Mouth of the Architect - The Violence Beneath
Rating
RIYL
NeurosisIsis
Minsk
Rosetta
Release Date
04/27/2010
Label
Translation LossTracklist
1. The Violence Beneath2. Buried Hopes
3. Restore
4. In Your Eyes
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Why in the hell does Mouth of the Architect not get more buzz? This shit is huge. Like seriously colossal. Mouth of the Architect’s The Violence Beneath EP displays a firm grasp of what post-metal should be about—this is the sound of the genre done right. Swirling atmospherics are married to metallic crunch, tribal rhythms pound out of your speakers, shifts in dynamics abound, the vocals move effortlessly between growls and clean singing, and the best part is that everything is so seamless. And get this: there’s even a Peter Gabriel cover! Somewhere John Cusack is stoked.
The EP blasts out of the gate with the title track, seething with vitriol and sounding a lot like Isis when they get good and pissed off. At about the five minute mark the aggression slowly gives way to Mouth of the Architect’s softer side, inviting the listener to take a breather and delve into the more introspective side of the band. “The Violence Beneath” fades out and the opening of “Buried Hopes” floats in, with acoustic guitar backed by ethereal ambience and vocals that sound strikingly like Layne Staley. A surge of heaviness at about the 2:30 mark eventually disintegrates with the rest of the track before a re-forming and re-shaping of the pieces. “Restore” is a live recording that plays with loud-soft dynamics, though its downfall is that it’s a bit on the safe side. It’s just average and is the weak link of the bunch. The final track is a cover of Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes”—an interesting decision that not only works, but succeeds wildly in an oddly haunting sort of way.
The Violence Beneath is a tasty post-metal treat that nails the sound on the head while at the same time pushes just enough boundaries to keep things fresh. The soundscapes are extensive and eerie in that late night, sprawling vista sense versus the pretentious alternative. Think Pelican’s early work for a comparison of vibe if not sonic similarity. I would say that fans of post-metal should not hesitate to pick this up immediately; this is some very good stuff.
--Jake Oliver
Comments
Minnesota
I like this album (or is it an EP? I'm not sure), but I wasn't totally into it. I think it's actually one of MotA's weaker efforts. The two new tracks are great but the live song is "meh" and the cover is just ok.
But I totally agree that these guys deserve way more exposure than they currently get.
Nazareth, Pennsylvania
I guess I should probably give this a listen since I have megacrushes on Isis and Rosetta.
"This is our night. The look in your eyes says we can go all the way. I'm losing my mind, broken inside, I want you to take my breath away. It's obvious that my heart beats for you...
Translation: "I'mma do you so good tonight, and I'm gonna make vague references to love to coax your pants off."
West Haven, CT
Good band. Alright release.
The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.
Nazareth, Pennsylvania
Eegh. Gonna give this a Meh/5.
"This is our night. The look in your eyes says we can go all the way. I'm losing my mind, broken inside, I want you to take my breath away. It's obvious that my heart beats for you...
Translation: "I'mma do you so good tonight, and I'm gonna make vague references to love to coax your pants off."