Immortal Bird - Thrive On Neglect
I remember hearing the name "Immortal Bird" and not knowing what to think. Then I previewed their Bandcamp and immediately purchased every release. Their first LP, "Empress/Abscess", wohhhhhh. This quartet from Chicago, Illinois was definitely laying down some intense tunes! I was stoked to see an ad for another upcoming LP. After listening to "Thrive On Neglect", I was hyped. After listening to it several times, I am hooked.
I listen to Immortal Bird, and have some conflict. Conflict of the sense that sometimes we get hung up on "what genre/sub genre will this be classified as?" Especially when my job is to review an album while trying to have the reader "listen" to what I'm describing. Can we just call them killer music? I mean, we're all under the blanket of metal, but they combine so many variants. AND they do it so very very well. Blackened, grind, crust, punk, dissonance... it's incredible what they do in their approach as well as execution.
'Anger Breeds Contempt' opens this ride of organized chaos. Right out the gate, you know this jam is gonna deliver. Pounding riffs, blistering riffs, off time riffs, precision double bass, blasts, lightning fills, solid low end, all accented by Rae's tortured vocals (ranging from the low growls to mid level highs). FUCK this could be considered as a lot, but this is such a fluid combination of parts and flavors, the product is one cohesive piece of musical genius.
Let's jump ahead to 'Vestigial Warnings'. To sum this track up... it's a pleasing relentless and violent aural attack. A voyage. Influences, tempo changes, riffs riffs riffs, sounds you don't often hear a guitar make (a la later Gorguts) all the while having a complexity that you can try to dissect and decipher or just bang a long with. Creativity at it's highest level. It's blasting, it's thrashing, it's thumping, it's grooving, it's punching, it's fucking fantastic! In a manic state, the song goes silent, you think it's the end. Then after a brief break, it leads you into it's final minute of a crunching riff (including those squeals!!!!!) pummeling you into submission fading out with atmosphere setting feedback and nauseatingly alluring bass line and sick fills.
Jesus, I want you to be able to jam this along with me. This screamer comes to a close with 'Stumbling Toward Catharsis'. Rumbling in with what the weak may call an unsettling riff. I'm entranced and drawn in it's clutches. For the first 2 minutes, I'm completely mesmerized by it. Then, BAM, rage unleashed. More riffs, growls... blasts. Turbo charged ferocity. SOOOOOOO very tight and meticulous in it's delivery and execution. A tornado of sorts. One I enjoy being swirled in. I am way stoked on the ending of this song. A swift pause then it builds up adding layer and layer only intensifying the magnitude as it abruptly ends. Leaving me wanting more. Album song order is a big deal with me. These 4 just ended on a perfect track! Deep breaths now. And restart the album.
So very hyped I could preview and discuss this gem before it's release. Thanks to you, Immortal Bird! Now, get this the very instant it drops!
Stand out tunes:
'Anger Breeds Contempt'
'Vestigial Warnings'
'Stumbling Toward Catharsis'
[embed]
I listen to Immortal Bird, and have some conflict. Conflict of the sense that sometimes we get hung up on "what genre/sub genre will this be classified as?" Especially when my job is to review an album while trying to have the reader "listen" to what I'm describing. Can we just call them killer music? I mean, we're all under the blanket of metal, but they combine so many variants. AND they do it so very very well. Blackened, grind, crust, punk, dissonance... it's incredible what they do in their approach as well as execution.
'Anger Breeds Contempt' opens this ride of organized chaos. Right out the gate, you know this jam is gonna deliver. Pounding riffs, blistering riffs, off time riffs, precision double bass, blasts, lightning fills, solid low end, all accented by Rae's tortured vocals (ranging from the low growls to mid level highs). FUCK this could be considered as a lot, but this is such a fluid combination of parts and flavors, the product is one cohesive piece of musical genius.
Let's jump ahead to 'Vestigial Warnings'. To sum this track up... it's a pleasing relentless and violent aural attack. A voyage. Influences, tempo changes, riffs riffs riffs, sounds you don't often hear a guitar make (a la later Gorguts) all the while having a complexity that you can try to dissect and decipher or just bang a long with. Creativity at it's highest level. It's blasting, it's thrashing, it's thumping, it's grooving, it's punching, it's fucking fantastic! In a manic state, the song goes silent, you think it's the end. Then after a brief break, it leads you into it's final minute of a crunching riff (including those squeals!!!!!) pummeling you into submission fading out with atmosphere setting feedback and nauseatingly alluring bass line and sick fills.
Jesus, I want you to be able to jam this along with me. This screamer comes to a close with 'Stumbling Toward Catharsis'. Rumbling in with what the weak may call an unsettling riff. I'm entranced and drawn in it's clutches. For the first 2 minutes, I'm completely mesmerized by it. Then, BAM, rage unleashed. More riffs, growls... blasts. Turbo charged ferocity. SOOOOOOO very tight and meticulous in it's delivery and execution. A tornado of sorts. One I enjoy being swirled in. I am way stoked on the ending of this song. A swift pause then it builds up adding layer and layer only intensifying the magnitude as it abruptly ends. Leaving me wanting more. Album song order is a big deal with me. These 4 just ended on a perfect track! Deep breaths now. And restart the album.
So very hyped I could preview and discuss this gem before it's release. Thanks to you, Immortal Bird! Now, get this the very instant it drops!
Stand out tunes:
'Anger Breeds Contempt'
'Vestigial Warnings'
'Stumbling Toward Catharsis'
[embed]
1. Anger Breeds Contempt
2. House Of Anhedonia
3. Vestigial Warnings
4. Avolition
5. Solace In Dead Structures
6. Quisquilian Company
7. Stumbling Toward Catharsis
2. House Of Anhedonia
3. Vestigial Warnings
4. Avolition
5. Solace In Dead Structures
6. Quisquilian Company
7. Stumbling Toward Catharsis
