ISIS — Wavering Radiant (review)

Album · 2009 · Atmospheric Sludge Metal

4/5 · 2012-04-05
bartosso

Hate-love relationship

My first encounter with Isis took place a few weeks after release of their fourth album, IN THE ABSENCE OF TRUTH, and I didn't like it then. Really, for 4 years I simply didn't like Isis (how dared I?). It started to change gradually a year ago and a few days ago something just clicked. My attitude towards this band has become, well, very positive. Now I know that this band is a damn grower. I needed a whole year to start to appreciate their output, and their last record, WAVERING RADIANT, has become my favourite part of it.

From all Isis albums I've listened to so far, this one has the best production. Mood changes, so frequent in their music, are well conveyed by pounding, organic drums and thick guitar distortion in turns with soft post-rock strumming. The sound is clean and professional but quite organic and pleasantly airy at the same time. Joe Barresi has done a good job as always.

WAVERING RADIANT is the most mature Isis album in every way, and even if it's still not a flawless masterpiece, it has grown on me enough to become one of my favourite post metal albums. While PANOPTICON is more straightforwardly depressive and atmospheric, the ambiance of WAVERING RADIANT is more difficult to define and definitely more intriguing. Old, melancholic and atmospheric Isis is still there but the band seem to plunge into more experimental regions on their final opus. With a subtle use of electronic spices, crushing waves of distortion power chords, post-rock passages and unmistakable vocals, they have created an aura of dark mystery and menacing unknown - all this immersed in an ambiance of psychedelic depression. This genuine, melancholic mood is what I love most about that band.

Aaron Turner's clean vocals are definitely an acquired taste (which I haven't completely acquired) and they can be tiresome sometimes. I still think he has done a good job. Generally speaking it's an excellent metal album - despite some composition shortcomings - and undoubtedly one of the best works in post metal and atmospheric sludge genres.

TRACKS BY RATINGS: 9/10[fantastic!]: Hall of the Dead; Stone to Wake a Serpent; Hand of the Host || 8/10[great]: Ghost Key; Threshold of Transformation || 7/10[very good]: 20 Minutes / 40 Years || OVERALL = 83/100

more than 2 years ago
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bartosso wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Exactly, they're one of those bands! I think I will give ITAoT another listen and finally check Celestial out in order to get a whole picture of the band. And yeah, it definitely sucks but I can see why they did it.

Diogenes wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Actually, I think Isis is one of those bands that constantly evolved while managing to keep their material consistent. So you can't go wrong with anything they did. It sucks that they broke up.

bartosso wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Thank you for the comment :) Perhaps I went too far when I said it's their worst - I haven't heard Celestial yet. But I prefer both WR and Panopticon as well as Oceanic to it. But it's a nice album too!

Diogenes wrote:

more than 2 years ago

This is the first Isis album that I really liked. Great review, although I really don't think In the Absence of Truth is their worst.