Carrion "The Crime of Idle Hands" CD
[Epicene]
I had no clue what to expect from this, but I like it. I don't really know how to describe it other than the fact that it's very rhythmic, at times sludgy, at times hectic, at times a little quirky, and it would fit in fairly well with some of the bands onAt a Loss, or portions of Relapse's current roster (Mastodon, Burnt by the Sun, and such). It's not really as aggressive as those bands can be, nor does it sound like them in large part, but it's cut from similar cloth so to speak. The vocals are dry shouts, the percussion is fucking sweet and drops a lot of interesting patterns and aptly flashy fills, there's a certain controlled discordant noisiness happening, and the songs definitely pack some punch. Some of the tracks get into some math rock or post-hardcore influences, while a couple of technical Cynic styled alternate picking riffs pop up here and there - but way dirtier, played in the band's Black Flag-ish sort of swagger. "Worship" has some calm passages with throbbing basslines and lightly distorted guitars, taken further by the awesome instrumental "Window Out of Solitude", which uses even less distortion on the guitars and is more blatantly melodic without sacrificing creativity or slight complexity. "Gongs of Violence" has some traditional metal riffing and a standout gallop to the tempo, coming as a bit of a surprise. The recording's pretty damn good. The guitar tone has a shitload of texture, the vocals are well placed, I absolutely love the sound of the drums (resonant and 100% natural), the bass is dense, etc. I'd like to hear them up the bass just a smidge, and some of the clearer guitar parts could do without that extra jaggedness around the edges, but by and large everything is about where it needs to be. The layout is a mix of black and white and colorful illustrations with small, clean text, etc. I've seen better, but it looks pretty good. I really like the lyrics because they're vague but interestingly handled and certainly pointed: "As we identify these fragments of identity the quicker we unravel the fabric of reality a tapestry of flesh to mingle with our own to be enmeshed in what we have sown there is no turning back there is no reversal all that we can hope is to arrive where we stand..." This is a cool CD. It's a consistent listen, but there are a lot of different angles at work that give numerous tracks their own individual identities without separating from the larger umbrella that represents the band's direction. Keep an ear out for this band... they could be moving up in the world in the not-so-distant future. (7/10)
Running time - 44:28, Tracks: 10
[Notable tracks: Bitterness, Worship, Window Out of Solitude]
Epicene Sound Systems - http://www.epicenesoundsystems.com

This review has been displayed 2197 times.