Old Man Gloom
Seminar II: The Holy Rites of Primitivism Regressi

Release Date: 2001 | Tracklist

Old Man Gloom.........where do I even begin?

Well they call themselves a super group but unlike most super groups, they don't make ***ty records...they make great records. OMG are quick to make fun of themselves and basically be a joke band, but they are actually quite a talented band. With members from Cave In, Zozobra, Converge, and ISIS they definitely deliver some unique and punishing music with their mixture of sludge metal and eccentric ambiance. But this is not a representation of those other bands in the way fans will think. This really cannot be mistaken for an ISIS release at all and those looking for that will be disappointed. It is an album worth checking out on the other hand.

Fans familiar with OMG's other works like Meditations in B and Christmas will recognize the similar layout of heavy tracks mixed in with ambient noise tracks. The most common negative reaction to their early work is that the ambient songs take up more album space than the metal moments which I think is perfectly intentional since they are a band made up of members who belong to bands whose heavy tracks compromise the majority of their albums. OMG does things a little differently and if you happen to be a fan of ambient/noise and sludge metal then you will definitely be a fan of this record.

Seminar II is much longer than the 34 minute Meditations and the heavy songs are slightly longer in length than the previous release with more technicality to them. These songs flow together very well and give the listener a roller-coaster feel from the intense moments to the quieter noise moments.

This is an all around great release and I do recommend picking up the CD or vinyl version as the lyrics and liner notes are hilarious. I also recommend getting Seminar III: Zozobra as these CDs and Vinyl artwork fit together when placed side-by-side. Seminar II does serve as a great contrast to the 30 minute song that makes up Seminar III. If you are a fan of Old Man Gloom's other releases or the member's other projects, I think you will find this release very enjoyable and well worth the time.

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3.6 great

Rank: #0 for 2001