Review Summary: There may not be a market for post-metal in 2015, but if there is, Locrian is the prize pig.
Like the glistening, calculated geometry that graces the cover of
Infinite Disolution, Locrian have morphed into the most sleek and manufactured version of themselves. For better or worse, the band has seemingly lost their “edge.”
But maybe that’s okay. In 2015, post-metal has become something passe; a sound that feels better as a supporting act in the background rather than a star. This “edge” has been the same for years: trudging guitar with a dark and grimy atmosphere. What Locrian are doing here, however, is just different enough to make their craft seem relevant again. If only slightly.
Infinite Disolution works on many levels when it really shouldn’t. It’s a hodge podge of sludge, doom, and black metal, neatly packaged as a surprisingly brisk post-metal record. There are a lot of modern metal buzzwords in there, giving one the impression that Locrian have been skimming the blog scene to see what’s “in the now.” But really, everything here is what they have been doing for years, just on a different scale. The songs are more succinct, making better use of their clever skills, while scaling back the drone. The latter sound is not completely gone, but compared to
Bless Them That Curse You, it may as well be. The band is “heavier” than was seen on their last record,
Return to Annhiliation, but by no means do they play with the same airy, psychedelic influence that made that record such a joy to listen to. Here, Locrian drop the apocalyptic panache in favor of something a little more human and life affirming. There is warmth in these clean lines and geometric formations. It’s accessible and believable; an album that was made to be without pretense to be enjoyed by everyone and anyone. In that sense, these 47 minutes fly by, almost shockingly so.
Infinite Disolution is the record that no one could have seen coming from Locrian. The esoteric and hollowed sounds that band has displayed up to this point have given birth to a record of true immediacy. Edginess and quirkiness aside, the band's latest is an immaculately constructed beast that never straggles behind or overstays its welcome. There may not be a market for post-metal in 2015, but if there is, Locrian is the prize pig.
