ISIS

Chugga-chugga-chugga; the perfect way to sum up Isis's unique interpretation of raw power.

I've not heard Isis's other albums yet so cannot comment on their career as a whole but this album appealed to me from the very start. Through the wonders of Spotify I discovered the track Celestial (The Tower). It's bone-crunchingly heavy and crappy laptop speakers don't do it justice. This is a track to be absorbed through headphones or a top class stereo system.

Waves of distortion and mighty riffs make an extremely heavy opener to the album, particularly when the first scream/roar/growl is uttered - and no, he doesn't scream anything in particular, he just wails. And it sounds orgasmic. It sets a precedent for the entire record, and although certain parts don't always work, for the most part this is a raw but cohesive piece of work that will appeal to anyone who just likes to get a bit angry from time to time.

WAVERING RADIANT--the pinnacle of Isis' achievement and along with Panopticon, an essential piece of post-metal. Though I feel that the first few tracks are readily accessible and that the album as a whole is a complete masterpiece, this is an album that does require some extended listening to discover all that it has to offer. As a whole, I would describe this album as having a melancholy and yet powerful feel to it, somber and yet triumphant. This is a great album to listen to on a hi-fi stereo due to its great production or with a good pair of headphones. The atmosphere that is typical of Isis is still present, though through great production you can hear more than ever before. The tone of the guitars (especially the bass) is fantastic. The effect heavy bass that has come to be a trademark of Isis is better than ever; it has a quality at times that makes it seem as if it is breathing; it's absolutely stunning. The addition of synths and keys on this album simply adds to the glorious texture of the album. The presence of the keys is classy and appropriate, not overdone or cheesy. The drumming on this album leaves absolutely nothing to be desired; it is leagues above over Isis albums, save for maybe In the Absence of Truth. If the drumming on Panopticon left you uninspired, look no further. Aaron Harris really stepped it up on this album, playing flawless and memorable fills and beats that truly solidify this album. The juxtaposition of parts on this album is extraordinary, they all serve a greater purpose, acting in a thesis, antithesis, synthesis sort of way. They build and they build, and finally explode into stunning climaxes.

The first three tracks, Hall of the Dead, Ghost Key, and Hand of the Host, are three awesome songs that would make a great introduction to Isis. They are very accessible, and by having catchy guitar parts and the breathtaking atmospherics that Isis does so well, they could hook any new Isis listener in an instant. One moment that sticks out for me is a longer part in Hall of the Dead where they build up a wall of trance inducing guitars, somewhat dirty but not completely, and then they come in with a stunning full out guitar rhythm that is simply awe inspiring. The clean vocals on this album are much more present, and Aaron has really improved the quality of his clean vocals. They share an almost equal part with the dirty vocals, which I think is a great move for Isis. The fourth track, Wavering Radiant, is a Tool-esque noise type song that serves as a divider for the album.

The next three songs, though a bit more rough than their predecessors, are stunning in their own right, and as said earlier, these are the tunes that will take a bit more dedication to really understand their greatness. Stone to Wake a Serpent starts with a fantastic side stick drum beat which, as said earlier, is a great move for Harris on drums; it really displays his versatility. Some great tom-work on this song as well, at time it's tribal and hypnotic, and perfectly suited for the album. 20 Minutes/40 Years was the albums single, though I think that Hall of the Dead would have served much better as such. It's spacey intro provides a nice foundation for the song and they take this foundation and build greatly upon it. The riff at about 2:00 has an awesome, grooving chord progression. Hypnotic would be a fine word to describe this song, long sections of ambience induce trance like states of mind. The outro is one of the best parts of this album as well, a stunning climax to the entire song. Is there is one thing that Isis does well, it's end albums on a good note. Threshold of transformation suggests a metamorphosis in its title, and it makes a statement right away by starting with a fury of rhythm and heavy vocals. This leads into an effect heavy vocal part over a powerful chord progression. Using this thesis, antithesis, synthesis format, they go through an atmospheric section to again go into another stunning rhythm part, heavy and laden with changing time signatures, it directs itself into one of the best parts of this album, a groove heavy and bass lead part that is so glorious and powerful that it simply cannot be ignored. Unexpectedly, they sift gears after this part and navigate through a somber section that leads into what is ultimately the bookend and conclusion of the album. If there is any way to end an album, it is in this such way--all the energy built through the entire work is put into this section, and you can feel it deeply, and when it is at its absolute climax, it is pulled away and that breathing bass tone adds an aspect of life to the album--as if it was taking a breath after being finished. Everything on WAVERING RADIANT ensures its place as a masterpiece in my mind, and as with any good piece of progressive music, it only gets better with time.

