Isis' fifth full-length album starts off with a bang through album opener 'Hall Of The Dead'. Unlike their previous album 'In The Absence of Truth', the band wastes no time getting to the point and unleashes a chugging heavy metal riff. But Isis is not about being heavy, its about the ambiance, creating an atmosphere to lose yourself in. Their music can be loosely classified as post-metal, but upon comparison to their previous albums, 'Wavering Radiant' clearly demonstrates an evolution of their sound.All the songs present on the album are fluid, organic pieces. There is no verse-chorus-verse structures, just musical passages. Unlike previous albums, 'Wavering Radiant' has no over-arching theme, it may be there but perhaps not evident enough. Keyboards take an important role in the album as band member Clifford Meyer gives texture to the songs when they need it the most. The transition from heavy distorted riffs to clean interludes gives the songs a wavy, dream-like feel. But therein lies the beauty. Also of note is vocalist/guitarist Aaron Turner's emphasis on clean sung vocals. While he still employs his harsh death metal growl, the balance of the two styles is well maintained. As usual, his vocals are mixed a bit lower, making the lyrics undecipherable. Tool's Adam Jones makes a guest appearance on the album, contributing guitar work to the epic 'Hall Of The Dead'. Drummer Aaron Harris maintains a tight groove throughout along with bassist Jeff Caxide (hear '20 Minutes/ 40 Years' for further proof). Overall, 'Wavering Radiant' will be one those albums not too many people would have heard as the songs are long (the songs are minimum 7 minutes in length) and the band unheard of, but for non-Isis fans, this is as mainstream as it gets.
Song Picks :
- Hall Of The Dead
- Ghost Key
- Hand Of The Host
- Threshold of Transformation
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