ISIS

Isis is one of those genre - defining bands. In this case, they define post metal. On Celestial, their first full length, they deliver a good sound that introduced them to the realm of metal.

I listened to Oceanic and Panopticon before I listened to this album, so I wasn't expecting Celestial to be the bands greatest work. I was somewhat correct. Celestial is by no means a bad album, but it doesn't sit on the same bench as Oceanic and Panopticon. There are some great moments, whether it's the repeating, almost mechanic riffs, or the slower parts that eventually crescendo and reveal the song's climax.

Celestial was a good album, but that's about all it was to me. I wouldn't listen to it right away if you are just now getting into Isis or post metal. I do give it a lot of credit however, because it really set Isis up and got them going off in the right direction. Then they became a hugely influential band and spawned many other bands to follow them down the path that Isis trail blazed.

ISIS in my opinion is one of the greatest post-metal and sludge metal bands out there. Not only did they help post- metal and sludge metal evolve, they also helped establish post-metal. Oceanic is an over an hour long but it does not get boring. Aaron Turner and co. deliver an epic that is atmospheric and heavy at the same time. There is also minimal vocals on this album, with the main focus being the instrumentation. Oceanic is a great start for someone getting into post-metal, sludge metal, or just the band. While it is not their best offering, it is a great start for anyone looking for it.

The making of the band's debut "Celestial" resulted in lots of extra material but ISIS was rightfully apprehensive about releasing a double-album as a debut full-length album. Instead, the band wisely chose to release a companion album titled SGNL>05 the following year that acted as an extension for the "Celestial" experience for those who just couldn't get enough. Originally released as a separate EP, the album appears as a bonus disc on the newer deluxe versions of "Celestial."

Unlike "Celestial" that offered the first glimpse of ISIS' unique take on atmospheric sludge metal all teased out with post-rock compositions, SGNL>05 feels much more like a supplemental album that exemplifies less metal bombast and is much more experimental in the ambient and atmospheric possibilities. The EP is somewhat of a remix album of different tracks that didn't make the cut with remixer Justin Broadrick who worked with Godflesh and Jesu contributing a new version of the title track from "Celestial" now with the added "(Signal Fills The Void.)"

In fact, tracks like "Beneath Below" are more dark ambient with little or no contributions from the guitars and other metal features. "Divine Mother (The Tower Crumbles)" is one of the highlights that does deliver the metal goods but even here, much less so than the band's full-length releases that sandwich this oddball. The tracks are for the most part lengthy and sprawling soundscapes that evoke an emotional reaction rather than create melodic constructs and are even more hypnotically repetitive than "Celestial."

More instrumental than vocally infused, tracks like "Constructing Towers" display some of the guitar chugs that ISIS are famous for and is the heaviest track on the album. When the vocals do emerge, they are barely audible as they emerge from the suffocating din. The ambient "Celestial (Signal Fills the Void)" is the connecting track that bridges the album and this EP but is very much rooted on the electronic side of the ISIS equation with guitar sounds merely providing sonic textures to embellish upon.

Overall, SGNL>05 is a decent companion piece for "Celestial" but the far inferior of the two. I'm so glad that the band decided to release this separately or as the optional deluxe double discker because while this is a nice chill out album, it's not nearly as interesting or as fluidly dynamic as "Celestial" and if these tracks were inserted into that album's run, it would've totally derailed the flow and added way too much bloated padding that would've sunk it. With the exception of ""Divine Mother (The Tower Crumbles)" and "Constructing Towers," these are really just leftovers without enough appeal except for the hardcore ISIS fans. The other two tracks just mentioned are quite dynamic and could easily be slipped onto an ISIS album without much ado. Good but not essential.

No, not the Middle East terrorist group or the Egyptian Goddess. This ISIS began creating its unique take on the earlier sludge metal sounds of Neurosis and Godflesh from the very start of its formation in 1997 and quickly released two EPs that showed considerable progress as well as a lengthy tour that allowed the band to hone its chops and introduce its potential to a wider audience but it wasn't until the debut of the band's first full-length album CELESTIAL that ISIS really started to catch the attention of the mainstream metal world internationally which resulted in the band actually touring with Neurosis and in many ways picking up the baton of the atmospheric sludge metal world as Neurosis itself was distancing itself from the earlier heaviness and drifting more into the atmospheric realms. On CELESTIAL, ISIS struck the perfect balance of the heavy hardcore influence sludge riffery with the electronic infused atmospheres that resulted in a totally unique post-metal experience.

