Ελληνικά
Last Updated on 03:53 PM by Giorgos Tsekas
Genre: Extreme Metal
Country: U.S.A.
Label: Profound Lore Records
Year: 2016
I must admit that it took me several years to understand (even in part) why is it that “Eater Of Birds” and (especially) “Gin,” namely the second and third albums of these Americans, are considered of such profound importance among black metal circles. In the end I tend to lean towards the fact that, because they grafted an aspect of more “traditional” metal with the grooveness, directness and the somewhat clogginess characteristic of what is nowadays considered as the “American extreme metal scene,” they are surrounded by an (on the very least) historical interest. Of such historical interest is also the fourth Cobalt album, released after seven years of turbulence involving the departure of one of the two foundation band members.
“Slow Forever” continues on the course charted by “Gin”: blunt, modern guitar mannerism, a sonic equivalent of the gunpowdery, rough version of the desert Colorado landscape, enriched by ingenious, multifaceted blues and country melodies scattered around the album. Like a stubborn Neurosis proclaiming their devotion to the Mid-West US country, jamming with half the continent’s hardcore scene. The pure metal (in the traditional – European one could say – meaning of the word) aspects may not be completely extinct, as is evident for example by the Celtic Frost ending of the first disk (“Cold Breaker”), but they are definitely sidelined in comparison to their past material. Newcomer Charlie Fell’s (Lord Mantis, Abigail Williams, Avichi) vocals are subservient to the angst-ridden, staccato imperatives of the aforementioned music scenes, to the detriment of the unfortunately very few parts in which they diverge and reveal the singer’s hue width.
The album is a tour of the contemporary (as in after mid-90s) American metal, though this is a bit of a vague and subjective claim. The most European (the term has to do with the current distinction between the use of the “metal” term by an average listener from either coast of the Atlantic, and obviously not with the totality of bands or even scenes that have appeared in the two continents throughout the years) among the listeners, as far as their preference in riff agility and diversity in contrast to heaviness and groove repeatability is concerned, or/and in a compositional other-worldliness in contrast to the vernacular, these listeners will not have a good time with this album. There are certainly some oases of melodic lead guitar diversity (which as mentioned above draws from hard rock and blues music), but they are far too few in an otherwise bleak desert soundscape characterized by dismal and raw western aggressiveness.
The album compositions are much too encumbered from a temporal point of view; the album could well be compressed in a duration of under an hour (it currently clocks just short of 90 minutes), a fact that would unburden the album, which now sags under the loquaciousness of several song parts. Which in its turn reprobates these songs, that in the case of better pruning would showcase some excellent ideas that nest in them. Unfortunately, the effort towards a grandiose creation ultimately led to the band stumbling. A sad thing indeed because Wunder has proved in the past that beyond a talented multi-organist he is also a gifted compositor, hints of which skill can be traced throughout the album.
All in all, the album is a fine choice for fans of contemporary extreme American heavy sound, its too large duration aside. But, for enthusiasts of a more eloquent musical approach, “Slow Forever” is a creation hard to assimilate and especially enjoy.
3/6
