By: Matt Fitton
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 25/06/2013
Label: Translation Loss
“Dawning” CD//DD track listing:
1). Lullabye
2). I Swarms
3). Sharpen Your Axes
4). How This Will End
5). Patterns
6). The Other Son
The Review:
So
there's some new Mouth of the Architect. This new
full length has been a while in the works, and quite feverishly anticipated. So
contagious is the vast and sludgy sound of the Dayton, OH act that 'Dawning' will inevitably drive
everybody rabid.
'Lullabye'
begins in innocent enough fashion, all angelic and harmonious. Quickly enough
though it slips through your hands and soars away like the sexy bird of prey it
really is. This thing is positively stunning, and it knows it. You'll forgive
it though, because it rules. It's heavy as balls and will knock you on your ass
if played suitably loud enough. It's strangely subtle, probably due to the
layered clean / rough vocal mix. The leads are strong, the main riff parts are
storming and the drumming lands like thunder blasts. It's larger than life.
Next
up is 'It Swarms', and it sounds
like it graduated from the school of Neurosis song craft,
but decided to piss of its parents and start a band. Now THAT'S really cool.
The clean vocals are still throwing me a curveball, I find them calming yet
unbalancing, which I adore. It continues down this path until we come face to
face with some beautiful, traditional soloing, with more than a pinch of
Americana attached to it. Crammed full of soul to bursting point. I love it.
'How This Will End'
features some blissful acoustic strumming as a launching pad, and some sweet
and heavy yet simplistic drums, all nice and loose and carefree. It escalates
in fashion and form into a more coherent structure, almost to the point of
being ambient sludge. If that is even possible, y'dig? Those solos continue to
impress as well. They're so pretty you'd let your son date them, even if you
thought they were bad news. Either way he's in for some fun. This is a winding epic
and proof positive as to why this band commands such a dedicated fan base.
I
think it's entirely evident that this is what the fans have been waiting
diligently for. 2013 has been all up in our collective grill with some stellar
offerings, and this new MOTA album has just
stormed its way onto that list with impressive ease. The wait was worth it.
Here is the reward for all your patience. Enjoy.
“Dawning”
is available here
