GIFTS FROM ENOLA

It's just a crime that this hasn't been reviewed here, and the further crime is that my little blurb will be the first.

The likely reason there has been so little attention to this album, both here and elsewhere, is simply that fans of Gifts From Enola are still not sure what to make of this album. A Healthy Fear marks a sizeable leap from the previous GFE formula that played more to loud/soft dynamics using post-hardcore/post-metal instrumentation that melts away into progressive and spacey interludes, often coming to an emotive climax at the end of an album that was built around repurposed monologues (to great effect, however pretentious that sounds.) The point always was found in thier divurgence from the harder metal roots and eventual coming to a great height. Here they go full circle and back to a far more solid post-hardcore/post-metal sound, and what for that genre is something of a wall-of-sound approach (a levelling out othe loud/soft dynamic, certainly.) At first I found the album slightly grating in fact, with the crunchy textures of the guitars staying at what was once climax-level in the previous formula for much of the album. It's a good kind of dissonance, though, and once you can sumberge your listening into it you can appreciate the subtlety (I think of ulcerate as another example, but that is an entirely different genere and on an entirely different order of sonic pain and gain.) Oh yeah: now there are lyrics throughout... so that's new too, and while I never missed them before the lyrics work perfectly here.

This album in particular, and GFE in general, evoke a special sort of emotion quite effectively. There is angst, to be sure, but it doesn't come across as the immature stereotype of the post-hardcore sound. It helps that they don't feel like they are taking themselves too seriously. The general aesthetic is a sort of coming to moments of clarity through dissonance, not unlike coming to peaks of consciousness though intoxication. I highly recommend giving this one a spin or two.

4.5 rounded up because it masters what it wants to do, and because I can.

These guys have come a long way from "From Fathoms"--and it's only been a year! The unexpected twists and turns, use of effects, and mice melodic themes make this a much more mature and adventuresome collection. One thing I don't quite understand--and this seems to happen quite a lot in this genre--is the seeming appearance of synthesizer or keyboard parts when no keyboards or keyboard players are mentioned. 1. "Lionize" (8:23)
begins with a rather straightforward Math Rock feel--very low end-dominant. A shift at the 2:15 mark travels into more Grunge-like territory--until at 2:43 the main melody themes are introduced. At 3:18 a distant high octave guitar riff is entered before we return to main theme again. At 4:05 the pace drops off and the song floats into a very distorted sea of At 5:25 a lead guitar takes off and soars to goose-bumping heights! 6:30 shift to 6:45 punk/metal chops until an odd break of canned 1920s jazz floats around--as if over loudspeakers at the pavilion of the local town square. The heavily distorted bass throughout this song is just excellent. (9/10)

2. "Dime and Suture" (6:09)
The shifts and changes in this song just keep you guessing--keep you interested and amazed. For some reason, the heavy guitars never seem to disturb or overwhelm the ears and the vocals screamed as if from 100 feet away are also very fresh, interesting and effective. Even the song's decay (some might say, 'demise') is fascinating and entertaining. (8/10)

3. "Alogas" (7:37) 
begins with a very PREFAB SPROUT-sounding jazz guitar chords over synth wind and echoed synth sputtering. A very catchy, melodic jazzy-pop theme (think XTC joined with STYLE COUNCIL) begins at the :30 mark and continues for some very enjoyable two-and-a-half minutes before a different CURE/MEET DANNY WILSON theme and pace begins. All the while the jazzy guitar chord strumming plays--until the 5:05 mark when more familiar, though somehow 80s synth glossyed, Post Rock playing style takes over to build to a typical frenzied finish. (10/10)

4. "Grime and Glass" (7:39) 
begins, again, with a much more industrialized "80s meet Grunge" feel to it. A lot of MY BLOODY VALENTINE twang bar guitar playing and having some surprisingly upbeat and melodic sections to it. I like the development of this song more and more as you get into it--including the (as now typical) off-beat slowed down section with the recorded voices from some television infomercial or talk show (I can't quite make out what's being said). (10/10)