Thematically the band continued its critique of power structures and deals with the erosion of privacy through technological advances. The album had depicted several different versions of cover art with the newer versions displaying towers that are designed to spy on our every move and perhaps even our very thoughts. These themes would remain a staple of the band's explorations throughout its career until its ultimate demise in 2010. Following in the footsteps of Neurosis, ISIS released a sister EP titled "SGNL>5" the following year and was designed to be a companion piece to CELESTIAL. The works were an extension of the tracks on this album taken from various sessions and offer more variations in the themes and dynamics. The two releases have been released together as a deluxe version of CELESTIAL as well.

CELESTIAL is where all the promises of the past finally hook up to create the unique heady mix of surreal post-metal and bombastic sludge metal that ISIS made their own and in the process quickly launched themselves into the limelight as the best of the sludge scene. Having been the closest album to the early years that displayed a violent attack of hardcore distortion and guitar attacks, CELESTIAL is an interesting mix of bombastic guitar heft along with a much more developed display of electronic wizardry that sprawls out into continuous atmospheric streams of consciousness. Pretty much everything about ISIS took a leap of sophistication on CELESTIAL. The compositions are much more intricate with seemingly repetitive riffs decorated with subtle variations that seem to repeat four times before adding new elements. The band's classic lineup was completed as Bryant Clifford Meyer replaced Jay Randall on electronics.

With a running time of 52 minutes, CELESTIAL debuted an epic run of tracks that slowly meander down post-metal alley. Lengthened and infused with creative call and response effects of guitar noise and electronics, this album perfectly displayed the fertile possibilities of fusing hardcore metal with electronic ambient effects. The music was also designed to display the themes. A perfect example is the guitar stomping bombast heard in "Deconstructing Towers" while a radiant whizzing of electronic chaos whizzes by in the background until the destruction is complete. In many ways, ISIS merged the heavy punk infused hardcore sounds with the repetitive surrealism of 70s Krautrock. The slow ratcheting up of subtle differences is right out of the A.R. & Machines playbook, Achim Reichel's best known project.

With CELESTIAL, this Boston band essentially broke into the big boy's club and created some essential metal listening experiences. Not by crafting melodic tracks that offered sing-along sessions but rather but taking a completely different approach. ISIS went for the complete experience route which means that the album is designed to consume as a whole run. Yes, it's a lengthy commitment but not overly so. It really does unleash its magic with a few attentive listens that aren't hurried. Comparisons to other metal bands won't do either. CELESTIAL is essentially a post-rock album dressed up in metal attire.

While the cyclical loops and sprawling compositions are right out of the post-rock playbook, the themes and caustic bombast of guitars, bass and drums in tandem keep the band firmly placed in metal territory. CELESTIAL may have been a warm up for the more lauded "Oceanic" and "Panopticon," however this album has a charm all its own and in many ways i prefer this album to the following examples of fan favorites. CELESTIAL climbs another rung of the post-metal ladder for ISIS and accepted on its own merits is a wonderfully dynamic musical experience that remains hypnotically seductive for the entire run despite bouts of extreme metal brutality and harsh noisy distortion lurking around every corner. The production is one of the key factors that segregates all the corresponding sounds into the proper roles. In short CELESTIAL is an amazing achievement of modern metal at its finest.

4.5 rounded down

While still touring the East Coast, ISIS continued to work on original material that was released early on as short EPs. After the debut EP, "The Mosquito Control," electronics contributor and backing vocalist Chris Mereschuk departed and was replaced by Jay Randall now of Agoraphobic Nosebleed but would be the only release to feature him. While "The Mosquito Control" was an EP that hit the 30 minute mark, the second release in EP form, THE RED SEA was originally released simply with three tracks on vinyl but on the CD form it also contained the tracks from the 1998 demo. A Japanese version also included the Black Sabbath cover "Hand of Doom.
 THE RED SEA is notable for slowly ratcheting up the band's post-metal and electronic sensibilities that would come into full display on the full-length debut "Celestial." ISIS was never one to reinvent itself after every album but on the contrary played out as a band much like the music it delivered, namely change things up incrementally and in a nonchalant subtle manner. Not only does THE RED SEA sound a lot more like the future ISIS releases but also debuts themes such as water that would culminate in "Oceanic" as well as a more developed fusion of the band's hardcore, doom metal, sludge metal and dark ambient possibilities.

