When I’m asked to review an album it always fills me with nervy dread. What if they suck? I hate slagging off bands that are obviously working to create something they love. Who wants to be the bad guy? Thankfully I didn’t have to worry about that this time. Palinopsia don’t suck at all. As soon as Murmurs From The Well Nothing More kicked in I realised these were some fellas with something worth bringing to show and tell.
Before we go on I should let you know what Palinopsia means, so you don’t have to bother Wikipedia about it:
Palinopsia is a visual disturbance defined as the persistent or recurrence of a visual image after the stimulus has been removed.
OK, can we move on now?
Hailing from Poultney, Vermont Murmurs From The Well Nothing More is their first EP (from what I can see). They are described variously as blackened doom with hardcore routes which sounds about right to me, although I might bung in stoner for good measure. I’ve never been a fan of pigeon-holing music, but at the same time it’s nice to have some sort of idea what you’re going to be listening to, and I reckon that manages it pretty well. But there’s more to their sound than that.
The EP’s opening track – Three Sisters – launches in with unabashed blasts and just a couple of minutes later you’re already listening to the emotionally jaunty harmonics of Silt. It’s refreshing to come across a sludgey band that knocks out a short song. I have nothing against longer songs, of course, it’s par for the course in this league, but this is a different approach.
Mix up some Eyehategod, tinges of early My Dying Bride, occasional Converge flurries and a slab or two of Thou and you’re on the right lines. The My Dying Bride reference surprised me, I wonder if it will surprise them? The break down towards the end of Silt screams The Angel And The Dark River and not in a bad way at all. The vocals are ace.
–x–
If you’ll excuse my random tangent for a moment or two, read on. I grew up in a small industrial town in the English Midlands. Poultney, Vermont, USA has a population of just 4,000 or so. This is just my theory, but I swear bands that come from small towns have a different vibe to them. There’s almost an unwritten defiance and desperation that seeps between the cords. I swear I can hear it. Can you hear it?:
Any way. Back to the matter in hand. Palinopsia’s first offering is well worthy of praise. It’s short and as such it’s easy to repeat. If you listen to it once you will listen to it twice.