5. "Rearview" (7:24) begins with a persistent industrial/grunge sound to it--not unlike early NINE INCH NAILS. At 1:38 it switches gear, slows down and the guitars weave a very pretty melody--which is yielded for another grungy section at the 2:55 mark. 3:25 and we're back to slow/soft--almost like a setup for TED NUGENT or LYNYRD SKYNYRD Southern rock ballad. Low, haunting singing enters over (or is it 'under') this, before giving way to some radio/spoken sample which then leads to a very mathematical section of off-tempo chords and smash-drumming whose last chords then decay and die in the 40-second glory of their some instrument feedback sounds. (7/10)

Again, innovative and unpredictable song construction and layering with some extremely pleasant melodies somehow woven into some very heavy Post Rock guitar/bass power chords. I don't usually like this much 'abrasive' guitar sound, but these guys are really interesting! They even had me humming along several times! This could be a masterpiece within the Math/Post Rock genre, however its length (37 minutes) and fact that this subgenre seems doomed to low expectations and limited potential because of its limiting styles, structures, and instrumentation leads me to rate it four stars. DEFINITELY a great addition to any prog lovers music collection!! Highly recommended!

P.S. Over the five years I've been listening to this album it has continued to maintain my interest and even grow in my esteem. Gifts from Enola is definitely in my All-time Top 5 Post Rock albums. 4.5 stars!

P.P.S. 6/19/20 - It's now been ten years and this is still one of my go-to Post Rock albums and a reference point for high standards in the sub-genre.

It seems that the more I investigate this phenomenon known as "post rock," the more I come away getting the feeling that many of the constituent bands have no defining features, no musical fingerprint, as it were. All of these damned bands sound the same and use the same tired techniques: Speed picking a few long notes, washes of distortion, constant crashing cymbals, occasional quiet moments almost always consisting of clean guitar with a chorus effect, no lyrics, repetition, commonplace chord progressions, and silly "artistic" titles. Even the names of many of these groups make me roll my eyes- one can generally know what the music is going to be like if the name of the band is "Everything in the World Doesn't Spin Around Your Grandfather's Grave." These elements are definitely present on From Fathoms, but the compositions themselves are not dull, and the band does a decent job executing them. Still, as with most music in the genre, much of it passes by, leaving behind no memory that it was ever there, like an ornate sand castle just before high tide.

"Benthos" The guitars wash over this track in a mighty way, offering subtle bends and lovely melodies. Surprisingly, there is some rich variety in the composition that keeps it from getting stale.

"Weightless Frame" Electronic percussion brings in that loud, unoriginal-sounding lead guitar. When the intensity subsides, what is left is a calming acoustic, vocal portion.

"Weightless Thought" This is a grungy, indie-rock sounding track that sounds like a band playing at a party at someone's house. It grows aggressive, as the entire piece is drowned out by crashing cymbals and grainy distortion.

"Trieste" Light guitar begins this twelve-minute instrumental. It steadily grows heavier, soon becoming yet another dreary piece of distortion-washed mire.

"Resurface" Shimmering guitar makes for an airy beginning. The addition of a bass adds a chord progression that, while completely pedestrian, works very well in this context. Predictably, the distorted guitars and crashing cymbals move in. It gives way to a gentle acoustic guitar passage.

"Melted Wings" This is something more interesting, I must say. It consists of that chorused guitar, which builds several times as the rest of the band comes in to a crashing climax before going right back to the chorused guitar. When a steady rhythm finally does enter, it is unlike much of anything else on the album, and almost sounds like the backing music for a Fleetwood Mac song (try not to hear Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks singing over this one). Of course, it wouldn't be post-rock if it didn't take an amazing musical idea and slaughter it with distortion and cymbals.

"Thawed Horizon" Yet another plain Jane post rock track with all the usual tricks, but does possess a few exceptional melodies (presented in the usual way, of course). It has quiet clean guitar at the end (a common theme on this album) and some distant speaking.

"Aves" Windy noise underlies a palm-muted guitar riff as another clean guitar joins in, creating some excellent music. Following the obligatory loud part, the clean guitar returns, this time with some delicate electronic noises. Soon, a two chord conclusion comes in with something akin to a guitar solo over it.

When I saw this in the Post-Rock/Math Rock genre on here, I was surprised. I was expecting a slower, more cliched form of post-rock. This, however, is a very active album and definitely utilizes the soundscapes of post-rock and mixes them with the aggression and fast pace of math rock. I listened to their first album and wasn't really impressed, but From Fathoms succeeds where it's predecessor does not.