Ah, now there is nothing like a bit of old school Isis. As it stands they have two periods: the heavy, early hardcore-ish period (first EPs, Celestial and Oceanic) and their later mellow, melodic and atmospheric phase (ITAOT and Wavering Radiant), split down the middle by a mixture of the two Panopticon. Now for those that know me, it won't be hard to guess which era I prefer, but for those who don't, this particular album is my favourite from the post-metal fathers. Not what I consider to be their best (read my review for Panopticon if you want to know that), as it is not as concise and mature as their later stuff, but this album is definitely closest to my heart and the most creative of the bunch. In here we have, in my honest opinion, the most eclectic mix of music the band has ever given out. From the funky riff to open The Beginning and the End, to the sludgy wall of sound in False Light, to the Baroque type chord sequence in Carry, to the warm and atmospheric sound of Weight and to the brute force of the guitars in From Sinking. It is all on this record, and although a lot of the songwriting and production could use a bit of work, it is all perfect in its own right.

Now I will talk about a few of the songs.

The album opens with The Beginning and the End, which is excellent, cited as the band's best song by some. To break it down, it goes from the funky intro riff, through some mellow sections, melodic guitar lines, hardcore screaming when appropriate, build ups to die for and once more, good old sludgey verses. This wraps up my feelings for Isis in 8 minutes. Definitely a highlight of the album, and the ending is just superb. So mellow, yet so heavy at the same time, it is what Isis pull off best and what sets them apart from other Post Metal.

Carry is possibly my very favourite song by Isis ever. Only short in comparison, yet 7 minutes is all the song needs to take you on a journey without sounding too rushed. And that's what this song is: a journey. The lyrics portray the sentiments of someone drowning, which is a very unnerving and poignant theme in itself. Combined with the music, it is something spectacular. It starts with a very thin line of guitars and synths, which is later augmented by a simple drum line and a delayed guitar melody. Very nice, not too much on the ears, yet if you listen closely, there is about 3 guitars, a bass, drums and a good few layered synths all at once. One big thumbs up for production. The intro, as incredibly emotional and deep as it is, cannot compare to when the chord sequence that changed my life kicks in at about the fourth minute. This, on top of the vocals is possibly the best Isis moment of all time, and makes the song. Simple, yet so effective, like all post metal. We are then treated to some more funky metal chords and low tuned brutality, and well, that pretty much sums up the perfection. The female vocals in the background of the middle section are also a really great addition. Perfect.

Weight is another special song. Full of atmosphere, it is inherently one massive 11 minute long build up, and boy what a build up it is. It merges certain melody lines together so smoothly and intricately that it all sounds like one riff repeated over and over again. But because it changes a lot with instrumentation, you never get bored of this "one riff". The most striking thing is the drum build up. It is just perfect, the production just makes it a dream to listen to and is probably the most relaxing thing on the album. Then as all the instruments creep in, and you barely notice this by the way, we are gently introduced to a wall of sound that is so common in the genre. Really, you just have to listen. It is unbelievable and is probably the best instrumental to ever come out of the band's discography. Yes, even better than Altered Course. Magical.

One final thing to note about the album is the vocals. It is all hardcore screaming, and to those not used to extreme vocals may find it a little cold and empty. If this is the case, then I wouldn't recommend you listen to the album further. However, if you like really dark, atmospheric, heavy music and enjoy extreme vocals, then please goi for this. It is a masterpiece of its genre, and one of the cornerstones of Isis's career. 5 stars.

Wavering Radiant is the fifth full-length studio album by US experimental/ Post metal act Isis. I´ve reviewed Isis studio albums from an end and it´s been quite an interesting journey. While I´m not too much of a fan of the first two albums I acknowledge their importance in the genre. With their third album Panopticon (2004) they got me hooked though. A seminal album in the genre IMO. Their fourth album In The Absence Of Truth (2006) was another good album albeit not as excellent as Panopticon, so I didn´t exactly know what to expect from Wavering Radiant.

