Search - Mouth of the Architect :: Quietly

Quietly...Beautifully...Brutally.

C. J. Marshall | Oxnard, CA USA | 08/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Albums like these serve two purposes. One: they show how ahead of the curve Neurosis truly is. Two: A band can never go wrong putting out epics like these.



MotA has clearly improved in both writing and production. The album sounds superb. "Ties That Blind" was monumental in execution and scope. It's easily one of my favorite records of ANY genre. This album is not like that at all. It seems more refined and, dare I say, even restrained. From the album art, to the font (notice all the lower case cursive) there's definitely a theme to be found.



I throw in the Neurosis comparison because few of their "disciples" ever attain the focus, precision, vision or execution that they are capable of. ISIS and Cult of Luna are there. I feel with this album MotA have stepped up to that level. Above anything else, this band is excellent at dynamics and tugging the heartstrings, both brutally and beautifully.



I could see how this album may take a listen or two to fully absorb...but it will be worth every minute you spend with it."

I really wanted to love this album,

D. Cave | Denver, CO | 08/06/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"i mean after all, who didn't love the ties that blind and time and withering?



but alas, this album pales in comparison to their former releases (probably due in part to the lineup change, or maybe just a progression in a direction i don't personally favor). some of the material seemed almost more in line with some post-metal dynamics (which i'm a huge fan of, but not in this case), and they weren't done well here. they seemed to have dropped the heavy distortion in favor of delay, and it doesn't quite work. although most of the album follows this formula, there are a few tracks that set themselves aside (notably 'a beautiful corpse' and the title track, 'quietly'). another aspect that was added that i'm not fond of is the addition of actual singing, only apparent in the song 'rocking chairs and shotguns'. the lyrics also feel shallow in comparison to the previous releases, something which i know i loved about them.



one positive thing i can say about the album is the vocals are tight. perhaps too much so, i adored the lo-fi aspects of time and withering, but this release just seemed over-produced giving it a rushed and hollow feeling.



i know this is just natural progression, but i really hope mota gets back to the basics with their next release so i can continue loving them and have a reason to go out to a show and see them."

Epic

J. Almquist | Seattle, WA | 07/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those new to Mouth of the Architect: this band is very much in the style of Neurosis, Isis, Pelican, etc. In other words, great music that is both brutal and beautiful.



As for this album, it is somewhat of a departure from their previous effort "The Ties That Blind". As one reviewer mentioned, "the intricate, riff-heavy epics" are not present on this album and I agree. However for me this is not a big deal as I still feel the songwriting is strong. Being a musician and composer myself, I'm often faced with the thought of "do I go for simple (and be emotional) or complex (and show off my chops)?" In the case of MotA, it seems that they decided on the former. Looking to write songs that stick with you on an emotional level and leave behind the complex riffing for now. Songs like "Generation of Ghosts" are heavy on the epic chord changes and intense melodies. I found that after my first listen to the album, I didn't know if I liked it or not. But I found myself drawn to replaying the album much more frequently than I expected, being drawn to the strong melodic content.



Another change are the vocals... in spots there is some actual singing, such as on "Rocking Chairs and Shotguns" or the female vocals on "Generation of Ghosts". The singing is used sparsely and is usually in tandem with brutal screaming - in other words, used tastefully. This should be of no surprise to those who have watched bands "grow" into singing (Neurosis, Isis, Mastodon). There are still great moments of brutality in this album though... "A Beautiful Corpse" is just thick as f$kk.



In summary, MotA has released another great album. This shows very focused songwriting that puts emotional content over musicianship, but still delivers in terms of heaviness and brutality. I would highly recommend this effort.

"