the entire album without hesitation. This solid body of work is truly a highlight of 2016 metal releases thus far and will surely be on plenty of end-of-the-year lists.

9.5/10


EBONIE BUTLER

 

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Exclusive: Kindler – Cosmic Revelations, Full Album Stream

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Ghost Cult is proud to bring you the full-album stream of Cosmic Revelations (Self-Released), the new full-length album from prog rock’s bright new hope, Kindler. The album drop tomorrow, March 11th. You can hear the stream at this link or below:

 

Hailing from Ashboro NC, Kindler pulls inspiration from such classic genre giants as Rush, Yes, ISIS, Mastodon, Tool, Opeth and Burst. Frontman Cameron Fitzpatrick commented on the occasion of the release:

 

“While we self-engineered both Cosmic Revelations and our EP “Afterglow”, and recorded them both at the same studio, Cosmic Revelations comes from a slightly different place than the EP. When we recorded “Afterglow”, we had a lot of concrete ideas about our music and our identity as a band, and the material reflected that certainty. The music on the album (Cosmic Revelations), however, is punctuated by what we call an “ominous question mark”. Things change, life is unpredictable, and very little remains certain, and these themes are present in nearly every song on the album.”

 

Kindler Cosmic Revelations album cover ghostcultmag

Production Credits:

Cosmic Revelations:

Recorded at The Fidelitorium

Mixed at The Forest Moon of Endor

Engineered and mixed by Cameron Fitzpatrick

Mastered by Bob Katz at Digital Domain

Artwork by Edwin Galmon

 

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Kindler on Soudcloud


Exclusive Stream: Cult Of The Lost Cause – Hessian Crucible

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Denver based post-metal merchants Cult Of The Lost Cause have released a new single, ‘Hessian Crucible’, from their new album, Contritions, out next week on Sailor Records. You can hear ‘Hessian Crucible’ exclusively from Ghost Cult at this link or below:


Previously the band released streams for ‘All Those Opposed’ and ‘The Drowned God’. Contritions was recorded at Flatline Audio by acclaimed producer Dave Otero (Cephalic Carnage, Khemmis, Native Daughters). Combining dirge-laden riffs and sly atmospherics, the instrumental band has found a common ground with greats of the genre such as Rosetta, ISIS, Pelican and Russian Circles.

 

Contritions track listing

1. All Those In Favor

2. All Those Opposed

3. Hessian Crucible

4. The Drop

5. The Cloud Collector

6. The Drowned God

7. Wall of Bones

8. The Gemini

 

Cult Of The Lost Cause has booked a home town record release show next weekend, at The High Dive on 2/27.

 

Cult Of The Lost Cause on Facebook

Cult Of The Lost Cause on Bandcamp

Sailor Records online

 

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Exclusive Song Stream: Julie And The Wolf – Devil Is The Man

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Ghost Cult Magazine is proud to present the new single from mysterious ambient post-rock duo Julie And The Wolf. You can stream their track ‘Devil Is The Man’ at this link or below:

 

‘Devil Is the Man’ comes from Julie And The Wolf’s forthcoming début album Ablaze, releasing on October 30th from the Audiogram label. Imagine Nine Inch Nails’s Ghost EP, put through a filter of bands like Anathema and the mellower moments of ISIS and you begin to understand the framework of Julie And The Wolf’s mindset. Julie’s hypnotic, vulnerable piano lays the foundation for vocalist Wolf Merzbacher’s heart breaking vocals and lyrics. The meshing of the two talents is breathtaking.

 

Julie And The Wolf online:

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Vod – Tuurngait

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Tuurngait (Independent/self-released) is the second album from Quebecois one-man project Dave Tremblay, otherwise known as Vod. I tried to locate the font or alphabet the album’s titles are primarily given in; really I did. But I have a life, my wife and daughters were beginning to forget me, so enough: you’re getting the inuit-looking subtitles instead.

It’s a slow beginning but a crushing one, the brewing portent of opener ‘Inutuuvuq’ exploding into a sludgy morass of noise. The delightfully nasty atmosphere is graced by curious and inventive jazz structures especially in the soft, trumpet-led interludes of ‘Unnusarataaq’ and ‘Aqhaq’, displaying a creative freedom which initially proves compelling and magnetic, if a little difficult. ‘Itji’ shows a leaning toward the more progressive Post aggression of Isis and Cult of Luna with subtle, gradually swelling interludes, those freeform undercurrents not quite reaching Mathcore complexity but twisting the sound through a number of polyrhythmic stages.

The album really gains identity when the pulverising rhythms and swirling, plunking basslines kick into the riff and Tremblay’s terrible roar. The soft noodlings of ‘Ikuma’ are surrounded by barely controlled, brutal intensity, perfectly characterising the capricious moods of the sound; some phenomenal stickwork morphing grotesque atmospherics, robotic sampling and eerie tones into a somehow cohesive whole.

Unfortunately, Tremblay’s undoubted talent appears to grow too self-indulgent for his own good. The gradual influence of strings and a developing harder edge isn’t enough to detract from the fact that this evolves into an experience only fully enjoyed by the real muso. This apparent need to display technical ability starts to supersede song structure and by the closing, oscillating horror of ‘Unnuak’ it’s begun to grate rather seriously. It’s staggering stuff of course, the quality cannot be denied, and there remain shows of power from the drums at least, but the rambling complexities wash away much of the interest long before the lazy horns of the closing ‘Anirniit’. Dampening that early promise, Tuurngait proves to be just too much hard work.

