Checked out Electric Wizard for the first time earlier as a result of their inclusion in this journal. Dopethrone is stonking, look forward to giving Witchcraft Today a listen later.

Hope you enjoy it!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WoWorGyeec...tNeverSets.jpg


9. Neurosis—A Sun That Never Sets (2001)

Far below, on the surface of the planet, two boys lie on a grassy hilltop, staring up at the flashes of light above them. With school out forever and only a matter of days remaining on the clock, their parents have been more than willing to indulge whatever makes their children happy, and these late night treks through the woods have become a favorite activity for them. As from above, the debris colliding with the atmosphere is breathtakingly beautiful. In fact, the boys are so enraptured by the scene that, when one line of light doesn't burn into oblivion but instead continues in a straight downward trajectory, they scarcely notice. What catches their attention at last is the massive flash of impact just over the horizon. A few seconds later, a rumbling fills their ears and the ground beneath them begins to shake violently. For the first time, the global crisis—which had always seemed so abstract the boys—fills them with raw, unadulterated terror.

It's only natural that Neurosis would end up on this list since they've built a career out of making music that sounds like the end of the world. They're an amazing band who do what they do incredibly well and A Sun That Never Sets works as a single, unified piece of artistic expression to an amazing degree. This is a stunningly dynamic album full of peaks and valleys, build-up and release, subtlety and absolutely crushing intensity. Unlike the Swans album that I reviewed earlier in this thread, there really isn't much of a contrast between light and dark moments here. Even in it's quietest moments A Sun That Never Sets is a very dark, unsettling and raw album. What's truly remarkable about it though is, despite feeling so raw and stripped-down, it's such a sonically rich album. Acoustic guitar, violin, piano, even bagpipes weave their way in and out of the sharp angles of these tracks while subdued production touches crackle and swirl around the edges.

This album is such a strong, integrated piece that it's better appreciated as whole rather than as individual tracks, but if I had to pick highlights they would probably be "Falling Unknown" and "Stones from the Sky". These two—the longest tracks on the album—sort of function as the climaxes of its two movements so it's not surprising that they're the easiest to single out. Below is "Stones from the Sky" for your listening pleasure. And, in case you're wondering, yes, I do think that the title of this track played a subconscious role in the concept of this whole series of reviews.

great review of a truly great album

my only problem with A Sun That Never Sets...is exactly what you point out....this album demands to be listened to from beginning to end....if i have this in a group of albums and on random i can't get more than a minute or two into a song before i just start with Erode :)

this is such an amazing step for Neurosis....and what they did was nothing short of perfect

have you seen the companion film that was made for this album?

edit:

i recently gave an old friend my old ipod fully loaded with albums i felt he needed to listen to....i included this album....for years i've been trying to turn him onto Neurosis and although he understood why people would like them.....they just never clicked with him....we went out for beers a couple days ago and i asked him how he was enjoying the ipod.....and his first reaction was how amazing this album is :)

I had no idea there was a film! I'll have to track that down. What's it called?

Nice!

I remember several years ago trying to get a friend, and former bandmate, into this album and all he could do was complain about the vocals. :rolleyes:

I was kinda disappointed by 'A Sun That Never Sets' when I first heard it. It's definitely grown on me though. I absolutely love 'Times of Grace' and most of the previous stuff. This one took a few listens though and it's usually not the one I reach for when I want some Neurosis.

Excellent review though. Your opening prose on this one is even better than the album.

Do you have any recommendations as far as their earlier stuff goes? The oldest album I have by them is Through Silver in Blood.

Thanks man, that's very kind of you to say. :)

You need to hear 'Enemy of the Sun'
Enemy of the Sun, Through Silver in Blood, and Times of Grace are the ones I love best.

I love Times of Grace. I actually downloaded a mix of it with the corresponding Tribes of Neurot album last year and I think I like that even more than the album by itself. I dig Through Silver in Blood too, but my one gripe with it is I don't feel like it hangs together as a cohesive album very well. I'll definitely have to check out Enemy of the Sun. Thanks! :)

So i can officially say i know two bands on this list. #highscoremuch?

I've been loving Souls At Zero myself, such a raw sound accompanied with an ambitious songwriting approach, it' like Progressive punk metal or sumthin. I was feeling ambitious myself the other night and decided i wanted to remaster the album so the rawness can be played in a more dynamic production pattern, as to add to the intensity, but it could never work, because i blow.

Great review, the song's great as well, a little sludgier than Souls (at least what i remember and have listened to). I can definitely see Mastodon's early stuff being influenced by modern metal stuff like this.

Also, i forgot to mention that Scott Kelly is one of the few screaming metal singers i can stand in that style.