Release
date: April 20th
2018.
Label: Self Released. Format: DD
BARBELITH
– Tracklisting
1.chokhmah/binah
05:49
2.magick
mirror 05:56
3.barbelith
06:10
4.fiction
suit 05:47
5.retrograde
04:00
6.shed
this
meat 05:23
7./(home)/
at last 04:59
Members
Eric
Plonka - guitar,vox
Justin
Cape - drums
Patrick
Auclair - guitar,vox
Mathew
Milligan - bass
Barry
Kotarba - vocals
Review
I’ve
been a fan of Progressive Doom/Sludge Metallers – Scientist –
ever since they released their debut album back in 2013. However I’ve
never reviewed any of their records. So it’s time to correct that
with their brilliantly heavy and quite thrilling new offering –
Barbelith.
The
first thing that stands out with this album is how complex and deeply
progressive this album is compared to previous Scientists albums. The
band have recruited a full time vocalist for this album. Barry
Kotarba brings his “A” game to this album. Eric Plonka handled
guitars and vocals on the previous albums. This time round Barry is
in the driving seat with the vocals. However the other members still
bring their heavy progressive Doom/Sludge Metal sounds to the party.
Opening
track – Chokhmah/Binah
– has a blackened Sludge Metal approach but Scientist manage to
inject their trademark style Psychedelic/Doom based sound. The song
is quite riff-centred at times and it’s good to hear Scientist let
loose with their music whilst still offering a heavy psychedelic
feel.
Second
track – Magick Mirror – has a more Death Metal feel but still
maintaining a Progressive/Psychedelic Sludge Metal sound. The guitars
feel influenced by Mastodon and Neurosis. However Scientist build
upon these influences and manage to create their own unique sound.
And I’m fairly sure I can hear some Organ type instrument being
played. Maybe it’s just me losing grip on all reality. I blame that
on the music. As Scientist veer into many different musical
directions on this song. It can be very hard to keep up. This is one
of the most intelligent and emotional songs on the album.
Third
track – Barbelith – is the standout song on the album. As it’s
another complex sounding Doom/Sludge Metal song with pitch-black
moments of heavy thrash based guitars. The clean and death based
vocals work superbly well. One moment the song is quite scary and
intense, the next, the clean vocals appear and the song changes into
a more reflective song that TOOL would rightly be proud to call their
own.
I
should have mentioned that Barbelith is a concept album based on the
following:
"the
search for life's meaning through the use of psychedelics and the
occult, only to discover that you haven't even been born yet"
That
explains a lot about Barbelith. As this is a complex and mysterious
sounding album. Scientist are not only living up to the name with
their complex melodies but also with the highly intelligent lyrics
written throughout the album.
Other
standout songs include: Friction Suit, Retrograde and Shed This Meat.
As Scientist build upon their claim at being one of the most original
sounding Doom/Sludge Metal bands currently out there today. I’m not
kidding. Listen to their impressive back catalogue and you can bear
witness to a band creating highly intelligent sounding albums.
Barbelith
is an album that you simply cannot ignore. Scientist have created
something special with Barbelith. Not many bands can release great
music such as this. However Scientist have done it again and perhaps
outdone themselves here. As they’ve released their best album to
date.
Words
by Steve Howe
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