There are few bands out there today who pack the ferocious, ominous power of sludge titans Neurosis, and on the bands 10th release, Honor Found In Decay, they show no signs of slowing down one bit even though they are fast approaching 30 years in existence. Once again engineered by Steve Albini, the band have unleashed a dramatic, chaotic, and atmospheric wall of sound here that is from start to finish, trademark Neurosis.
"We All Rage in Gold" kicks things off, and features plenty of molten riffage from Scott Kelly & Steve Von Till, as well as plodding rhythms and tortured vocals. Things really pick up steam though on the 10-minute "All the Well", an agonizing journey into psychedelic sludge, complete with trippy keyboards, crushing riffs, and more of those desperate vocals that just tear at your soul. An excellent tune that shows Neurosis at their most progressive and complex. The moody "My Heart for Deliverance" follows, a more atmospheric number with lilting guitar chords and creepy soundscapes, occasionally lurching into booming doom metal that just bristles with menace.
"Bleeding the Pigs" could be the soundtrack to a redneck horror movie, and "Casting of the Ages" again sees the band slowly building from creepy, chilling atmosphere to grueling, hatred fueled sludge permeated by feedback laden distorted riffs and agonizing vocals. It's 10 minutes of nightmarish sounds as only Neurosis can produce. The band ups the noise ante on the chaotic "All is Found...In Time", as Jason Roeder's busy drum fills burst about the mix amidst haunting keyboard effects, heavy acid rock guitars and Kelly's straining vocals. Closing dirge "Raise the Dawn" ends Honor Found in Decay on an almost apocalyptic note, with crashing drums and noisy, droning riffs providing the soundscape for Kelly's furious vocal wailings to drift over. It's a brutal and potent way to end this powerful album.
If you're not already on board with Neurosis' dark, haunting style of sludge & doom, Honor Found in Decay is probably not going to open your eyes and prompt you to hop on, but for those who have followed this band, it's a strong new release that may lack in diversity & variety, but makes up for it with sheer power and drama. Bleakness never sounded this good.
Track Listing
1) We All Rage in Gold
2) All the Well
3) My Heart for Deliverance
4) Bleeding the Pigs
5) Casting of the Ages
6) All is Found...In Time
7) Raise the Dawn
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