When Chicago, Illinois natives Minsk threw in the towel in 2011 there was widespread disappointment in underground circles that such a well-admired and hardworking band had decided to call it quits. Thankfully the split turned out to be a mere mini-hiatus, with a reformation in 2013, a few changes in personnel and now new record The Crash and the Draw (Relapse) for our delectation. Minsk sound as if the break has done them the world of good, for they have recorded one of the finest post/sludge metal albums you are likely to hear all year.
Always a band to take their time, Minsk are all about the slow build and release with plenty of emphasis on mood and atmosphere, whilst never afraid to use aggression and visceral riff-power to remind us that they are a metal band at heart. The music comes wrapped in a smoky, dreamlike haze that is of a far darker hue than your average doom band, whilst the frequent forays into tribal rhythms hint at a more primal vision. Opening track ‘To The Initiate’ is a snapshot of every aspect of the band’s sound, from the vague, meandering intro, tumultuous mid-section and pounding riffs that close proceedings.
At seventy-five minutes, The Crash and the Draw is a very long affair and the early part of the album, particularly the lumbering four-part epic ‘Onward Procession I-IV’ should have been trimmed. However, what follows is a masterclass in chin-stroking, murky post-metal which reveals more with each lesson. Shorter instrumental tracks such as the gorgeous ambient of ‘Conjunction’ and the sinister percussion of ‘To You There Is No End’ act as perfect flagpoles amid the crushing hypnotic riffs and flowing melodies of compositions such as the magnificent ‘When The Walls Fell.’
Bassist turned producer extraordinaire Sandford Parker does an exemplary job behind the desk, popping up from time to time with his trademark buzzing synths while 4/5s of the band contribute vocals, further adding to the tribal, multi-layered atmosphere.
A fantastic comeback record from a band that is yet to put a foot wrong.
8.0/10
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JAMES CONWAY
