Search - Tribes of Neurot, Walking Time Bombs :: Static Migration

Monstrous Ambience

Jesse Melat | Cleveland | 06/27/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It seems amazing to me that the same artists who were, as the 1980s incarnation of Neurosis(that of a hardcore punk band with a few electronic quirks)making fairly monotonous and mainstream aggro-rock, produced this formidable piece of sound sculpture; one that is darkly atmospheric and foreboding, and yet also beautiful and mystical. Ambiguous praise extracted, what this is is ambient, a collection of musical wallpaper more than that of actual "songs" as most of early Neurosis work was. If you are familiar with the softer, more experimental track of the band's later albums, such as Through Silver in Blood and Times of Grace, then compositions like that are what to expect from Tribes of Neurot. These tracks function as a kind of soundtrack to a terrifying horror film, for those of you unfamiliar with ambient. Only unlike most soundtrack music this is designed to be listened to singly, without pictures to accompany it. They succeed in being deep enough in soundscape complexity and sound source selection to hold the listener's attention throughout(with the exception of the sixth track, which just overdoes it on the minimalism that otherwise works beautifully on the remainder of Static Migration, and is the reason this disc isn't getting five stars). Notable on this album is the inclusion of the Walking Time Bombs, whom I have not heard of before, but am extremely interested in finding out more about now that I hear the guitar work they did here. The style echoes of Robert Fripp's when he worked with Brian Eno, but is warped and made ominous and demonic to match the other sounds of the album, which include tribal drumming and electronic synth'n'sampler noises of all kinds. Be warned, however: this is not Neurosis. If you're looking for something to bang your head to, go for Meshuggah or Neurosis itself. This is brooding, contemplative music, and is worthy of a place in the collection of any ambient connoisseur, as well as anyone who found Neurosis' more experimental moments enjoyable."

Exposing the mystery of the tribe of the Walking Time Bombs

Cheviot, O. | Indy | 07/09/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have read both reviews that exist in regards to this CD, and neither reviewer at the time knew who or what to think of Walking Time Bombs. This is who he/they are:

Scott Ayres, the former guitarist extrordinaire of the Houston-based hardcore band "Pain Teens"; with him you will find Frank Garymartin, who was one of the later drummers for "Pain Teens". As one who was a fan of both bands in their own right, it was an excruciating joy to hear the sheer genious these two bands exhibited on this CD (this is actually the second of two ambient recordings done under this name).

Just to step back briefly, for those unfamiliar with Pain Teens, just imagine absolute musical carnage, fronted by a hauntingly sexy Bliss Blood (who could go from rape victim to murderer in less than three seconds), Scott's masterful skills (both in straight play and in background/generated guitar loops),all the while with the TV blaring in the background...

This is probably the more avant-garde' of the two, and a giant step into an experimental future that covers so much territory from the very beginning as you will hear influences ranging from the macabre to new-age spiritualism; all layered within that haunting memory that both bands are known for...

Bottom line-a must have; you will never hear anything like this ever again...

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