Since the birth of post-metal in the 90s, a lot of bands have tried to put their own spin on the genre. Some bands have crafted their own way, taking a germ of inspiration and really making some amazing art with it. Others have had a lot to live up to in order to prove themselves worthy, often falling short of the mark. Artists at the forefront of heavy music such as Neurosis and ISIS (RIP) constantly raising and redefining the bar, always outshined the rest of the field. After many releases in a scant few years, we have come upon the third full-length album from Chicago’s The Atlas Moth, and are stunned to at last find a worthy successor to those a fore mentioned greats. The stakes were high enough following enough 2011s An Ache For The Distance (Profound Lore), and this band delivered to the fullest.

The Old Believer (Profound Lore) is massive record, if not a slightly less brutal companion to the last album. What An Ache had in bludgeoning will and power, The Old Believer is more refined and expansive release. They lost none of the heaviness and entrancing motifs this band has been known for. Mantra like guitar lines, stretch layer upon layer without trampling on themselves. Shiver-inducing droning guitar parts fill you with despair and longing, depending on the song, snaking their way into your brain like good Kaya. Other elements, such as the harsh/melodic vocals, and many synth lines act as earworms, and are all nods to to the influence of ISIS. These are all done in a style that can only said to be pure “Moth-music”. We are hearing a band that has never been more confident sounding; tight and loose all at once.

‘Jet Black Passenger’ opens the proceeding with an ominous feed-backing guitar before a waterfall of guitar riffs and dreamy beats just knocks you out. Stavros Giannopoulos (Twilight, Chrome Waves) and David Kush share the vocal and guitar spotlight, much more equally in the past. While Stavros is unquestionably the leader of his band, there is room for everyone to shine; indicative of this track and the album as a whole. The harsh/melodic vocal mix is the right amount of suspense and horror. The driving beats of drummer Dan Lasek carries a nautical ebb and flow that will have you nodding along. The track is nothing short of ecstasy, and I wished it would never end.

‘Collider’ definitely has a bit of that sub-conscious, circadian circuitry working for it. Equal parts Deftones and Failure in flavor, the ever-present soloing lead lines and the baddass groove drop the hammer on your ears. Also the harrowing, blackened shriek of Stavros is again present here and he has perfected this sound on this album. He also stands up quite well as a subtle melodic singer when he wants to. This is one of the best songs on the album, and it stays with you long after the final notes cease. ‘The Sea Beyond’ again slams with a powerful pace, but this where the band has dialed it up considerably. Hitting upon the right blend of light and shade, never sacrificing the cool melodies or poignant lyrics for roughness. One of the things that makes this possible is the deft production values brought to the table by the bands’ own Andrew Ragin (keyboards/guitars) who has found the magic formula to make all of these parts blend smoothly.

The first inkling I had that this album was going to be more special than before was when I heard ‘Halcyon Blvd’ live when the band opened up for Scale The Summit and The Ocean this spring. ‘Halcyon Blvd’ is catchy, Gothic, dark and spooky. Almost like a TAM version of a ballad, the beautiful verses lull you to a calm before asking what size blouse you wear, then bashing your skull in with a frying pan. Since we know the band is heavily into progressive rock, there is no surprise when the guitars switch up a la Pink Floyd and King Crimson with lead playing in verses in a non-traditional context. There is so much epic guitar work going on here, I’d love to see the tabs transcribed at some point. ‘Sacred Vine’ is another chill-inducing track.

‘The Old Believer’ has a god-like guitar tone and heaviness to it, quite fitting for the title cut. ‘City of Light’ is another atmospheric jam with more great synth work from Ragin. Rainy-day music with doleful lyrics and killer singing. ‘Wynona’ again brings us back with the sea-faring rhythms, and more haunting lines to ponder. Some parts reach for the heavy Neurosis stratosphere and make it there, without being repetitive about it. The song also features some slick drum skills from Lasek too. Although TAM seems to write in mostly in one tempo which I will refer to forevermore as the “zombie shamble tempo”, the songs are so compelling you never feel bored. ‘Hesperian’ also has a similar feel, but goes through several cool dynamic and key changes. Alen Klein’s smooth bass lines attest to the slow burn factor, with a nice rounded tone. ‘Blood Will Tell’ closes out the affair with a track both catchy and heavy in a manner I haven’t really heard since Type O Negative was around. Fitting of a final stanza, this upbeat track has a hopeful feeling when heard against the mournful backdrop of the other songs. The urgent beat coupled with the gang vocals from Gojira sound humongous. There are other choice guest appearances on the album too, such as fellow Chicagoan Marcus Eliopulos (Stabbing Westward), and Subrosa violinists Kim Pack and Sarah Pendleton.

Befitting of a release of this stature, it has an amazing album cover with special treated material. When you dip the the cover in water it changes colors, revealing more art and reverts to normal when dried. This band on the rise won’t just be opening up for legends for too much longer, rather they are minting their own status in the scene. A must have purchase and a possible contender for album of the year.

9.5/10

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KEITH (KEEFY) CHACHKES