By: Charlie Butler
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 05/08/2016
Label: Hell
Comes Home
Storming opener “The Singularity” distils the key elements of this
record into five and a half minutes. Chittering harmonics give way to the
sledgehammer impact of furious, frantic riffing moving into anthemic sludge and
finishing with an epic post-metal flourish. Imagine the best bits of American
Heritage, Clutch and ISIS delivered with the seismic impact of Mastodon’s
“Remission”. “1010II0101” is a
pioneering piece of research at the cutting edge of riff technology that
demands your attention.
“10100II00101” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1).
The Singularity
2).
Siege/Capture/Control
3).
The Lighthouse
4).
Baptistina
5).
Luminal
6).
Gravity Well
7).
LIMB
8).
Physcian Heal Thyself
9).
Orbital
10).
Bloodless, Breathless
11).
1010II0101
The Review:
There’s a certain weight of expectation that
goes along with naming your band “Scientist”. Mental
images of bespectacled boffins performing compositions of time-warping
complexity spring to mind. Chicago quartet Scientist definitely delivers
mind-bending riffcraft on “10100II00101”
but this album is far from a sterile laboratory creation.
Storming opener “The Singularity” distils the key elements of this record into five
and a half minutes. Chittering harmonics give way to the sledgehammer impact of
furious, frantic riffing moving into anthemic sludge and finishing with an epic
post-metal flourish. Imagine the best bits of American Heritage,
Clutch and ISIS delivered with the
seismic impact of Mastodon’s “Remission”.
Over the subsequent 55 minutes, Scientist embarks on a sprawling yet
compelling journey through a bewildering number of styles. “Siege/Capture/Control” begins in
crushing doom territory like Scott Kelly fronting Crowbar before launching into another pummelling
onslaught. “Orbital” is a searing instrumental math-metal assault, piling riff
upon riff with increasing intensity. Scientist always keep
things interesting dynamically, offering some light and shade during the
progressive voyage of “Gravity Well”
and the ambient interlude of “Limb”.
They also throw in a couple of curveballs with an almost
commercial edge. “The Lighthouse”
sounds like an armour-plated Deftones complete with
an unexpected melodic chorus and “Physician
Heal Thyself” blends almost jazzy interludes with their trademark crunch in
a catchy way reminiscent of recent Dillinger Escape Plan.
Both of these tracks work well in the context of the album and add more range
to their wide sonic spectrum.
Scientist
have managed to birth a real beast here, a record with true depth that will keep
you coming back to discover more with every listen. “10100II00101” is a pioneering piece of research at the cutting edge
of riff technology that demands your attention.
