Kylesa - Spiral Shadow
Rating
RIYL
BaronessPelican
Neurosis
Release Date
10/25/2010
Label
Season of MistTracklist
1. Tired Climb2. Cheating Synergy
3. Drop Out
4. Crowded Road
5. Don't Look Back
6. Distance Closing In
7. To Forget
8. Forsaken
9. Spiral Shadow
10. Back and Forth
11. Dust
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There’s no way around it; Kylesa are heavy. They’re heavy in a way that you can both rock out in a dumb way to the predominately drone and bass-heavy sludge and you can turn right around and contemplate some of the psychedelic layered sections. With clean yelling vocals akin to These Arms Are Snakes and the occasional angelic female vocals, there’s a pretty well rounded experience to be had here for any fan of metal or stoner rock.
Quite possibly the most surprising part of Kylesa’s music is that it isn’t that surprising. Normally that would be a bad thing, but Kylesa uses it to their benefit. The tracks are rather minimalistic, sticking mostly to straight up fuzz and distortion, while cautiously using some delay and other effects to add more layers to the clean instrumental sections. One element that makes each track leave an impact on you is their progressive nature. The band has used their years of experience to craft songs that, while they may be somewhat repetitive, give you a chance to really groove on some truly hellacious melodies.
Another aspect that really drives Spiral Shadow and Kylesa above their peers is the unique vocal stylings of Phillip Cope and Laura Pleasants. While Phillip is in the driver’s seat for most of the album, the moments that both Phillip and Laura share vocal duties are really something to behold. Tracks like “Don’t Look Back” prove that there’s a genuine chemistry here that you don’t find in many other bands. It’s almost like Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon decided to join a metal band and call it Kylesa.
This is a band that can make three-minute sludge anthems, but then turn around and make borderline prog rock epics like the title track, “Spiral Shadow,” that clocks in at a little over 5 minutes. The best part, though, is it’s not filler! It’s a full-blown song that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Really, the only reason this album loses a star is because there isn’t more “out of the box” stuff like this on the album, but it’s only a minor blemish on an otherwise enjoyable album.
While I could sit here all day and tell you about all the bands that Kylesa are obviously influenced by, it would be a crime because the band really takes a tried and true sound and morphs it into their own. While I don’t know the origins of the lyrics on the track “Don’t Look Back,” I can only assume the band is offering some advice to other bands in the genre when they belt out the simple message, “Keep moving, don’t look back.”
--Cory Rennison
Comments
Lehigh Valley, PA
"Don't Look Back" might be one of the most infectious songs I have ever heard. This album is effin' awesome.
Minnesota
Not impressed.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
San Diego, CA
Contending for my year-end top ten list
Too old to bother, too young to give a shit.
Infinitely Inwards
I like this review and the album, but I looked at the track lengths and none of them are over 6 minutes.....are you sure about the 10 minute title track bro? I could be wrong, but my media player says 5:12.
Ever Forthright - Ever Forthright
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The New Law - The Fifty Year Storm
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Aborted - Global Flatline
Spawn of Possession - Incurso
Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind)The Crafty Ape
Iowa
Good catch. I downloaded this disc directly from the record label, but on my iTunes it shows that track as being 10:24. Somehow the track data must have gotten messed up, because the track plays for about 5:12 as you stated, then skips to the end of the track. Since I don't pay much attention to iTunes as I'm listening to these albums, I didn't catch it. I'll see if we can get that line taken out of the review. Thanks.
Infinitely Inwards
good man....
Ever Forthright - Ever Forthright
Fallujah - The Harvest Wombs
The New Law - The Fifty Year Storm
The Mars Volta - Noqtourniqet
Aborted - Global Flatline
Spawn of Possession - Incurso
Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind)The Crafty Ape
London, UK
I'm liking this album more and more now. It reminds me of the first karma to burn album in a few places and has a kind of dirty swagger to it that works really well.
Currently listening to:
Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster - Exegesis
Suspyre - Suspyre
Hot Water Music - Exister
7 Horns 7 Eyes - Throes Of Absolution