5.5/10

Vod on Facebook

PAUL QUINN


Gloson – Yearwalker EP

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One of the biggest musical fads of the past decade has been the so-called ‘NeurIsis’ movement; bands who suckle at the withered teats of apocalyptic doom titans Neurosis and post-metal masters Isis with fevered vigour. The result is a not altogether unpalatable cocktail of big lumbering riffs, clattering tribal percussion and post-rock widdling, more often than not performed by blokes with beards wider than their biceps. Swedish quintet Gloson are late arrivals to this bandwagon, sorry, genre and their debut EP Yearwalker (Catatonic State/Art of Propaganda) has zero surprises in its thirty-two minute running time. That isn’t to say it doesn’t pack a hefty punch, mind.

While the band may ludicrously categorise themselves as ‘boar metal’, which explains why there’s a vicious looking porker with bloodstained tusks gracing the front cover, one thing they aren’t is ‘bore metal’ (I’m here all week) as the listener’s attention is unlikely to waver throughout their gargantuan riff onslaught, aided by a three-guitar attack that adds just enough interesting variations along the way to justify the extra axe. Tracks such as the ten minute ‘The End/Aftermath’ is a pummelling affair that will pin ears back when performed live, while closing number ‘The Aftermath Begins’ employs bleak atmospherics amid the crushing tempo with more than a few nods to fellow native gloomy types Cult of Luna.

While Gloson aren’t covering any new ground here, they are trampling a lot of foliage along a well-trodden path, and their relatively straightforward, powerful approach will win them a fair few fans. However, it’s hard to see them ever becoming anything more than a perennial support band who you’ve completely forgotten about a week after seeing them. Unless a tad more originality and songwriting nous is introduced on the next release, this boar’s days could be numbered.

6.5/10

Gloson on Facebook

JAMES CONWAY


Spylacopa Streaming “Hexes” Music Video

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Spylacopa, the side project of Candiria guitarist John LaMacchia, has released their Steve Perlmaster directed new music video for “Hexes,” which can be viewed below. This is the project that also features Jeff Caxide of Palms/Isis fame and Julie Christmas (ex-Made Out Of Babies, etc.) Their new album Parallels will be released on March 31, 2015 via Rising Pulse Records.


Spylacopa’s Parallels Out March 31st

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Spylacopa, the musical brainchild of Candiria guitarist John LaMacchia, is releasing their long awaited debut full length record Parallels on March 31, 2015 via Rising Pulse Records. The album was produced by LaMacchia, mixed by Ken Schalk (Candiria) and mastered by Julian Silva at On Air Mastering. This is their first new release since their 2008 debut self titled EP, and features members of ISIS, Mister Sparx, Palms, Candiria, Made Out Of Babies, Slow Parade and Julie Christmas.

The delay of the album was partly due to the untimely and tragic murder of drummer Troy Young, who was killed in his Brooklyn apartment in December 2009 following an attempted robbery.

LaMacchia comments:

“Troy Young Tracked the drums for all the original material that made up the debut EP and most of what makes up this full length which is a huge reason why this record is being released. These are some of the last recordings of Troy Young tracking drums in a professional setting. After meeting Troy’s family during the trial of his murder, I felt somewhat obligated to get this record out. Troy would have wanted this record to come out and I feel that this is a way of helping to keep him active and present. He was such a talented young guy who was just getting a foothold in New York City as a working and functioning musician when he was killed.”


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Sumac – The Deal

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There’s prolific, there’s ubiquitous, then there’s Aaron Turner. With Isis no more than a beloved memory and the latest effort from Old Man Gloom done with its mischief-making, the man’s thirst for invention and colossal soundscapes appears unslakeable and latest project Sumac bounds into being with debut album The Deal (Profound Lore).

From the outset, earth-shaking bass notes and riffs allude to the swelling hostility of former glories. There’s a marvellous tone to the switching, slamming riff and bass of ‘Thorn In The Lion’s Paw’, as deep as the Marianas trench yet resonant, crashing through fearful, hissing amps that groan under the sheer weight. Wonderfully dictated by rolling, pulverising stickwork, Turner’s diseased bark careers the bulldozing track toward a lush, atmospheric ambience; the piercing piano keys and howling lead chord chilling the soul. It’s a typically diverse, adventurous, yet sonically booming exercise deserving of beefy cans rather than those tinny, treble-heavy ‘in-ear’ aberrations. The scything, hammer riff of ‘Hollow King’, when colliding with the frenetic rhythm episodes, is positively euphoric and claustrophobic; even an albeit accompanied drum solo and brutal jam session can’t bore, instead numbing the senses with their size and stunning display of instrumentation, the closing imitation of a pulse the beating heart of the grandest titan.

Despite the undulating power, however, there’s a self-indulgence which leads to meandering moments: the pounding, scorching Stoner twist of ‘Blight’s End Angel’ for example containing extraneous and tedious passages. Despite a rolling pummel and that ripping scour, the thirteen-minute title track houses aimless lulls broken by a crushing intensity, yet even this is occasionally stodgy and flinches only with switches of pace and enlivening lead breaks at both the halfway point and the coda. Only the drifting yet reverberating power and beauty of the YOB-like, aptly-named closer ‘The Radiance of Being’ reflects that early variance you’d expect more of.

This is still a fine album, full of Turner’s trademark phenomenal power. He is doubtless capable of more spectacular results than this, however, he would feel that someone of my limited cognitive powers couldn’t fully understand…

7.0/10

Sumac on Facebook

PAUL QUINN