Finished in the Golden Hall of Asgard we descend into the long darkness - into the Spiral Shadow...
#2
Kylesa - Spiral Shadow
I went to Georgia. I met the devil down there. Luckily, I escaped with my sanity and balls in tact - just. It's like another world - a world I'm lucky to escape from. Nevertheless, I'm still able to enjoy what the state has to offer - namely the seductive insanity that Kylesa produce each time they commit their sound to tape (or hard drive.)
It does feel like this record is from another world. It's like a metal album that's slipped up through the portal depicted on the cover, landing in your hand from a parallel universe. If they want to beat both their drumsets to dervish-like guitar patterns, they will. If they want to pen browbeaten marches with an oozing Celtic black magic jig through the middle like Crowded Road, then it's a case of "fuck you" - they will. It's metal that feels scary because it's so alien yet wonderful. It's not done ironically like The Sword (thanks for nothing, guys) or as pretentious, pompous "art" a la Isis; it's a criminally enjoyable fusion of unadulterated brutality and jammin' sludge melody.
The track Don't Look Back was lent a considerable portion of my initial review just dedicated to its deconstruction:
Don’t Look Back is a true original. It’s in a league of its own. Imagine if Weezer made good on their promise to bring “Death to False Metal.” This is what it would sound like. Cascading, bright power-pop riffs abound this track, the right amount of despondent longing in the vocals with “oohing” and “aahing” female harmonies bubbling underneath; it’s some of the slickest songwriting you’ll hear all year without a doubt.
It stretches the limit to what metalheads will find acceptable - sludge metal, grunge and psychedelica heard on the same record? Are you shitting me? No - I'm not. That's why this record is so damn good. Crushing, wicked and brilliant.