The Body - "No One Deserves Happiness" (Album Review)

By: Richard Jaspering

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 18/03/ 2016

Label: Thrill Jockey

Horns swell as dim, low riffs wash over your mind, drums vacillate between cold sweetness and strong blows and the stage of chaos is set by the high screaming voice of unreason, formless yet voluminous and constant. Static whispers through grating frequencies and primal percussion, augmented by surprising claps and snaps, urges the dance of a readied, warring people.  The Body’s latest is an opus to ecstatic agony redolent of SWANS and Neurosis’ output. If no one deserves happiness, I suggest here that it is earned.

“No One Deserves Happiness” CD//DD//LP track Listing

1) Wanderings

2) Shelter Is Illusory

3) For You

4) Hallow/Hollow

5) Two Snakes

6) Adamah

7) Starving Deserter

8) The Fall And The Guilt

9) Prescience

10) The Myth Arc

The Review:

With The Body’s fifth full-length, on Thrill Jockey, one is presented an image of a negative plain where a person learns their contentment, a grace through isolation and self-injurious means. Lee Buford and Chip King display their pedigree in disharmony through measured, musical violence and guest Maralie Armstrong (Humanbeast) lends splendid vocal harmonies to this grim fray of a release.

Our introduction to“No One Deserves Happiness” is slow, sterile and beatific with the repeated sung admonition by Armstrong to “go wait alone.” Horns swell as dim, low riffs wash over your mind, drums vacillate between cold sweetness and strong blows and the stage of chaos is set by the high screaming voice of unreason, formless yet voluminous and constant. Static whispers through grating frequencies and primal percussion, augmented by surprising claps and snaps, urges the dance of a readied, warring people. We see, by the title “Shelter Is Illusory,” that we’re at last, at least secure in the idea that no plan is safe and that what is seen as asylum is only perceived, ephemeral.

Through the duration of the songs to follow, a framework for hate’s sake is built on a foundation of arrogance and contempt, based in vanity and pulchritude. From “For You,” a succinct offering of searing pitches and erratic, stunning crashes of drums bleed into the next, “Hallow/Hollow,” a mire of the spirit that ensnares unwary musical travelers where the siren’s song is for neither light nor dawn. Next, in “Two Snakes,” sub-bass and concussive blasts of programmed snares assail in tandem in short form, whipping and pulling into another place of contemplation of punishment labeled “Adamah.” These two tracks comprise eight minutes of hate but, when weighed against the other sonic themes established throughout the record, provide respite for the listener by affording them a chance to dance for all they’re worth to the weird electronic rhythms before plunging them into another sub-level of discordant, dragging metal where horns begin to sound again through the obscuring fog of a track, dedicated to a coward’s fate.

In “Prescience,” the connection in one between a mother’s love of literature and a father’s penchant for violence is explored, first through a short, spoken-word word piece that clearly, blessedly delineates the order of a life’s work in pain-causing and absorption of the same and again through the music, which cleverly establishes the themes in a sound schematic for sadomasochism.

Finally, the arcs of the myths of existence are smashed in the concluding track, a churning lull with choral arrangements and lingering riffs that caps the work brilliantly, leaving one to regain their senses and return to paralyzing normal life. The Body’s latest is an opus to ecstatic agony redolent of SWANS and Neurosis’ output. If no one deserves happiness, I suggest here that it is earned.

“No One Deserves Happiness” is available here

Band info: facebook | bandcamp

Choice Cuts : Floor (S/T)

The Band :

Anthony Vialon | Guitars

Steve Brooks | Vocals, Buitars

Henry Wilson | Drums, Bass

Inspirational records don't come along very often. The Stooges "Funhouse" was one when I first heard it around the late '80s, "Nowhere" by Ride around 1990 was another and "Bullhead" by the Melvins changed things again about a year later. I didn't play guitar when I first heard those records, but I did by the time I heard Floor's self titled album.

I remember reading that when musicians saw the Sex Pistols they quit their bands and found punk, and for me hearing Floor was a similar experience. I quit the crust-stoner band I was in, tuned down and started on my endless quest for the ultimate combination of riff and tone. It's impossible to talk about Floor in other terms, as the record is absolutely bursting at the seams with both. When that opening low throb of "Scimitar" kicks in there is no way to avoid the crushing power of that riff. Every cliché for reviewing how heavy music sounds (glacial, tectonic, seismic, engulfing, etc etc) began with this riff. I immediately knew that less is more, that regular musical theory is obsolete and that "chops" mean nothing.

