Sunday 2 June 2013

Mouth of the Architect - "Dawning" (Album Review)

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



Band info:  Official || Facebook