Among Others, by Jo Walton (2011)

I recently finished reading Among Others, the Hugo & Nebula award-winning novel by Jo Walton.

I liked it well enough.  But I didn't love it.  More about that after the cut.

YOB - Atma (2011)

I got a late start in 2011.  It was around July when I first began to delve into the new music released that year.  Then Atma was released and I was content to call the race; the album clobbered me into submission with sheer greatness.

One thing I remember most readily is that I first listened to the album on NPR.  Even with my best pair of headphones, the sound was not the best, but it was good enough to let me hear the intricacies of the record.  Then again, the record isn't that complicated.  What you've got are a bunch of riffs, some rock-solid, four-on-the-floor drumming, and unobtrusive bass that nevertheless manages to make an impact.

And then there's "Before We Dreamed of Two" and the mind-altering guest spot from Scott Kelly.

If that wasn't enough, there's also the excellent closer, "Adrift in the Ocean".

Let's go back to the beginning, though.  YOB plays doom metal.  And unless my ears are deceiving me (always a possibility), they're one of the few bands in the sub-genre that actually get it right.  Doom metal in general is meant to be slow, but that doesn't mean it has to be ponderous or a chore to listen to. In fact, YOB already has an album to their credit (Catharsis) that stands as one of the best.  There's an emphasis on guitar riffs as well.  Vocals can be a bit of a mixed bag; YOB guitarist/vocalist Mike Scheidt has a variety of voices at his disposal, from low growls to high wails.  In general, the vocals are more melodic than most and add an element of unpredictability to the mix.  One thing other reviewers have noted is the tendency for Scheidt to grunt at precisely the right time.  This tendency usually leads to massive headbanging by the listener.  If I had any doubts that these guys are professionals, they'd be assuaged already.

"Prepare the Ground" and the title track are both fairly straight-forward.  Here one might note that the production sounds considerably dirtier than their previous release, The Great Cessation.  Despite the instruments seeming to occupy the same space in the mix, the snare is quite clear and distinguishes itself.  "Atma" takes a detour into a reverse gallop rhythm (two sixteenth notes and then an eighth note, repeated) that is quite tasty.

"Before We Dreamed of Two" is divided into two halves, more or less.  The first half is slightly more uptempo, exploring a riff that sounds like a variation of what's been played in the previous two tracks.  Then it crawls to a stop and Scott Kelly steps in for what has to be one of the most effective guest spots in recent memory.  He and Scheidt have a nice exchange through the next 6-7 minutes.  It really ramps up around 12 minutes in.  This section is decidedly slower than the rest of the album, but it is so well done that I wish there was more of it.

The next track is the one weak spot on the record.  "Upon the Sight of the Other Shore" really has nothing wrong with it, besides dividing up the epic third and fifth tracks.  But for whatever reason, it doesn't hold my attention as well as the other songs.

"Adrift in the Ocean" closes the album.  It is divided into (roughly) three sections.  The first section is quiet and eventually builds into the main riff that anchors the second section, which has a fairly standard verse-chorus structure.  The riffs and vocals work really well in tandem here.  Basically, a melodic vocal line is married to the main riff of the song, which is then repeated at the end of the chorus an octave higher.  The effect is amazing. The third section includes an epic melodic line on guitar.  It builds up with multiple guitar tracks, sounding more like orchestration.  Scott Kelly adds some percussion here which stands as a nice break from the relentless pounding the drums normally provide.

Atma remains the best album of 2011 on the strength of its songs.  YOB created something here that transcends doom while embracing all of its trappings.  They have shown a way forward which few others have been willing to take.  A true achievement.

Astomatous - The Beauty of Reason (2011)

First things first: listen to The Beauty of Reason on Bandcamp.

I'm sure most metal fans are at least aware of Krallice.  For reasons that are unclear to me, the band is quite divisive and usually inspires negative commentary.  Their rhythm section has been active in the past, including this album.  Originally released in 2006 and re-released with new artwork in 2011, I can safely say that this is the best death metal I've heard from 2006, 2011, and 2013.

Obviously, that is a bold claim.  But by no means is it without merit.  Astomatous' music hits me in a way that most death metal doesn't.  In addition, their approach isn't typically brutal, technical, or progressive, even though all three of those words are apt descriptors of their music.  The Beauty of Reason doesn't stretch out to the epic lengths that many Krallice songs do, but there are points of comparison between the two bands.

One notable difference is drummer Lev Weinstein's activity behind the kit.  He doesn't hold back on this record; he's driving the songs forward just as much as the guitarists.  The drums often change the feel of a track, even though the techniques being used aren't all that different from other death metal drummers.

The first three tracks have the best riffs on the record.  But the most intriguing moment might be the bass/violin duel that closes "Convergence".  It's something that just isn't heard in death metal.  There is a higher amount of creativity here and it's not mere parlor tricks.

The album closes with "Sands", a track that teases a straight-forward riff a couple times before ending with it full-out.  It's my favorite song on the record because that riff is so infectious.  Riffs like that end up defining albums for me, and this one is no exception.

The Beauty of Reason is an excellent example of what happens when a great rhythm section employs a number of talented guitarists.  Cerebral death metal that is unfortunately all too rare.