October File: The Application of Loneliness. . .

Here's the full title of this album (and it's a long one): The Application of Loneliness, Ignorance, Misery, Love and Despair—An Introspective of the Human Condition. I'm not sure what motivated such a long-winded title; I suppose there was just no way of saying everything any more clearly. How does anyone capture the human condition in a single album title anyway?

I like one thing about the title—it signals to listeners that this is an introspective release, an attempt to think through some all-too-human problems, particularly as they apply to the world today. Some of the tracks capture that spirit of thoughtful reflection very well. "Upon Reflection" is an obvious choice, not only for its title, but also for its style. An acoustic track, the song takes listeners through some really terrific guitar parts that are later joined by a spoken voice reading the words of a poem.

The other reflective track, to me anyway, is "The Water." A long composition, "The Water" comments on the times when all of us really deserve to be carried away by powerful floods. I thought the two-note motif, followed by a powerful groove, did a great job of capturing a mood of reflective despair. This was my favorite track; even better, it never drags out its eleven minutes.

My first exposure to October File came from their album Holy Armour from the Jaws of God. I had never heard of the band before then, but I was curious to know who they were and what they were about. I remember being impressed with their heavy sound and their pummeling rhythms. I haven't followed them very carefully over the years, but I can say that the newest album plays quite well to October File's strengths: a captivating low-end, throaty and raspy vocals, and strong riffs. As many people know, this band has also had a long connection to Killing Joke and it shows, especially in the punk-inspired assault as the band develops and expands their pounding rhythms. On the whole, this album sounds great, a fitting contribution for a band now marking its ten year anniversary in the business.

Track Listing:
1. Fuck the Day
2. Heroes Are Welcome
3. Reinvention
4. The Water
5. Elation
6. Upon Reflection
7. Where the Clouds Meet the Horizon
8. All Rise All Fall
9. To Be Watched Upon

Added: May 21st 2014
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1944
Language: english

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