San Francisco's post rock/doom/sludge act Neurosis followed up their 1992 release Souls at Zero with this highly influential and disturbing platter Enemy of the Sun one year later in 1993. Violent, crushingly heavy, trippy, and psychedelic, Enemy of the State still is one hell of a mind trip 17 years later. Neurot Recordings, in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Neurosis, have reissued this groundbreaking album in sparkling new packaging from artist Josh Graham. In case you didn't pick this one up the first time around, now's as good a time as any to discover the savage beauty of Enemy of the Sun.
Mammoth, sludgy guitar riffs, agonizing vocal wails, booming bass lines, crashing drums, and a sprinkling of keyboards, all make up the Neurosis sound. Opener "Lost" is a crushing display of doom metal power with post rock & hardcore leanings, while the somewhat symphonic masher "Raze the Stray" features behemoth guitar & bass riffs and some gorgeous female vocals to comat the inhuman bellows. Other highlights include the trippy "Cold Ascending", the space rock meets noise-core that is the title track, the sludge ridden, doomy death march of "The Time of the Beast", and the near 16-minute percussion excursion "Cleanse", a powerhouse workout for drummer Jason Roeder.
This reissue includes a demo version of their song "Takehnase", which oozes psychedelic death metal goodness, and a live recording of "Cleanse II", this one minus the drums and all about schizophrenic electronic sound effects. In the end, Enemy of the Sun is a unique listening experience, casting an influence over the avant-garde metal scene that can still be felt 17 years after its initial release.
Track Listing
1. Lost 9:41
2. Raze The Stray 8:42
3. Burning Flesh In Year Of Pig 1:37
4. Cold Ascending 3:44
5. Lexicon 6:32
6. Enemy OF The Sun 7:33
7. The Time Of The Beast 7:59
8. Cleanse 15:53
9. Takehnase 7:44 (demo version)
10. Cleanse II 6:45 (live in Oberhausen
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