A STORM OF LIGHT - “Mass”
from And We Wept The Black Ocean Within (Neurot)
After building monolithic towers of art-doom in his ex- (and rather stupidly spelled) band, Red Sparowes, and creating totemic visuals for Neurosis, Josh Graham is ready for some new atmospheric heaviness all his own. It seems sorta strange that the founding member of Red Sparowes has left to form a new band that sounds a heck of a lot like his old one, but hey, consistency is a good thing, no?
The NeurIsis sound and interconnectedness have always been a theme for Graham: Red Sparowes borrows members of Isis, his other metalgazed band Battle Of Mice featured Made Out Of Babies’ Julie Christmas, all four of those bands—and this one, too—were all signed to Neurosis’ own label Neurot.
“Mass” opens with an enchanting intro vibing the Cure; tasteful “clean” vocals strike a meditative pose. Tribal drum thuds add to the textural effluvia, harkening that all is not well. And then, surprise(!), through all the twirling clouds of anxious introspection, the distortion pedal is found, depressed and BUUUUH-ROOOOM waaahhh, BUUUUH-ROOOOM waaahhh, BUUH-ROOOM waaahhh… The “waaahhh” part being the tasty sustaining trebly counter chord to the rumbling bassy “BUUUUH” wallop. Vocals switch to more of a Scott Kelly growl and guitars alternate between war thuds and mellow, post-rocked noodling… eight minutes later there is quiet again. Sure, it's close to the Sun That Never Sets, but we still feel its warmth. - D. SHAWN BOSLER
(((Stream or download "Mass" here!)))