Despite the leap forward, THE RED SEA EP still contains a heavier hardcore sound although less bombastic and caustic as "The Mosquito Control." Given the EP is so short, it pays to obtain the edition with the bonus demo tracks however they are rather forgettable and only serve to show the origins of the band's hardcore past and how it blossomed into the more sophisticated atmospheric sludge metal and post-metal realities of albums like "Oceanic" and "Panopticon." Overall the album sounds unlike anything else the band had done before or after despite common traits.

"Charmicarmicarmicat Shines to Earth" is pure sonic terror. A very strange sonic smorgasbord of ethereal atmospheric freakiness and caustic jagged angular guitar chords sounding more like the funeral doom metal band Esoteric than anything ISIS ever released. This is by far the weirdest track ISIS has ever released. The screams of anguish beneath the caustic din are particularly jarring. "The Minus Times" is more in line with the previous EP with heavy hardcore guitar, bass and drums and a fast tempo. Also unlike future ISIS but more in line with what came before. Still though, this track is looser and beginning to display some of the more progressive chaotic moments between the cracks. The title track points more to the future with a slower tempo and the mix of doomy distorted riffs with segments that drift into post-rock embellished with electronics. Not as accomplished as future full-length albums but still leading there.

In line with "The Mosquito Control EP," THE RED SEA EP is also not essential but above average in quality and displays three distinctly different tracks that offer glimpses into the evolution of ISIS' atmospheric sludge domination of the 2000s. Michael Gallagher tamed his drumming style into the familiar percussive framing and the overall compositional approach had found many similarities with the classics to come, however THE RED SEA EP still has a very DIY indie sound to it despite a better production job. For those who only love the slicker albums this probably will be too noisy but for those who dig the early rawness of sludgy hardcore inspired post-metal then this will surely scratch that itch.

3.5 rounded down

Boston based ISIS got its start in 1997 which resulted from the band member's dissatisfaction with previous projects. While in modern times, ISIS is recognized as one of the major pioneers of the post-metal and atmospheric sludge metal sounds that evolved the sounds of previous pioneers Neurosis and Godflesh, in the beginning it simply started out as guitarist / vocalist Aaron Turner, bassist Jeff Caxide, Christ Mereschuk (electronics/vocals) and drummer Aaron Harris engaging in musical experiments. The friends quickly concatenated their various influences into a cohesive whole and in 1998 began touring the East Coast of the USA. While famous for such landmark albums as "Oceanic" and "Panopticon," THE MOSQUITO CONTROL EP is where it all began and is the first official release after the 1998 demo.

THE MOSQUITO CONTROL EP is by far the band's heaviest release of their career which spanned from 1997 to 2010 before they disbanded. While all the albums were graced with heavy distortion and sludge metal bombast, they were equally pacified by hypnotic atmospheric embellishments and electronic surreality. On this first EP, the emphasis is on the heavy distortion and bombastic metal sludge riffing that exposes the band member's previous involvement in post-hardcore however while that exists in the chugging rampage of the riffs delivered at fast tempos, ISIS was already displaying the hypnotic repetitive cyclical loops that already existed in the world of post-rock. And like the compositions found on post-rock releases, THE MOSQUITO CONTROL EP linked four caustic tracks together so that they run seamlessly together in the EP's 29 minute run.

Decidedly misanthropic and critical of power structures from the very beginning, this debut release thematically tackles how humanity can be symbolized by the MOSQUITO in which the massive power structures that keep us under control treat us like insects and feel fit to exterminate us with impunity. These themes would become a staple of ISIS' subject matter such as the control towers depicted on this EP's 2018 remastered album cover as well as the themes on "Celestial," the band's first full-length debut which was released two years later. THE MOSQUITO CONTROL EP can be thought of as a transition release which would feature the last lineup of the early years and where the band would de-emphasize the hardcore bombast experimented here and focus more on the atmospheric electronic ambience however those elements do make their debut here. There are many moments in both "Life Under The Swatter" and "Relocation Swarm" that point the way to the future.

