This
American formation is rather close to the ‘standards’ of the concept sludge
metal in its early days when the gender started to differentiate from the
primary soup supreme styles. I start with this, because the plenty
‘standardizations’ of INTER ARMA try
to define the symptoms of their music but not its essence.
The
new EP of the quintet is a single with the timing of an album… The 45-minutes
long composition ‘The Cavern’ is a track, performed at the gigs
of the boys that had not been recorded till now. After the contract signed
with Relapse Records in 2013 the band is forced to work in a more
conventional music environment, and its new release is a reflection of this
actuality.
The
Drone introduction is suitable for such a music product, and it
flows to acoustic part with a violin. (In the EP have taken part a great
number of guest musicians).
12 minutes
of the beginning of The Cavern pass with one and the same rhythms, and this creates the
feeling of a homogeneous song with slight psychedelic art rock riffs. The
identical rhythm do not mean rudimentary one but in the comparison to the
development of the composition, it is still simple. Here the vocals are only
high, doomed-minor, almost reciting. After that the track unfolds to a
magnificent conception with solos and thematic improvisation. The emphasized
melodies that are not typical for other works of INTER ARMA here present at
every single moment. It seems that
this is the reason for the defining of the band as post-metal, to whatever
extend the non-metal has become to express itself as a post-one…
In
the middle of the song is implemented a false final, how far is expected a
vinyl release. B side starts again with violins, spreading out in parallel with the aggression and the complications
in this part. Slow parts full of desert inspiration correspond with the
abstract lyrics, and create a pictorial notion of the music. As if acoustic
passages are arranged in a heavy polyphony. At these places, as in the other
albums of the band, could be found the affinity to PINK FLOYD. At the same time sharp guitars take
with full force the best of the metallic sound touching METALLICA. The implemented more aggressive vocals release the tension
from this heavy perception. The final sketches are a peculiar returning of
INTER ARMA to their own essence – with the effects masking the vocals, the
heavy non-melodic guitars, and the aggressive sound with moderated melody. Abstract
noises from civilization or destruction slowly conquer the final of ‘The Cavern’. It’s the wind or empty radio frequencies.
This gender is not easy for perception both
for the radio listeners and the big labels.
Although some smashed albums in the sludge metal have been released,
sometimes appears paragons like ‘The Cavern’. The
fans of concept works with intellectual taste would evaluate this release.
The fans of sludge metal have no necessity of invitation.