If Floor had just played that opening riff for the duration of the record it would still be one of the most magical records ever recorded, but of course they were/are way better than that. Every song is just loaded with riffs that other bands would kill for, only Floor would throw three of them into a two minute song. There was no indulgence at all, no filler, no need to repeat anything to fill space. This album is a template for how to use dynamics in heavy music, but what sets it apart from every other ‘tuned to z’ band is the melody.

Although I’ve grown up with Black Sabbath and all the rest, I’ve always loved melody in a song. The cookie-monster death grunt thing never appealed to me, and I’d been listening to bands like the Pixies a lot more than any heavy music for years. Suddenly here was a band with the heaviest riffs ever, but welded together with unbelievable melody and heart-wrenching vocals. One listen to “Tales of Lolita” was enough to completely change how I wanted to play music forever, and I suppose I’ve spent the last ten years with Slomatics trying vainly to even get close to what Floor did so effortlessly on this record. Add to all this, the fact that the band were almost completely unknown, that every live picture I could find of them was playing to a half-empty tiny pub, and that they’d never even been out of the States and I was hooked.

What a legacy to leave for the then-defunct band. I’ve a friend who has a theory that in every city there is a band somewhere, whether in a practice room or playing one of those half-empty tiny pubs, which would absolutely blow your mind. Floor were that band for me, and although they are now deservedly much more well known, at the time the very fact that they had existed and had written that beautiful record was enough inspiration for me to do what I’ve been doing since, and will never stop doing.  

Words & Recommendation : David Majury from Slomatics

‘Floor’ was the debut full length from the band released by No Idea Records in 2002, although recorded before this record ‘Dove’ was their second official full length.

‘Floor’ track listing :

1). Scimiter 02:28

2). Return to Zero 02:20

3). Downed Star 02:45

4). Iron Girl 02:18

5). Night full of Knicks 03:32

6). Twink 00:53

7). Sheech 01:02

8). Assassin 01:33

9). Kallisti-Song For Eris 03:08

10). Ein (Below and Beyond) 03:24

11). Figured Out 03:19

12). Tales of Lolita 02:02

13). Triangle Song 03:28

Notes

Released on CD and vinyl.

Released on grey marble vinyl, limited to 550 copies.
2nd pressing on October 31st, 2002 on clear vinyl, limited to 550 copies.
3rd pressing on February 28th, 2005 on dark red vinyl, limited to 550 copies.
4th pressing on February 28th, 2007. 316 copies on grey vinyl, 179 copies on cloudy black vinyl, 9 copies on light grey vinyl, 6 copies on purple vinyl.

Re-released on tape in 2010 by Amnesian Records, limited to 200 copies.

Re-released on 12" vinyl with a bonus 7" vinyl in 2014 by Robotic Empire, limited to 2000 copies.
Bonus 7" vinyl:
1. Bombs to Abbadon (2:20)
2. Xian (The Jingle-Jangle of a Thousand Lost Souls) (1:07)
3. Stalker (5:29)

- 500 copies of the deluxe "Hall of Fame" edition on silver/blue vinyl, comes with a sticker, patch and large interview booklet, 7" black vinyl
- 900 copies on black vinyl with 7" black vinyl
- 300 copies on blue vinyl with 7" blue vinyl
- 300 copies on clear vinyl with 7" clear vinyl

Source: Metal Archives

Floor - Oblation (Album Review)

Album Type : Full Length

Date Released : 25/4/2014

Label : Season of Mist

Oblation track listing :

1. Oblation 03:08
2. Rocinante 03:20
3. Trick Scene 02:26
4. Find Away 03:11
5. The Key 00:47
6. New Man 03:19
7. Sister Sophia 03:33
8. The Quill 01:52
9. Love Comes Crushing 04:07
10. War Party 02:56
11. Homegoings and Transitions 03:02
12. Sign of Aeth 07:53
13. Raised to a Star 02:14
14. Forever Still 03:00

Bio :

FLOOR are back. The trio formed in 1992 achieved legendary status with only one full-length, their self-titled debut album "Floor" (2002) and despite splitting two years later. Their first line-up consisted of guitarist and vocalist Steve Brooks, Anthony Vialon on guitar and bass, and drummer Betty Monteavaro. The latter was replaced by Jeff Sousa in 1993, while Brooks and Vialon dropped the bass in favour of two low-tuned guitars. This line-up released several cult vinyl 7" EPs until a first break-up in 1996. The guitarists returned with Henry Wilson on drums for one show in 1997. Following hard on the heels of KYUSS, FLOOR are brothers in spirit to the desert rock feeling of shimmering heat, the pound and stomp of heavy engines, and a burning taste of diesel in the air.