For a start, take a look at the cover, and then try to remember every scene you can from those Discovery Channel® undersea/oceanic documentaries, 'cause you'll want those for this if you really wanna get creative.

Upon starting the first track, Benthos, it starts off with a chordal guitar intro; however, it leads you to believe there is something to come. I enjoyed how the cymbal noise builds up to the moment where it literally plunges you beneath the waves. Suddenly, a soundscape of clean guitar and underwater echoes surrounds you and leads into the loud monster of audio to come. This is where the track really gets started musically. For me, Benthos's first successful melodic section is between 1:57 and 2:51, before bringing things down a bit, then moving into more heavier territory around 3:50.

Weightless Frame is interesting for it's electronic intro which I can picture myself exploring the depths of the dark ocean in a small mini-sub. Again, it brings in the heavier rock into the mixture, and transitions into a mix of clean guitar, simple vocals, and harmonica. It then makes it's way up into Weightless Thought, which is an excellent song of memorable guitar melodies and riffs. This is a perfect example of the activeness I mentioned earlier. It's a very rockin' song.

Trieste is one of my favorites, having a very memorable first major progression at 1:53. Being the longest track on the album, it does a great job in exploring various progressions throughout the song, but uses a repeated progression first heard around 7:40 as a foundation to return to, just in case you got a little too lost. Excellent way to do things. As a last note, this track contains one of the heaviest of guitar riffs I've ever heard, taking place around 6:00; however, it isn't worth much if you don't listen to the sections leading up into it, 'cause then the anticipation just isn't there. So be sure to listen to tackle the whole song for the full effect.

I believe Resurface was difficult for me to get into because I was so used to the previous pace of the more active songs, so when they decided to slow things down just for a little bit, I had a slightly difficult time readjusting. However, the first 3 minutes sound great! Very spacious and makes your mind drift, but the harder rock section in the middle of the song seemed a little too out-of-the-way for me. I got used to it though. No big deal. But the ending of the song is very gentle as acoustic guitars play a very simple progression and you can hear minor sounds of children and such in the background.

Melted Wings is great too. Nice climaxing beginning, then goes into a smoother beat and cleaner instrumentation, then heavier, then smooths out again with some nice vocals singing "Resurface" in the background.

Thawed Horizon has a very erratic beginning, but it's no problem if you're already a fan of The Mars Volta or of a similar sound. 2:15 starts a groovy section, leading into a very pulsing and uplifting progression full of reverb-ed guitar melodies. Eventually, the song lets off; again, with more clean instrumentation, and you can hear a man (whoever he is) explaining the metaphoric meaning of "remaining beneath the waves" and this obviously reveals the bands true nature of the album.

Aves starts off with a very groovy intro with a lot of echoing instrumentation, adding into the soundscape. After moving into a more climactic section of riffs and guitar melodies involving the classic "tapping" technique, the music smooths out, and then displays a wonderful ending.

As I said, the music is very active and I've noticed it's definitely very guitar-oriented. Don't expect a wide range of instruments on this one. This may not be a perfect initiate image of Progressive Rock to it's die-hard followers, but it's definitely what I would determine as progressive, and it is quite certainly in a rock format. There's a meaning behind all the madness going on in this album, and hopefully the band's music and message inspires something in it's listeners the way it's interested me. Being a musician of guitar and keyboards myself, a lot of the melodies and guitar riffs remained stuck in my head long after the album was over, and I keep returning to this album for more entertainment. It's definitely a fun album. I'd recommend anyone to check it out.

I haven't heard the previous one, but this album sounds exactly like any other Post-Rock album from the year 2009. It's not like I've lost my passion for the genre (or have I?), it's just too many Post-Rock for my ears to tell one from another, he-he. Seriously, there are some good tracks ("Benthos" and "Aves", for instance), some filler ("Resurface") and a killer 12-min long epic with MESHUGGAH-like mid-part, but this album mainly confirms the whole genre's tendence: mainstream Post-Rock grows even more mainstream - heavier, but hardly memorable. A nice background stuff, if you wish, but not the revelation for the genre.