After listening to the album for a while I´ve come to the conclusion that this is probably my favorite album by Isis so far. It´s crushingly heavy when it needs to be while maintaining a very melodic edge all the way through. The vocals are both aggressive and clean melodic ones. There are many atmospheric post rock sections in the music and above all this album wins because it has got a great atmosphere and feeling. Compared to Panopticon, this album is not quite as groundbreaking but for me personally there´s more to enjoy about Wavering Radiant than there were about Panopticon. There are some added organ ( I think?) on the album which gives the album a nice organic sound. The melancholic almost shoegaze feeling in the music also adds lots of atmosphere to the sound.

The production on the album is warm and organic. I enjoy the bass heavy production even though my car speakers have a hard time handling the pressure.

Wavering Radiant is such a great album IMO. This album is one of the more interesting releases this year for me. A 4 star rating is well deserved. I like how Isis have developed their sound in the last couple of years and I´m sure we can expect even more positive changes in the future.

A good friend of mine introduced me to this band long before I was ready for them and told me a lot about this piece of music. One of the things that stuck with me was how he said that a lot of people had written to the band to tell them how this album helped them kick their heroin addiction. At face value I found it strange and didn't quite understand what it meant.

Five years down the track armed with broader tastes and an open mind I popped this sucker on, and now I understand what my friend was talking about.

Panopticon would be an album of juxtaposed styles if it wasn't so homogeneous and well written. Depressive sludge metal riffing gives way to spacey dream like post-rock textures frequently and it seems so natural and unlaboured that you don't give it a second thought save to enjoy it. I mentioned the word 'depressive' here and it is probably the most accurate descriptor you could give this album. I don't take that word lightly, I haven't really listened to a record that nails the depression vibe as well as this one - helpless, heavy, tender and with the slightest hint of hope.

This album is definitely an acquired taste, sludge, doom and stoner will always be that way. Do not let that detract from the wonders of this album, albums this cohesive, deep and meaningful are rare delights that should be cherished.

Hey, I've got a motto for "Wavering Radiant": 'ISIS - your new TOOL'

Seriously, Aaron and Co were a bit TOOLish on their 2006' album, but this time it's somewhat ridiculous: somtimes you forget who's playing and then wonder what's wrong with Maynard, why does he growl? It seems that genre's pioneers found their product to be half-dead and gone seeking for inspiration somewhere else. On the other hand, if it's half-dead it's also half- ALIVE, and some bands still manage to float in muddy Post-Metal waters without being choked by the waves of creative crisis (or should I say crISIS?). Anyway, it's a fine record, but definitely weird - it's like seeing KING CRIMSON inspired by PINK FLOYD or otherwise. If you like TOOL and never seemed to get the fuzz around ISIS, try this record. On the other hand, if you never liked ISIS it's doubtful you'll love them after "Wavering Radiant" - TOOLish or not, it's not their best album anyway.

The album begins strongly enough, with three exceptional tracks, but after that, things just start to sound the same, with noisy instrumentation and angry growling. The growling is tolerable, however, even though it is not something I particularly care for. When there is actually singing, it's not bad at all, but those points are few and far between unfortunately.

"Hall of the Dead" Post metal is wonderful in that the artists that comprise that genre create some of the most imaginative chord progressions and riffs, but it's awful in that those very same artists feel the need to mar their work with Cookie Monster imitations. Regardless, this is an excellent piece of work, if only for the guitar work itself.

"Ghost Key" Both the synthesizer and thick bass sound ghostly in their own way, and set an intriguing foundation for the subtle guitars. Again, however, the growling is a negative point.

"Hand of the Host" Haunting synthesizer and bass begin this track too. The song itself is loaded with excellent riffs and phenomenal, distant vocals. The guitars and the bass steal the show, creating layers of eerily beautiful music (but of course must inexplicably include that constipated retching in the end).

"Wavering Radiant" This is a brief, noise-based segue that consists mainly of atmospheric sounds, but no discernable structure.

"Stone to Wake a Serpent" This eight-and-a-half minute track boasts little variety, either musically or vocally, since it mainly consists of little more than growling and heavy instrumentation. Coherent vocals or really enjoyable music don't happen often here.

"20 Minutes / 40 Years" Low, thunderous bass sets the menacing atmosphere, as various sounds come in here and there. This (and the forthcoming track) are the two heaviest parts of this album, but unlike what is coming next, there are some exceptionally cool guitar parts.

