OF NATURAL HISTORY

This album has been hard to ignore with all the talk it has generated since it's release in 2004. Many have said that it is impossible to describe the music on "Of Natural History" and that you really need to experience it by listening to it. Let me tell you about my experience.

"A Hymn To The Morning Star" opens with a minute and a half of not much really. There is the sound of snoring a pump organ and a dog growling before these deep vocals enter the scene. These are contrasted with some other vocals as violin comes in later. "The Donkey-Headed Adversary Of Humanity Opens The Discussion" features angry and aggressive vocals and a soundscape to match. I think the hair on my neck stood straight up the first time I heard him say "I am the adversary" early in the song. "Phthisis" is a great tune with female vocals and heavy drums as male vocals yell in the background. "Bring Back The Apocalypse" has various sounds to open before we get percussion and a vocal melody. A sample of someone speaking ends the song. "FC:The Freedom Club" opens with xylophone and vocals before the song kicks in instrumentally and vocally. Nice. The vocals become angry until we get back to original melody 7 minutes in. What a contrast !

"Gundry's Child" opens with nature sounds as haunting female vocals come in. The song explodes before 2 minutes. It settles back down before breaking out once again in a powerful way. "The 17-Year Cicada" has various sounds that come and go as a melody is kept alive with percussion. "The Creature" is loud ! Reserved vocals arrive. What a great sound 3 1/2 minutes in of guitar and drums. It comes back to end the song. "What Shall We Do Without Us ?" opens with a sample of a conversation as female vocals and percussion come in followed by chaos. "Babydoctor" opens with another sample of a conversation. Male vocals with drums followed by violin and with it stronger vocals. The song becomes almost pastoral until 7 1/2 minutes in when vocals get angy and the sound becomes heavy. It ends with an atmospheric climate. "Cockroach" opens with yet another sample of a conversation. The vocals are deep like on the opening track. The " Bonus / Hiddentrack" has another conversation between people out in the woods as you can hear nature. It ends as it began with snoring and dog sounds.

Well everybody was right you do need to experience this record by listening to it again and again.They do a great job with the way they contrast the light and heavy. There is quite a bit of sampling and I really like the female and male vocals. And above all I like the heaviness that is on this record. For me this is a four star record right now. It is a unique album that I think everyone should listen to at some point in their lives.