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Imagine living through a nuclear catastrophe. All that was around you now lies in ruins. Imagine moving amidst the devastation, alone, a wandering nomad roaming the bleak landscape. There is nothing but you and your slowly deteriorating sanity. That's what Through Silver In Blood is like.
Each song moves like a morose chapter, exploring all of the horrible possibilities that one may experience in the above scenario. Cycles of crushing hopelessness, terror, depression, and even a smidgen of joy in the forms of songs, all flowing meticulously, creating an immersive, gripping, and most enjoyable story-like experience.
The album opens with the crushing title track, a representation of the fall of everything followed by an analysis of sorts with "Rehumanize". Then the track "Eye" shows the album starting to move, seeming like the protagonist of this terrible tale is literally traversing this post-apocalyptic world, unsure of what he or she may encounter, with an eerie feeling of being watched. And then a gleam of some empty, but wonderous hope in the form of "Purify", wherein it seems that the protagonist is not alone after all, followed by "Locust Star", the terrible realization that the world once held dear is dead; all that was once loved has taken the form of vast wastes of utter ruin, and that nothing can ever repair it. The next track, "Strength of Fates", is where the narrator's sanity slowly, then quickly starts slipping away. Contemplations of suicide and gnawing thoughts of hopelessness and bluedgeoning despair take hold and slowly erode the individual. Despite making contact with other survivors, the protagonist trudges on with burdensome despair, empty and exhausted. "Become the Ocean" tries to make sense of all that happens and suggests to surrender to death. "Aeon" is the indivdual standing on the edge, looking in the gaping mouth of the only possible solution, weighing the options and consequences. After excruciating deliberation, he decision is made and the protagonist takes that final step into oblivion, ending this terrible story on a desparagingly bleak note on the final monster "Enclosure In Flame".
The atmopshere of the whole album is dense, crushing, and unforgiving, enhanced with tons of layers of haunting and often subtle electronics, samples and keyboard lines. The guitars serve mainly as textures, focusing more on adding atmosphere than riffing, but still impressive in the way they are written and played, with the heavily distorted bass pulling much of the music into the radioactive wastes. The drums drive the music the way it should be, sometimes with surging tribal drumming and other times with a more traditional, but no more less skillful, style. And, to top it all off, is the extraordinary vocal performance - Scott Kelly's angsty, melancholy screams and soft, bleak style of singing; Steve Von Till's supportive screams and backing vocals; and Dave Edwardson's sinister growls and bellows. These gents behind the mics spew from their maws the utmost primal passion.
All in all, Through Silver In Blood offers up quite possibly the most unique and well crafted musical experience. Very few bands can match Neurosis's skill, let alone this relentless beheomth of an album. Although most are usually reluctant to label an album as being the best (or one of the best at the least) albums of all time, it is safe to say that this could very well be that album. The album is virtually flawless and will most likely remain unrivaled as being the best for years to come, even by the band that produced it.
Each song moves like a morose chapter, exploring all of the horrible possibilities that one may experience in the above scenario. Cycles of crushing hopelessness, terror, depression, and even a smidgen of joy in the forms of songs, all flowing meticulously, creating an immersive, gripping, and most enjoyable story-like experience.
The album opens with the crushing title track, a representation of the fall of everything followed by an analysis of sorts with "Rehumanize". Then the track "Eye" shows the album starting to move, seeming like the protagonist of this terrible tale is literally traversing this post-apocalyptic world, unsure of what he or she may encounter, with an eerie feeling of being watched. And then a gleam of some empty, but wonderous hope in the form of "Purify", wherein it seems that the protagonist is not alone after all, followed by "Locust Star", the terrible realization that the world once held dear is dead; all that was once loved has taken the form of vast wastes of utter ruin, and that nothing can ever repair it. The next track, "Strength of Fates", is where the narrator's sanity slowly, then quickly starts slipping away. Contemplations of suicide and gnawing thoughts of hopelessness and bluedgeoning despair take hold and slowly erode the individual. Despite making contact with other survivors, the protagonist trudges on with burdensome despair, empty and exhausted. "Become the Ocean" tries to make sense of all that happens and suggests to surrender to death. "Aeon" is the indivdual standing on the edge, looking in the gaping mouth of the only possible solution, weighing the options and consequences. After excruciating deliberation, he decision is made and the protagonist takes that final step into oblivion, ending this terrible story on a desparagingly bleak note on the final monster "Enclosure In Flame".
The atmopshere of the whole album is dense, crushing, and unforgiving, enhanced with tons of layers of haunting and often subtle electronics, samples and keyboard lines. The guitars serve mainly as textures, focusing more on adding atmosphere than riffing, but still impressive in the way they are written and played, with the heavily distorted bass pulling much of the music into the radioactive wastes. The drums drive the music the way it should be, sometimes with surging tribal drumming and other times with a more traditional, but no more less skillful, style. And, to top it all off, is the extraordinary vocal performance - Scott Kelly's angsty, melancholy screams and soft, bleak style of singing; Steve Von Till's supportive screams and backing vocals; and Dave Edwardson's sinister growls and bellows. These gents behind the mics spew from their maws the utmost primal passion.
All in all, Through Silver In Blood offers up quite possibly the most unique and well crafted musical experience. Very few bands can match Neurosis's skill, let alone this relentless beheomth of an album. Although most are usually reluctant to label an album as being the best (or one of the best at the least) albums of all time, it is safe to say that this could very well be that album. The album is virtually flawless and will most likely remain unrivaled as being the best for years to come, even by the band that produced it.
