DEEP IMPACT
NEUROSIS
Fires Within Fires Neurosis are a three-decade staple of thinking fan’s music, a band who inspire emotional hyperbole, who are both crushing and fragile, thematically and visually rich and constantly expanding their sonic palette. On 11th album Fires Within Fires, there’s little that strays from the realms they visited on their previous material, but that’s in no way detrimental. Neurosis subtly and skilfully integrate elements from the post-metal genre they co-created, while continuing to weave in elements of industrial, doom, punk and folk. What subtly sets the album apart is the mean streak here. In comparison to 2012’s Honor Found in Decay, the record is heavier and the band’s anger more efficient and consistently applied. Neurosis are at their most distinctive on album closer “Reach,” courtesy of a bizarre opening riff that’s cold and reverberating. Later, guitarist/vocalist Steve Von Till incorporates his highest-register vocals to date, a welcome exploration into new territory that eventually triggers a sonic blowout as the song and album end explosively. For those who’ve enjoyed the band’s descent into the heart of darkness, Fires Within Fires is a welcome addition. (Neurot, neurotrecordings.com)
WAS IT AN INTENTION TO INCORPORATE MORE HEAVY AMIDST THE SOFT MOMENTS?
Singer/guitarist Scott Kelly: Fires Within Fires is a pretty concise record. It’s much more direct in a lot of ways, certainly more so than Honor Found in Decay. I think it’s got a mean streak in it that’s pretty strong, and I think that is all stuff that you can find in the earlier releases. That being said, I think there is some pretty heavy exploration going on there with some of the more psychedelic aspects and some of the more melodic aspects that we haven’t done before. As usual with us, it’s a step in both directions.
IT SOUNDS CLICHé TO TALK ABOUT MUSIC FROM AN EMOTIONAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT NEUROSIS ARE EMOTIVE.
I don’t know if I would necessarily say we write music to cause any specific response in people, but I do think the sorrow that exists within us is strong, and we all have our reasons and our scars. SARAH KITTERINGHAM