SUMAC
's fifth official studio album is, like their previous efforts, a lengthy, ambitious, patience-requiring work that pushes metal to its furthest limits. The trio of guitarist/vocalist
Aaron Turner
, drummer
Nick Yacyshyn
, and bassist
Brian Cook
construct highly complex, multi-part pieces that challenge conceptions of musical structure. The opening minutes of the 26-minute "World of Light" veer from visceral, down-tuned guitar sludge and scattered, chaotic drumming to balancing on a long thin wire for several minutes, building up to the arrival of
Turner
's vast, guttural growl. His poetic lyrics signal unity and ascension from a damaged, dystopian society, and the music illustrates this premise, erupting in fits of destruction, crawling through barren stillness, then ultimately reaching a glorious rebirth. "Yellow Dawn" is relatively compact at 12 minutes, starting out with droning organ (played by
Faith Coloccia
) and followed by trudging riffs for several minutes before breaking free with twisted tempos, piercing guitar feedback, and an almost psychedelic sheen. "New Rites," another of the album's shorter tracks, has
's most strained singing, as he sounds like he's gasping for air during the conclusion. "The Stone's Turn," another nearly half-hour epic, has a bit more contrast than the others, with a shouted segment that sounds like an invocation, and more frequent chaotic bursts and stop-start tempo switches.
can never be boxed into one category -- there are sludgy riffs, free jazz improvisation, searing noise, and drone elements, all of which are masterfully employed at unexpected intervals.
The Healer
is an emotionally draining experience, like all of
's other releases, but it reaches transcendence in a unique and powerful way. ~ Paul Simpson