Overall, THE MOSQUITO CONTROL EP cannot be considered one of the essential ISIS acquisitions for a music collection but it is also just above the merely "good" status as well. This is some seriously heavy sludgy post-metal that borders on doom metal at times and displays some of the noisiest and guitar laden tracks that ISIS ever recorded. This was a very much DIY sort of beginning with the entire production process only costing 600$USD. This album may exhibit post-metal meanderings but is heavily distorted and bombastically brutal with ugly feedback and industrial grade scariness lurking around every cadence. Personally i love this early filthy raw material that is both manic and hypnotic at the same time with moments where one mood dominates over the other. An excellent portrayal of early ISIS with only hints of what was to come. The ending is particularly chaotic and threatens your very sanity. Great job, guys!

3.5 rounded down

I have come to the conclusion that Isis is one of my favorite Post Metal bands. I am usually not a fan of the extreme metal sound, and one of the reasons is the screaming or growling vocals. Because of this, I don't know why I love Isis so much, but my suspicion lies in the fact that their music is so heavy and solid, yet progressive and influential at the same time. They were never afraid to explore other areas and stretch the boundaries of the sound.

When Isis formed in Boston in 1997, the members had mostly been involved with other bands, yet were unhappy with the sound they were getting from those bands. There first 2 recordings were EPs and they didn't released their first full length album until 2000, and that album was a bone crushing, head smashing sludge metal and post metal extravaganza. Even though the band didn't really seriously start exploring how other genres could be incorporated into their music until their next full length album, there is still a lot of new territory they explored in 'Celestial'.

Through this album, there are 4 short tracks interspersed through the longer tracks that act as electronic interludes that break up the extreme sound this first album has. For the most part, that is the reprieve you get as each harsh track plays through. Screaming vocals are not my bag usually, though there are a few of the best extreme bands that I like anyway because the quality of their music more than makes up for it. But, I really can't see how any other vocal would fit with this music. It is loud and mostly unrelenting. Plus there is the fact that the music, even at this early stage, pushes the boundaries. A great example is in the first full length track 'Celestial (The Tower)' The first 6 minutes is 100% sludge rock with lots of hard hitting noise and the last 4 minutes change gear and present a post-rock style section where intensity builds off of a drop of volume, something you wouldn't expect in a typical sudge-fest. Then there is the completely instrumental track 'Deconstructing Towers' that uses feedback as part of the main feature of the track as it screams out at short intervals and then gets used later in an improvised way. As the track cools down, strummed acoustic chords usher out the squeals. There is also the pensive, yet buzzsaw style of 'C.F.T. (New Circuitry and Continued Evolution)' that tends to bore its way into your psyche and utilizes subdued vocals and electronic effects to prove that these guys were out to be something new and different.

The 'melt your mind' mentality of this music is based around a concept for this album, the building up of towers, the abandonment, the decay and finally the destruction of them. There is a mother-figure in the concept in the guise of the main control tower. It all deals with the way technology takes away our privacy. This is quite a current issue even though this album was released in 2000. We this as being even more of a problem in these days then it was back in those days.

This album is not as excellent as later albums would be, but it is still one that is enjoyable in it's own way, mostly because it has a much rawer feel, yet explores the repetition and development of themes in music much in the same way Swans did in their early days, but Isis takes it much further and that is what makes their music more appealing. The repetition is there, but development is going on as the track continues, and sometimes you end off a track in a completely different manner as what you started. This music is not for everyone, I understand that, but you can't deny that it expands borders in the metal categories. If you love your music loud, daring, epic and somewhat experimental, then this is for you, however, the later albums are even better.

Isis to me is one of those strange anomalies. I typically don't like the growly vocals that are usually present in sludge metal or post metal bands. I can tolerate them when they are melodic in their growling, as with 'Baroness' or 'Agalloch', but Isis' lead singer's dirty vocals are not melodic at all. Yes he does sing clean vocals, but not very often. The thing with Isis is their music is excellent and their songs so well composed and complex, so I hardly even notice them unless I really think about it. Even though many consider this their most accessible album, the growling is still very dominant. The one difference is, the focus is more on melodic tracks, so I guess that makes it more accessible.