After breaking up again, Steve Brooks moved on and formed TORCHE with massive success. Yet the guitarist and singer still agreed to a reunion tour in 2010 to celebrate the release of "Below & Beyond", which encompassed the trio’s complete material until that point in an 8-CD/10-LP box set. Heavily enjoying the experience and further fuelled by the exponentially grown following during their hiatus, FLOOR decided to record a new album. Now "Oblation" picks up where "Floor" left off more than ten years ago. Adding a dose of doom and a dash of drone, the new album crushes with a powerful production. CONVERGE guitarist Kurt Ballou mixed the album at GodCity Studios (TORCHE, KVELERTAK, HIGH ON FIRE) and the mastering was done by Alan Douches (BARONESS, BLACK TUSK, MOTÖRHEAD). Lean back, crank up and sacrifice to the gods of stoner rock with this mighty "Oblation

The Band :

Anthony Vialon | Guitar
Henry Wilson | Drums
Steve Brooks | Vocals, guitar

Review :  

The slow, audacious rumble of devilishly distorted down-tuned guitars resembling the roar of distant thunder open up this landmark album, with nothing but devastation on their minds. Then the crackling skyline rolls closer to the forefront of this vast, musical landscape, ensnaring the listener within it as enchanting vocals weave in and out of the bolts that flicker from dark, stormy clouds.

Floor are back with their latest full length release in their meandering history which began way back in 1992. More good friends jamming than anything too fun-draining and serious, Oblation marks a powerful return.

With Henry Wilson, who joined in 1997, alongside original members Anthony Vialon and Steve Brooks, occupying the drum stool, they have mastered the delicate balance of disgracefully muddy low end riffs with melodic vocal hooks that bare more in common with pop than anything else: as heavy as it is catchy, it truly is a fine album. 

After its tumultuous title track, Rocinante gives the bpm a good kick up the arse with a riff reminiscent of early Mastodon, exploding into different directions, gargling and churning like the pits of hell. It dictates the song while the vocals seem sparsely used, but well used nonetheless. A monstrously heavy stomp at the end resembles, not the thunder of the opening track, but enormous explosions that could bring buildings down.

Trick Scene boasts a really low down and dirty riff, complete with trademark 'bomb' notes and the rattling of an amp struggling to deal with the noise Brooks and Vialon’s fingers mercilessly force it to make – much to the delight of the listener. Again reminiscent of very early, very chaotic Mastodon with added hints of Electric Wizard and perhaps a dash of Kyuss, its warm, melodic qualities are omnipresent once more. Indeed, it is a feature that encompasses the entire record.

That said however, for all its discerning qualities, for this is an album racking up plaudits like there’s no tomorrow, this is still a record that could be accused of sticking to only a few formulas. But, although the underlying similarity between a fair few of the shorter tracks on offer here could make it difficult to sit through the album in its entirety for some, these are undoubtedly strong, effective songs. For those unable to indulge this record’s 45 minutes of playing time, this is an album you can pluck away at with several listens and in that context it is highly rewarding.

Elsewhere, Find Away almost takes on a grunge fashioned vocal style, while the same churning guitars keep your ears pricked and The Quill contains yet more heavy grinding riffs and plenty of noise from distressed feedback adding to the messy vibrancy of it. 

Love Comes Crushing offers slow pace melancholy with a hint of Chris Cornell crackling in Steve Brook's voice at points in a song that epitomizes everything that we love about the 'tune low, play slow' philosophy of doom rock.

Homegoings and Transitions adds the spice of variety to the mix, with a female vocal of Melissa Friedman morphing the band’s tonality. Backed by rung out chords knee deep in tremolo, it bares pleasing similarities to the likes of Baroness' slower, more relaxed and beautiful compositions such as Steel That Sleeps The Eye and Cocanium.

In Oblation, they have a solid, impressive release. The plaudits weren’t half right.

Words by : Phil Weller

You can get it here

For more information :

www.facebook.com/floorofficial

http://officialfloor.bandcamp.com/album/oblation