Review Summary: Unfortunately overlooked crusty screamo from Canada
One Eyed God Prophecy were a highly influential Screamo band, who were pioneers of the Screamo sound of the late 90s, and could be said to have laid the foundations on which bands like Orchid built. They haven't managed to escape cult status, though this is probably owed to the fact their only release was this LP.
Their sound has a notable elements of Sludge and Crust, which are most noticeable in the groovy, fuzzy riffs in tracks 'Toddler' and 'Karysun'.The mood is ultimately very bleak and depressing, the ending of 'End of the Story' is some of the most emotionally hopeless music I've ever heard, which is augmented by the despaired vocals. The bass also plays a prominent role in the music, the almost funky bass line in 'Fields of Separate Realities' is one of the most memorable moments on the album. Overall the musicianship is very strong, there's a large amount of variation, from the melancholic build-ups in tracks 'Karysun' and 'Fields of Separate Realities' (by which City of Caterpillar seem to have been influenced) to the full-on grinding in tracks 'End of The Story' and 'Individual Gallery'. The songs are all structured excellently as well, all songs featuring a diverse atmosphere. The production also complements the sound, there is an ever-present reverby fuzz on the album, which in addition to chaotic drumming gives this a feel of utter intensity.
The opener 'Toddler' perfectly sums up the mood of the album, starting with an ominous industrial noise. After a short period a sludgy, fuzzy dissonant riff kicks in, before the bass and the drums bringing the song into a mid-paced groove. Halfway through the verse the song seems to suddenly increase in tempo into a frenetic chaos. The song then continues as such, being punctuated by chaotic breakdowns, similar to those of Alpinist. The song later dies away into another ominous ambient section.
One of the albums' greatest strengths are the lyrics which are some of the best I've heard in Screamo. They mostly deal with social and political issues, albeit very poetically and almost cryptically. Lines like "We are subject to the gods we have created," are very refreshing in a genre nowadays largely populated by sub-par lyrics. Another of the albums strengths is that it feels like the perfect length, it doesn't feel too short, yet isn't long enough to kill its replay value. However it is very unfortunate this band split up after such a short period, however their legacy will hopefully live on, as this is one of the most interesting, and influential Screamo albums I'm aware of.
