Scientist - "10100II00101" (Album Review)

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.

“10100II00101” is available here

Band info: bandcamp | facebook

A Year in Review: The DIY Sonic 6 2015

By: Aaron Pickford

Everyone gravitates to a favourite genre and each has its own merit, therefore over the last week I thought it would be a good idea to highlight, “six of the best” releases of 2015 within our most popular genres.  But today for something a little different, we’re going to be focusing on bands who went out on their own and did things DIY, releasing their records independently.  So as we reflect upon an awesome year of music in 2015, we present the DIY “Sonic 6” for 2015.  

The Sludgelord’s ‘Sonic 6’ for 2015 is compiled based upon page views alone and calibrated into the list below, we will be presenting further lists during the lead up to Christmas, but for today roll up, kick back and Hail the riff!  (full reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and total views since the date of publication are highlight in red). 

6). Abrams – “Lust.Love.Loss” (358)

‘Blending spiky guitar lines reminiscent of These Arms Are Snakes, plenty of weird Cave In style effects, angular post-hardcore aggression and no-nonsense stoner riffing, Abrams have created a compelling and addictive listen here.’

5). Scientist – “10100||00101” (363)

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.

4). Behold! The Monolith – “Architects of the Void” (375)

‘A collage of different styles and different ways of thinking how to manipulate heavy music in the best possible way, it spins off all over the place while you watch, centre stage, as the most brilliant mess of sounds and visions whirl around you like a metallic tornado.’

3). War Iron – “Precession of the Equinoxes” (527)

If you search for depravity strung out like a junkie, ‘Precession of the Equinoxes’ is waiting, door open, a fresh needle filled with a black substance in hand. Its one of the most solid albums from the blackened doom sector in quite some time, and if you're looking for something cranked to eleven, I think you'll find that this music is a bit slow for numbers. Crank the speakers, sit back, get loose, and let yourself be taken by the blackest riffs this side of hell.

2). Dreadnaught – “Bridging Realms” (546)

‘The cinematic scope of Dreadnought’s music sounds like it should take a small orchestra to perform it.’

1). Trials – “This Ruined World” (583)

This is superlative modern metal which mixes elements of thrash, death, traditional metal and comes up with something technical, progressive and accessible.

 

Reviews featured in this article were written by: Hunter Young, Charlie Butler, Richard Maw, Philip Weller

Scientist - "Scientist" (Album Review)

By: Chris Markwell

 

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 28/6/2013
Label: Independent |
Hell Comes Home

…the guitar simply rocks. From its muted opening riff to its lightning-spewing final moments, it just sounds evil in the best possible way. If you’re looking for a sonic treasure, you’ve struck gold (oh yes, I went there).

“Scientist” CD//DD//LP track listing:

 

1). Au (79/196.97)

2). Ti (22/47.867)

3). O (15.999)

4). Kr (36/83.80)

5). Pb (87.207.2)

6) . H20 (18.152)

7). Co2 (1.1/44)

8). Os(76/190.23)

The Review:

 

So, here I am, minding my own business, when the Lords of Sludge on high pass me a very unusual assignment. “This is Scientist,” came the murky voice of my Overlord, “and this is a band… who will make your world a much more… heavy place.”

How could anyone resist such a tempting offer?

Let’s get down to it: Scientist are from Chicago, so naturally their sound carries with it an air of gangster swagger and ferocious bluster. Not only that, their music is pretty much entirely instrumental: on first listen, it’s a strange welding of traditional heavy metal, jazz exploration and punk attitude. But what did you expect from a band whose members are Eric Plonka (from Yakuza) and Justin Cape and Patrick Auclair (FIREISBORN)? Cuddles and glitter parties? Get outta here.

The self-titled album is, on closer inspection, a true-blue riff-o-rama, with riffs so thick you could use it to recover dual carriageways. The fact that each track is also named after an element or compound and its atomic number serves both as a lovely educational aside and as an indicator of each song’s contents: “Ti (22/47.867)” (or Titanium) is a heavy, girder-strong slab of metal, whereas “H2O (18.152)” is a slippery, sweeping creation that reveals its true dangerous majesty once you’ve gotten too far into it to escape.

If I had to pick one track from this album that must be listened to by everybody (yes, even by you), I’d have to say you take your ears over to “Au (79/196.97)”. Why? Well, for starters, this track has actual vocals on it: vocals which simply sneer, stab and strike with deadly precision at you. Have I mentioned the guitars yet? No? Allow me to rectify that: the guitar simply rocks on this track. From its muted opening riff to its lightning-spewing final moments, it just sounds evil in the best possible way. If you’re looking for a sonic treasure, you’ve struck gold (oh yes, I went there).

Scientist is a band with dark machinations running through its mind, and a storm cloud brewing over its mountaintop lab. Who knows what the next lightning storm will bring out of their crazed abode? For now, keep those torches and pitchforks safely stowed and enjoy their latest creation. IT’S ALIVE! IT’S ALIIIIIIVE!!!

 

“Scientist” digitally here and on vinyl here

 

 

Band info: bandcamp ||facebook