"Threshold of Transformation" By this point, it's just more noisy guitars and growling vocals, which is really unfortunate. This piece is a noisy mess, and had this entire work been in this manner, I would have swiftly written it off as terrible. Even the quieter moments are fairly boring and don't anything to endear me to this album overall.

In The Absence Of Truth is the fourth full-length studio album by American post metal/ experimental metal act Isis. The album was released on the 30th of October 2006 through Ipecac Recordings and produced by Isis and Matt Bayles.

The music further explores the direction that Isis began on Oceanic (2002) and later perfected on Panopticon (2004) Which means post metal with heavy slow riffs and mellow atmospheric post rock sections. This time the vocals are mostly clean sung though and the shouting aggressive vocals are pretty sparse. The same can be said about the amount of heavy post metal parts compared to the amount of atmospheric post rock parts. While the distribution on Oceanic (2002) was 70% heavy riffs and 30% atmospheric riffs and the distribution on Panopticon (2004) was 50% heavy riffs and 50% atmospheric riffs the scale has tipped even more on In The Absence Of Truth as the distribution is now 30% heavy riffs and 70% atmospheric riffs. This will probably please some and annoy others. I enjoy that Isis has made an album that doesn´t sound exactly like its predecessors. The clean vocals are not the most convincing I´ve heard though and a bit more practise in that department could have propelled this album to a higher state. One of the things I enjoy greatly on In The Absence Of Truth is the drumming by Aaron Harris which got an almost tribal like feel to them at times ( think Tool). The songs are generally pretty long and slow building which is business as usual for Isis.

The production is a bit warmer than on previous releases.

While it´s obvious that Isis still kneel at the altar of Neurosis and probably always will, I find that the music on In The Absence Of Truth explores new ground too and Isis is still a very worthy listen for fans of the genre. My rating is somewhere between 3.5 - 4 stars but I´ll round it up to 4 stars as this album is certainly way too accomplished to receive a 3 star rating even though it´s not flawless by any means.

Panopticon is the third full-length studio album by American post metal/ Experimental metal act Isis. This is where all the pieces begin to fit together IMO. Having listened to and reviewed the first two albums by Isis Celestial (2000) and Oceanic (2002) without being totally blown away ( both are great albums though and especially Oceanic (2002) has lots of excellent elements), I am really thrilled about Panopticon.

The music style on the album is unmistakably Isis but some things have changed for the better since Oceanic (2002) IMO. The characteristic slow and building heavy guitar riffs are still there but the mellow atmospheric post rock sections with clean guitars are even more pronounced on Panopticon than they were on Oceanic (2002). The music has become more melodic and the vocals while still shouting also features more melodic qualities which is something I appreciate and greatly enjoy ( there are actually not that many vocals on the album though. Much of the album is instrumental). The vocals are still pretty low in the mix but it gives Isis music a special feel.

The production is professional and very well sounding. Crushingly heavy but with lots of dynamic between the heavy sections and the atmospheric parts. The sound is actually very original.

Panopticon is an excellent album by Isis and the first album by the band that I enjoy without reservations. It´s a seminal album in the genre for sure and a well deserved 4 star rating from me. I even considered giving the album 5 stars at one point.

Oceanic is the second full-length studio album by US post metal/ experimental metal act Isis. The album was released on September 16, 2002 by Ipecac Recordings and produced by Isis and Matt Bayles.

The music consists of crushingly heavy riffs and mellower clean guitar parts which brings lots of atmoshere to the sound. The music is generally repetitive and slow. Building themes and creating climaxes. The mellower parts introduces a post rock element in Isis music which was only hinted at on the debut album Celestial (2000). It brings much appreciated variation to the music IMO. The vocals are raw and shouting. They are a bit low in the mix but I guess that´s on purpose. There are some female vocals too but they are even lower in the mix. I like the shouting vocals but I don´t find them excellent. I would have appreciated a more varied vocal approach.

The production is really good and the musicianship is excellent. All musicians have great understanding of dynamic playing.

Oceanic is a great improvement over Celestial (2000) which I found was a good album but not really to my taste. With Oceanic my expectations to how a great post metal album should sound like are more fully met. 3.5 - 4 stars is my rating. I´ll round it up to 4 stars because 3 stars would be too few.