Halo of Flies is having a pretty awesome run of LP releases over the last few months. Going back to last year’s The Makai and Protestant LPs, this year they’ve released the sublime debut of Light Bearer (ex Fall of Efrafa) and Northless’ follow up to 2010’s No Quarter for the Damaged CD/EP.
As with all the Halo of Flies LP’s I’ve received for review, this LP is superbly packaged and presented. The LP comes in a beautiful gatefold LP cover and the vinyl itself is striking orange color that’s hard to miss.
The music pressed onto this particular vinyl sees Milwaukee’s Northless continue their solid take on Neurosis styled rock with hints of angsty, angry sludge. It’s not as brilliant as label mate Light Bearer, but the band has convictions and their chosen style nailed down. More so than the last EP, I hear more of a Mastodon-on barbiturates vibe (i.e. opener “Flesh & Ghost” and “Dead Ends”) here and there also, particularly in Erik Stenglein’s vocals and some of the more rumbling atonal up tempo riffs.
Otherwise both sides of the LP are pretty much rooted in heavy ebbs and flows of powerfully rendered and crumbling earthy sludge and post rock, that cuts out most of the atmospheric fluff and build up in favor of direct emotional mid paced pounding. None of the tracks are truly genre shattering or ground breaking but each of the relatively lengthy and enjoyable tracks make for a sturdy listen that doesn’t wander. Of note though is 9 and ½ minute closer, “The Storm”, the LP definite standout which is the one tracks that follows the predictable post rock formula of gentle build, (with the album’s only clean vocals), impressive lurching peak and appropriate let down. The tracks hints that the band can deliver something a bit more special than the rest of their solid but unspectacular back catalog.
Halo of Flies is why I finally invested in a record player and records like this make me glad I did. That being said, Clandestine Abuse seems like merely a taster for the epic double LP, Lapsus from Light Bearer. Look for a review shortly.
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This sounds really good. Wanna get my hands on some of these LP’s
on Jun 9th, 2011 at 08:30I live in Ontario and don’t really know of a Distro site that carries some of this stuff. Any suggestions or should I just try the label site?
A little off topic i know but really wanna build up my record collection
^ Try searching here: http://themetaldetektor.com/
on Jun 9th, 2011 at 08:48I found 4 distros that are carrying this.
since myspace sucks, check out http://www.northless.com for more up to date NORTHLESS news and info. buy direct from Halo of Flies at http://www.halooffliesrecords.com/ORDER.html, or grab a CD when they’re available shortly from Siege of Power at http://siegeofpower.com/
Split DLP coming in 2012 with Light Bearer.
on Jun 9th, 2011 at 09:40Nice. Thanks. Time to go broke!
on Jun 9th, 2011 at 09:45Sounds like I need to check this out.
on Jun 9th, 2011 at 14:28It is available here – bastardsloth.bigcartel.com in the distro section.
on Jun 9th, 2011 at 21:49Ordered. Samples on youtube are crushing!
on Jun 10th, 2011 at 06:41dud- you are going to love the Light Bearer
on Jun 10th, 2011 at 08:25I’ll look into that one next. I like this label doing the vinyl thing. That Makai was awesome as well.
on Jun 10th, 2011 at 08:27