THE ICHTHYOLOGIST

2009 occurs to be a strange year for my perception of music: favourite bands frequently fail (LACRIMOSA), bands I couldn't get into release awesome works (MASTODON), new discoveries appear on the horizon (AMIA VENERA LANDSCAPE), and so on. But bands whose debuts/previous albums were in my top-lists some years ago, seem to fail me on a regular basis :(

There's nothing criminally wrong with this album, it's pretty listenable and groovy. But it's totally pale when compared to "Metridium Fields". Melodies are bleak, perfomace is average, some songs are too metal-directed, and only "Dead Man Slough" caught me the first week I heard the album. I was returning to it since then, three or four times, but sorry, I didn't like what GS are becoming. It's still a good record, but this time is an ordinary Post-Metal stuff with some intersting leanings, while GS' debut was amazingly experimental in the full meaning of this word. Nuff said.