Album Type:
Album
Date Released:
21st
August 2014
Label:
Self Released
Passage Of
Gaia - track listing:
1.The Staircase
06:52
2.Terra Vindicta
05:52
3.Green Dragon 08:45
4.Hyperion 04:14
5.Antipode 05:54
6.Passage Of Gaia
09:15
7.Solar Lament 05:54
8.Destroy The Urn
07:35
Bio
Arctic
Sleep is a Chicago & Milwaukee based band that incorporates
elements of space-rock, doom metal, and ascension drone into epic
songs driven by a unique combination of massively atmospheric
heaviness and bittersweet melody accompanied by calm & ghostly
vocals delivering lyrics containing recurring themes of nature,
space, sorrow, and detachment.
Band Members
KEITH D - vocals,
drums, bass, cello, djembe, keyboards, guitar, e-bow
MIKE GUSSIS -
guitars
Additional backing
vocals by Emily Jancetic.
Review:
Arctic
Sleep may have lost some of their heaviness over the years but that
has only increased the emotional intensity of their music. Passage Of
Gaia is Arctic Sleep's 6th album and it sees the band lay
their emotional scars upon to the world to witness. It's a haunting
and brooding epic album that only Arctic Sleep could of made.
These
self proclaimed – Progressive Atmospheric Doomsters – from
Milwaukee, deserve credit for writing an emotionally charged albums
that remains powerful from the opening note of first track – The
Staircase – as it perfectly sets the scene for the next 56 mins or
so. If you're expecting a heavy as hell ISIS/Neurosis type experience
like their earlier albums then you maybe slightly disappointed though
This album is still a wonderfully sonic crushing vision in its' own
right.
Passage
of Gaia is more a progressive space-rock opera compared to their last
few albums and it makes it a more refreshing and rewarding
experience. The guitars and drums are tighter than ever especially on
the first half of the album as Arctic Sleep feel they are channelling
Deftones and Opeth in equal measure but still sounding so damn
original. Progressive Metal combining with Doom Metal has been done a
million times before but none match the emotional intensity that
Arctic Sleep have created here.
Terra
Vindicta and Green Dragon opens your mind to another world or
dimension told through the power of music. Though I will admit the
real “star” on this album the wonderfully subdued vocals of Emily
Jancetic. Emily adds a real human feel to the album as her vocals
instantly draw you in and make you feel apart of the harsh
environments that Keith and Mike have created. Lets hope Arctic Sleep
recruit Emily on a permanent basis.
Another
area where the album excels is the orchestral and instrumental work.
It's epic in scope and played with intense delivery. I lost count the
amount of times that I drifted off to space as the album has a hidden
hypnotic trance based feel to it. Passage Of Gaia is an album you
will lose your entire mind to.
The
2nd half of the album is where Arctic Sleep excel the most
at as they include ideas that will have you thinking out loud for
days. The title track – Passage of Gaia – is a work of
progressive art. It includes many vibes and emotions that you may
need a degree of some sort to fully understand. The riffs take a life
of their own as the Doom and Gloom effect of the album fully starts
to come to life and make you question your very own existence.
Arctic
Sleep are finally starting to get the recognition they truly deserve
as one of the most imaginative, original and forward thinking bands
within the Progressive Metal/Atmospheric Doom Metal scene. They prove
with Passage Of Gaia they are one of the landmark bands currently
within the Progressive Doom Metal scene.
Passage
Of Gaia is not only their finest work to date. Passage Of Gaia is a
work of art.
Thanks
to the band for sending me a promo to review. Passage Of Gaia is now
available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from BandCamp now.
Check
the Band from Links Below
Written
by Steve Howe