Anyway, I cannot explain why I love this band so much. It has to be because they are better than the norm. The sad thing is, it was a year after the release of this album that the band would break up. This would be their last full album. But, at least they went out heading in the right direction.

A lot of people tend to compare this album to Tool, but, except for the track 'Threshold of Transformation', I don't get that comparison. It might be in the complex structure of the songs, but Tool doesn't own the market on that writing style, because other bands like 'Opeth' and 'Agalloch' do the same thing, and quite truthfully, Gabriel's Genesis (and some of the early Collins' Genesis) mastered the use of complexity in the lyrical sections of their music, refusing to follow the verse/chorus structure used in so much rock and pop music. So that's really nothing new. Tool doesn't have growly vocals of course, but that is the most minor of the non-comparisons. Isis in this album utilize more keyboards than Tool, and tend to experiment more in the use of keyboards in a metal band along with more unique atmospherics. Isis also utilizes the heavy post metal structures that Tool doesn't. Don't get me wrong, I love Tool as much as any other Tool fan, but I just think the comparison is unfounded. The music really compares more to Agalloch than Tool.

This album does use the haunting clean haunting vocals much better than previously. I would be more of a fan if Aaron used less of the growls, even on this album. The musicianship and composition of the songs is top notch though, and that pretty much cancels out the annoying vocals, almost. The songs are still dark and heavy though, with more atmospherics than before, they are also still very complex song structures. Even with the loudness, there are plenty of places that allow the music to breath. And then there is the beautiful interludes that continue through 'Ghost Key' that contrast to the loud sections in the same song that I find intriguing and wonderful. Both 'Hand of the Host' and 'Hall of the Dead' bookend 'Ghost Key' and the placement is perfect as they have plenty of loud, heavy passages and complexities that even bring out the haunting melodies of 'Ghost Key' even more.

'Stone to Wake a Serpent' has more of a psychedelic feel to it with its interesting guitar sounds in the quieter passages. The addition of the organ playing alongside the guitar riff towards the middle is a nice touch giving the song that retro 'Uriah Heep' vibe. With its share of loud and quiet alternating sections, it is overall a more pensive tune. The screeching of the guitar is also an interesting contrast. Also, as I mentioned earlier, 'Threshold of Transformation' has that Tool sound to it with the thumping, complex bass line. Isis uses an organ to support that bass making it seem more unique. Except for the Japanese release, this is the last track on the album, and possibly, ending with a 'Tool-like' track, maybe that is why the comparison is made, but one track doesn't make an album, and the track is still good anyway, because in the last half, it veers away from that sound to a heavier and brighter guitar solo. If you are lucky enough to have the Japanese version, you will be treated to one more track 'Way Through Woven Branches', which is another great track with a great beginning guitar riff and like the other songs, is a great study in extremes.

The band wanted to make the album one that had more balance to it, and I think they succeeded in this. The album seems to be more progressive than ever, with a lot more dynamics and melodic touches. Each track has plenty of room to develop because, with the exception of one short track that serves as a bridge, tracks stay in the range of 6 to 11 minutes each. It is a shame that this would be their last album as I feel they were heading for something even bigger, but they had a good run and provided us with some of the best Post Metal out there. I could almost give this a 5 star rating, but the dirty vocals keep it from being perfect. But I must say, it is close.

Following up classics like Oceanic and Panopticon would be a tricky enough prospect in itself, and whilst I respect Isis for choosing to evolve their sound at this point the fact remains that In the Absence of Truth is a bit of a transitional album which simply doesn't grip me to the extent that those albums do. The band seem to have been experimenting with a somewhat more atmospheric and less direct take on their sound, but on balance I think they succeeded much better at this sort of thing on the following Wavering Radiant; here, it's still a work in progress and it doesn't quite come together.

Having knocked it out of the park with Oceanic and Panopticon, Isis can afford to experiment with their style a bit. Wavering Radiant doesn't radically overturn the Isis sound, but it does offer up more space here and there for the band to work through the quieter side of their sound, to the point where at stages this sounds like a gentle Explosions In the Sky release here and there. As far as their distinctive blend of post-rock and sludge metal goes, it's not going to sell you on it if you didn't dig their top-tier releases, but if you've already found that you like this particular sonic territory it's a reasonable expansion of it.