Klatzke
01/16/09, 09:28 PM
Poison The Well - Versions
Release Date: April 2, 2007
Record Label: Ferret Records
It took me forever to get into Versions. It didn't help that I had chosen to pass on buying it altogether at first, seeing as You Come Before You was, for me, a spectacularly boring affair. After initially passing on it, it took almost a full year before I saw a section of it (the first 3 or so songs) on my friend's computer. He never listened to them, simply stating that he "couldn't get into it." After syncing it, (forgive me, RIAA) and listening to the tracks a couple of times, interest was found and before too long I had a copy for myself. Instead of being without this glorious album now, I just kick myself for not looking into it sooner.
Versions is quite possibly one of my favorite albums. As far as heavier music goes, I believe it's clinched the top spot, and I easily regard it as (so far) being the pinnacle of Poison the Well's career. Having heard their previous albums, I basically expected more of the same from them, and was utterly shocked. It didn't have the crushing capacity of their previous albums, and they progressed leaps and bounds on the change they'd started to move towards on You Come Before You. Really, with four years between the albums it's no surprise that they'd taken such a stylistic shift.
The potential for utter brutality is still there, but unlike their past work, the aggression on this album seems more channeled and focused. In many places, vocalist Jeffrey Moreira actually seems to be coming apart at the seams. The haunting melodies that he's delivering aren't the only indication of this, but when he breaks in with his tortured screaming it often sounds like a madman's cries. This is, in no way, a bad thing, and it adds one of the definitive factors for the album. The haunting lines he delivers in songs like "Slow Good Morning," "Nagaina" and "Riverside" are some of the most chilling moments of the album. Because the singing is present in just about every song, it becomes one of the most interesting factors, and provides a harsh differential against the tortured screaming.
The musicianship on this album is where Poison the Well progress the most. They never really played into fads or stereotypes, but they've taken it a step further on this album, bringing in everything from horns to slide guitars. In each track, you're met by a wall of sound, and not the "everything sounds fuzzy" kind of wall. It's more like you hear each instrument for what it is, but when it all comes together you've just met such a crushing, heavy sound that there's really no other way to perceive it. The guitars jump and twist, they incorporate all kinds of effects, and you can hear Chris Hornbrook blasting away at his set in the background. They've managed to create a sound that's somehow both atmospheric and unbelievably heavy at the same time. There are times when I really feel like the sound issuing forth can take me wherever I need be. They can have me perplexed by the screeching, creepy intro to "Composer Meets Corpse" or completely awed by the unbelievably textured melody in "The First Day Of My Second Life." There are moments that almost meet, in my opinion, the stunning arrays that many post-metal groups have come to experiment with recently. They're not ready to wear the post-metal tag by any means, but there are plenty of moments in their stunning escalations and atmospheric vibes that remind me of some of those bands.
The lyrics on this album fit its style perfectly. As I said before, there's a certain quality to Moriera's vocals on this album that make him seem almost like a madman that can't control his thoughts. The lyrics are, oftentimes, seemingly insane. A great example of this is from "Slow Good Morning" where he (seemingly confidently) sings "Sir they say we aren't really here, so don't just try to punish us, you are the one who has lost his mind. We didn't bring the bodies, we didn't throw them on your floor. You are the one who has lost his mind." Another great example can be found in the song "Pleading Post", where Moreira proclaims, "Is it wrong to use depair, For our own personal gain? To fuel the fires in the guts. So happiness wasn't for you - it didn't come with the blood" and later, coming loose he screams, "Use them to get where you need to go. Heard you say if there's a flame, you'll burn every tree that you see. Even the one you carved the lame and the females name into."
This is a definite progression for Poison the Well. Given some freedom (such as the ability to record in Sweden) they've shown they're not out of tricks, and that they'll continue to push out a sound that, while easily identifiable as their own, will always be pushing the envelope. With Versions, Poison the Well created an album that not only captured what made them unique, but through some experimentation and progression, created a whole new sound that completely blew out my idea of what to expect from them.
