Bring the Noise
The boys in Isis are no doubt sick of being compared to the mighty Neurosis. But that's hardly an insult. Like their Neurotic forefathers, Isis has a penchant for long, intricate metal overtures peppered with brooding acoustics and slow, serpentine grooves. For the knowledgeable listener, comparing the two bands is almost inevitable. Now, with Neurosis largely retired from the touring circuit and its members exploring assorted side projects, Isis has emerged as the standard-bearer, the new hope for fans of this doomsday blend of hardcore, metal and industrial. Do they measure up?
Originally formed in Boston in the late '90s, Isis released two underground EPs before attracting serious attention with their 2001 full-length, Celestial, a jagged, pummeling blend of hard and heavy sounds. There's the epic "Swarm Reigns (Down)," which plays like the soundtrack for a war-ruined city, creating an overwhelming sense of chaos and suffering. On "Deconstructing Towers," a seven-minute instrumental that slowly unwinds into a series of cacophonous blasts, you can almost hear the voice of Tool's Maynard Keenan, evilly crooning over the song's methodical metallic groove. Album-closer "Gentle Time," one of the band's best, climaxes in a massive wall of shredded-throat vocals, buzz-saw guitars and hypnotically driving beats.
Their follow-up, 2002's Oceanic, took the band in a new direction, expanding their use of electronics and noise while retaining their signature hardcore and metal assault. For 2004's Panopticon, a more cerebral effort whose title refers to the Big Brother prison theorized by Enlightenment philosopher Jeremy Bentham, later reimagined for the postmodern age by Michel Foucault, Isis evolved even further. In addition to their newly expanded industrial sound, they experimented with even greater degrees of melody and atmosphere, resulting in long, haunting stretches of dark ambience. Though the heavy guitars and menacing screams are still present, the overall sound became much cleaner, even quietly introspective at points. Rather than standard-issue chest thumping, Isis indulged some of their subtler urges. Think of it as wallowing in despair rather than howling with rage.
In the meantime, extensive touring with the likes of Converge, the Dillinger Escape Plan, Cave/In and the Melvins have honed their live sound to a killing edge. In concert, the band's full impact is staggering, unsettling. Aaron Turner's harsh and bitter screams are buried deep in the mix, where they operate almost like a percussive instrument, augmenting the blistering guitar onslaught, while drummer Aaron Harris' ferocious yet carefully textured rhythms anchor the band's loud/quiet dynamic and frequent tempo shifts.
Expect to hear more of the new material in concert, of course, despite predictable grumbling from "old school" fans that want "something off the first record." Even the more avant-garde stuff packs a wallop onstage, and the whole catalogue hits harder live than any studio release ever could. So, to return to the initial question: No, they're not quite Neurosis. But then who could be? They are, however, a fine band and a damn sight better than most of what currently passes for heavy music. That's enough.