Difficult one, this. The press release says this Polish band are 'melodic post death doom metal...in the vein of old Cathedral, Pungent Stench and Pyogenesis' which sounded a bit "WTF?" to me. That is of course often a good thing, I hasten to add, but seriously odd bedfellows nonetheless.
This is also their fifth release and their third full length so you have to assume that they are both determined and have their sound nailed by now, or are at least confident of their direction.
Things start atmospherically enough with a brooding post-Blade Runner keyboard soundscape. Then I realise that it's just another intro and the real song ' Make Them Die' pounces with a totally unrelated and unexpected hardcore influenced modern metal riff swinging for a rabbit punch. Chuck in a (shudder) rap break and a couple of death blasts and I'm a bit concerned to be truthful. On the plus side though the vocals are nicely distinctive; think Dave Sherman with an Eastern European rasp gargling thick bleach. And there is also a good heavy fuzz to the bass heavy riffs. But the rest? Hmmm. I mean I struggle to find any Cathedral here, or the other bands to be honest.
As the album drives on though, something far different tries to worm its way to the surface, dragging itself over some quirky lead breaks that actually do remind me of the eccentric approach of Pyogenesis from years ago. Pushing down the mundane modern metal of the early tracks it almost has control by the time the title track comes on, mutating it into a far more engaging rattle and maniacal stomp with a kind of ' head in the bottle, hand on the pills' nihilism.
Then the vocals stretch further, I assue courtesy of the second vocalist, adding a higher, cleaner tone that brings on the dark clouds of the lyrics and adds a goth/gloom bruise to the fairly pounding metal. It works by adding a layer of fragility and a more heart on their sleeve feel to their bleak outlook. The melodies are wonderfully off kilter, the formula broken beyond repair. With the exception of the slightly too accurately named 'Death Comes To Town' and its oddly standard DM chug, from 'November Skies' onwards this album operates on a different basis as though porcelain has cracked to reveal the desperate emotions beneath. By the time the closer and album highlight 'Put Your Dukes Up' has pressed its curiously, desperately broken knuckles against the window pane Neuronia's Bella Morte meets Pyogenesis at a biker metal convention is shining darkly.
So an average album, or a great mini-album full of gloomy, curious character? Three albums in its almost as though there are still two bands fighting over the soul of Neuronia and at present its a pretty stark contrast between the two. I hope they find a way to bring them together a little more as they managed on the title track as they clearly have the drive and talent to do it.
Still can't hear any early Cathedral here though....
http://www.myspace.com/neuronia
Gizmo
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