- Release Info -------------------------------------------------------------- -
Artist: Intronaut
Album: The Direction of Last Things
Label: Century Media
Playtime: 46:03 min
Genre: Metal
URL:
Rip date: 2015-11-12
Street date: 2015-11-13
Size: 89.51 MB
Type: Normal
Quality: 260 kbps / 4410Hz / Joint Stereo
- Release Notes ------------------------------------------------------------- -
"Dynamics in metal are tricky. The fact that most metal bands forgo them
entirely notwithstanding, too few acts both regularly write dynamic music and
still evolve over the course of their lifespans. Sure, plenty of artists make
a record with a cohesive narrative once, then repeat it once every three years
for the rest of time; others experiment wildly from album to album and
establish a strong but inconsistent discography. IntronautÆsà ermà directionà
has proved rather divisive over the last few albums, with OG fans lamenting
the way the bandÆs heavy affect transitioned into one more closely aligned
with noodly, jammed-out prog. Now, though, The Direction of Last Things is
here to clarify that the band really does have its bearings û itÆs not only
one of the best records of the year, but also an integral and illuminating
piece of IntronautÆs history.
Things seem pretty different at first whenöFast Wormsö kicks off with a
juddering stop-and-start riff and a return to harsh vocals. The mellow, jazzy
affect of 2013Æs Habitual Levitations has now been bolstered with gritty,
Void-esque low-end and ripping swaths of dissonance, calling to mind a
mechanized and modernized Valley of Smoke. The Direction of Last Things is
heavier, harsher, faster, and, most obviously, riffier than either of those
records, but it doesnÆt forgo any of the layer cake-dense vocal harmonies or
expressive interludes that made those albums so enjoyable.
Per IntronautÆs custom, any two voices are rarely playing in rhythmic unison,
yet the instruments never veer too far away from each other or dissolve into
wankery. Even the most disparate of riffs and the most syncopated rhythms
counterpoint and complement each other (ôSul Ponticelloö and ôDigital
Gerrymanderingö stand out in particular); youÆll find yourself constantly
banging your head, though itÆll probably be twice as fast or twice as slow as
you should be headbanging.
As with all the best artists, every member of Intronaut is a damn good player,
and each musician understands his place in the band. This is something thatÆs
only become clearer with the passage of time, especially as Danny Walker and
Joe Lester have continually proven that theyÆre one of the absolute best
rhythm sections in metal today. Sacha Dunable and Dave TimnickÆs guitar lines
have morphed into honest-to-god riffs that are as catchy as they are
technical, and the evocative power of the album is stronger than itÆs ever
been (with or without the aid of a certain green herb).
The album is busy, though, and thatÆs the main factor in explaining why The
Direction of Last Things has no resting equilibrium, for better or worse.
IntronautÆs post-metal leanings have slowly faded into the background, and
though thereÆs plenty of space on these tracks, thereÆs little that conveys
the sheer emptiness on the same scope as some of the bandÆs previous work. As
on earlier releases, every track incorporates a number of often contrastive
styles, leaving it up to listeners to guess what might come next at any given
moment. Sometimes, that unpredictably and busy-ness are exactly what youÆre
looking for, but sometimes, they impede the album.
Regardless, The Direction of Last Things comes across as the bandÆs most
cohesive work yet. Intronaut keeps the future in mind while paying respect to
the past û this album is modern and digital but sprawling and organic,
tight-knit but designed to breathe. ItÆs as if the band dug through their back
catalog and found the very best parts to assimilate into their new direction,
marrying its nuanced treatment of mood with its distinctive capacity for
aggression. Importantly, this album also indicates that Intronaut arenÆt done
changing, but even if we can expect the next record to sound somewhat û or
maybe entirely û different, itÆll still sound like Intronaut. The Direction of
Last Things might not convert any of those whoÆve already made their decision
about the band, but for everyone else: pass this up at your own risk."
- Track List ---------------------------------------------------------------- -
01. Fast Worms ( 6:58)
02. Digital Gerrymandering ( 8:08)
03. The Pleasant Surprise ( 4:02)
04. The Unlikely Event of a Water Landing ( 8:08)
05. Sul Ponticello ( 7:34)
06. The Direction of Last Things ( 5:18)
07. City Hymnal ( 5:55)
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