At the Soundawn; The Bled; Warship; Norma Jean; From Autumn To Ashes' Too Bad You're Beautiful (attn: This isn't labeled "sounds like")
http://www.myspace.com/poisonthewell
Release Date: April 2, 2007
Record Label: Ferret Records
It took me forever to get into Versions. It didn't help that I had chosen to pass on buying it altogether at first, seeing as You Come Before You was, for me, a spectacularly boring affair. After initially passing on it, it took almost a full year before I saw a section of it (the first 3 or so songs) on my friend's computer. He never listened to them, simply stating that he "couldn't get into it." After syncing it, (forgive me, RIAA) and listening to the tracks a couple of times, interest was found and before too long I had a copy for myself. Instead of being without this glorious album now, I just kick myself for not looking into it sooner.
Versions is quite possibly one of my favorite albums. As far as heavier music goes, I believe it's clinched the top spot, and I easily regard it as (so far) being the pinnacle of Poison the Well's career. Having heard their previous albums, I basically expected more of the same from them, and was utterly shocked. It didn't have the crushing capacity of their previous albums, and they progressed leaps and bounds on the change they'd started to move towards on You Come Before You. Really, with four years between the albums it's no surprise that they'd taken such a stylistic shift.
The potential for utter brutality is still there, but unlike their past work, the aggression on this album seems more channeled and focused. In many places, vocalist Jeffrey Moreira actually seems to be coming apart at the seams. The haunting melodies that he's delivering aren't the only indication of this, but when he breaks in with his tortured screaming it often sounds like a madman's cries. This is, in no way, a bad thing, and it adds one of the definitive factors for the album. The haunting lines he delivers in songs like "Slow Good Morning," "Nagaina" and "Riverside" are some of the most chilling moments of the album. Because the singing is present in just about every song, it becomes one of the most interesting factors, and provides a harsh differential against the tortured screaming.
The musicianship on this album is where Poison the Well progress the most. They never really played into fads or stereotypes, but they've taken it a step further on this album, bringing in everything from horns to slide guitars. In each track, you're met by a wall of sound, and not the "everything sounds fuzzy" kind of wall. It's more like you hear each instrument for what it is, but when it all comes together you've just met such a crushing, heavy sound that there's really no other way to perceive it. The guitars jump and twist, they incorporate all kinds of effects, and you can hear Chris Hornbrook blasting away at his set in the background. They've managed to create a sound that's somehow both atmospheric and unbelievably heavy at the same time. There are times when I really feel like the sound issuing forth can take me wherever I need be. They can have me perplexed by the screeching, creepy intro to "Composer Meets Corpse" or completely awed by the unbelievably textured melody in "The First Day Of My Second Life." There are moments that almost meet, in my opinion, the stunning arrays that many post-metal groups have come to experiment with recently. They're not ready to wear the post-metal tag by any means, but there are plenty of moments in their stunning escalations and atmospheric vibes that remind me of some of those bands.
The lyrics on this album fit its style perfectly. As I said before, there's a certain quality to Moriera's vocals on this album that make him seem almost like a madman that can't control his thoughts. The lyrics are, oftentimes, seemingly insane. A great example of this is from "Slow Good Morning" where he (seemingly confidently) sings "Sir they say we aren't really here, so don't just try to punish us, you are the one who has lost his mind. We didn't bring the bodies, we didn't throw them on your floor. You are the one who has lost his mind." Another great example can be found in the song "Pleading Post", where Moreira proclaims, "Is it wrong to use depair, For our own personal gain? To fuel the fires in the guts. So happiness wasn't for you - it didn't come with the blood" and later, coming loose he screams, "Use them to get where you need to go. Heard you say if there's a flame, you'll burn every tree that you see. Even the one you carved the lame and the females name into."
This is a definite progression for Poison the Well. Given some freedom (such as the ability to record in Sweden) they've shown they're not out of tricks, and that they'll continue to push out a sound that, while easily identifiable as their own, will always be pushing the envelope. With Versions, Poison the Well created an album that not only captured what made them unique, but through some experimentation and progression, created a whole new sound that completely blew out my idea of what to expect from them.
At the Soundawn; The Bled; Warship; Norma Jean; From Autumn To Ashes' Too Bad You're Beautiful (attn: This isn't labeled "sounds like")
http://www.myspace.com/poisonthewell