Descending like a blessing from the sky comes another album by a legendary band which only nine years ago presented us with a masterful album vastly superior to what they had done since their debut.
In Ordeal we find a regression into their middle period while nods to Stormcrowfleet are discernible here and there without actually engaging and setting out on an undistracted trance like the younger band on that album.
Self-referential statements which rely directly on the established style of the band and the reputation it has already acquired makes this sound like one of the second rate bands that followed in their footsteps.
Already a tired band showing no signs of progression or development in style, we perceive a simplification of ideas on top of which a facade that sounds like Skepticism is erected.
Passing and forgettable, we find a Skepticism attempting to be as sparse as Worship, yet finding themselves in foreign territory.
Positioning chord after chord and following them in a slightly rock-like manner reminiscent of lesser “doom metal” acts, the motifs as themes are nowhere to be seen.
One must also ask, what happened to the singer’s voice? Is this on purpose?
Instead of the pictures in poetry and majestic motif colorations of Stormcrowfleet before “doom metal” was a thing, we have a band trying to impersonate itself.
Nobody asks a band like Skepticism to venture forth and put out new material because “it is time,” as if they were some puny mainstream band, but this here is probably the less inspired and most uneventful Skepticism album to date.
Tedious in a way that only a collection of uninspired references to all the different points in their discography could be, if this is a farewell, it is indeed a sad one.
Mannerisms in the guitars seem to be excuses only to keep them doing anything — a lack of worthwhile ideas is apparent.
Estranged from the poetry that they embodied, the repetition in Ordeal is odious rather than transporting.
Nuances are missing, everything that there is to this new release seems to be all placed at one level: that of the presentation.
The cover art should have been a warning.
Tags: 2015, disappointment, Doom Metal, Ordeal, skepticism
Man, that sucks to hear. Maybe it sounds so bare because it’s live. Having one guitar and one organ to supplement all melodic tones must be a tall order for a band who no doubt multitracked a ton on previous releases. At least I got to see them at MDF, which was amazing despite a MAJOR flub on the guitarist’s part that sounded like mistakes in Guitar Hero for like 10 seconds, made even more hilarious by the band refusing to break character throughout. I notice people never talk about Aes- as a single vision I love that record and wonder what others think of it. I doubt I’ll ever hear it live, being 28 minutes and all.
I believe that two guitarists played on the recording of Ordeal.
This is indeed disappointing news. Oh well.
are you my daddy?
Listen to Stormcrowfleet, see how they achieve greatness without needing multiple guitar lines all the time.
Multitracking only for texture in the tone of the guitar, thickness, but not for different lines. What is being criticized here is not the tone, but the composition itself.
Btw, I am hearing two gutiars here.
I was referring to the thickness of multiple tracks, not multiple lines. They haven’t had much harmony work ever.
Only very subtle and powerful play between organ and guitar on Stormcrowfleet. It is there if you have the patience to listen to it.
mommy says you left because she was black. then she cried alot. i cried too. when are you coming home daddy?
Whole Lee Sheep Shit
Finland has a scene of blasphemy clone worship and old school obscure death metal fetish. I don’t blame these guys from veering off the metal path and finding some new faggy crowd to please. Then again I don’t know shit.
In the voice of Homer Simpson:
“Mmmmm… Old school obscure death metal fetish…”
Regarding the main topic, Dave Rotten once told that if a band changes logo, it’s a warning. I suppose it’s applicable to the cover art, too, with the usual myriad of exceptions.
You’ll forgive me if I don’t listen to the video provided, I don’t want to lose mood
Good observation. Shift in imagery/logo is a signal to the audience as to what is being presented, and thus, what part of the audience should select for it.
They also have loads of faggy melodeath and rock/metal.
Damn.
I have yet to listen to the album, but I’m not sure if I want to now that I read this.
What a bummer, I was expecting this to be one of the AOTY’s. I’ll stick to Stormcrowfleet then.
Nature is greater than man.
Erasure is better than Wham!.
I expected this. After the stupid press release i lost interest in the album.
We always look for “hope against expectations” anyway.