Reviewed - 06/01/04

The Eye Of Every Storm
[Neurot/Relapse Records]

Neurosis is one of those few bands in the hard music underground that can truly be called pioneers. In their nearly two decades of existence, they have evolved from a seemingly banal crusty, psychedelic punk experiment into one of the most creative and difficult to categorize bands on the planet. In the process, they created a currently nameless new sub-genre of doom, redefined the term "heavy" for music fans everywhere, created their own very successful independent label, and, most importantly, kept their integrity as a band intact by always doing things their own way. And now, in 2004, these living legends have released an album bristling with depth and integrity. An album that, quite frankly, will be completely lost on many a listener, but will greatly reward those who delve into its murky depths.

After A Sun That Never Sets, it was obvious that Neurosis was beginning a new musical phase. Clearly, their incredible heaviness peaked with Times of Grace and the band was moving into a more artistic direction. That direction is in full effect on The Eye of Every Storm as Neurosis has seemingly redefined their sound while still remaining true to its spirit. With only a few moments ever truly reminding me of the ultra-heavy beast that Neurosis used to be, the melodies and dark folk elements are brought to the fore. The vocals of co-vocalists Steve Von Till and Scott Kelly are completely melodic now, though they are quite gritty. If you've heard Von Till's solo outings, then you'll have an idea of what to expect here. The more understandable vocals will be great for those of you who love lyrics that will utterly confuse and bewilder you. But, strange spiritualism and opaque meanings has always been a Neurosis staple (some things never change, I guess). Along with the incorporation of more noise-oriented, Tribes of Neurot-styled embellishments, you might say that this Neurosis album is the melding of all the side projects of all the members.

The instrumentation, just like the music, leans more towards the subdued for most of the album. The drumming of the god-like Jason Roeder is almost ambient at times and shows that he knows how to use the drums for more than simple rhythm keeping. The guitars and bass benefit from the excellent engineering of Steve Albini as each instrument is given plenty of room to breathe as well as the warmth and clarity necessary for the quieter moments when the instrumentation is sparse and needs to be effective. The keyboards of Noah Landis add a great deal of texture and feeling to these songs. As always, his often-unusual samples and sounds in addition to his great atmospheres can practically define a song. I would say that the keys are more important for this album than they've ever been for any Neurosis album.

I guess it's pretty obvious by now that Neurosis just aren't as heavy as they used to be. But just because they aren't as heavy doesn't mean that they aren't every bit as oppressive in atmosphere and tone. In some ways, I would even say that the oppressive atmosphere is intensified here thanks to the greater range of dynamics and experimentation. In this way, the comparisons to Pink Floyd are unavoidable. This album brings to my mind the Dark Side of the Moon.

What this all means is that you should expect some challenging listening. This is extremely progressive, deep, dark, and unlike anything you've heard before. Much like the album title itself implies, this is a calmer record for this band, but it creates a feeling of being surrounded by utter chaos and brutality. And, just for the record, I'm highly tempted to play The Eye of Every Storm while watching the Wizard of Oz - just out of curiosity.