Isis are well known for their bludgeoning, uncompromising sludge. But as of late, they've also made a name for themselves out of creating an organic atmosphere through repetition and ambience, with their latest effort, 2004's Panopticon. On Isis' first release, Celestial, we begin to see Isis make a shift from loud and angry, to a more reflective, introverted approach. It should have been obvious that this album would be the stepping stone to their breakthrough album, 2002's Oceanic.
This album is the only Isis release to feature interludes of any kind. They serve no other purpose as for short breaks in-between the walls of noise. Sort of like a time for reflection. They divide the songs into roughly groups of two or three. Since this album has many common elements of Mosquito Control, you know that fifty minutes of this type of music would get tedious and tiring. So they are a necessity to the transition, and ultimately the success. Enough with them though.
The first proper song is called Celestial (The Tower), and it's one of the most appropriate starters of any album I've ever heard. This song is a perfect representation of what's to be expected for the next fifty minutes. Within the first thirty seconds of this song, it's apparent that Isis are more focused than they have ever been up to this point. Before, they liked noise for the sake of noise, and guttural vocals for the sake of guttural vocals (That's not to say that Isis weren't good before this album, but they made major improvements since then). You can still find it those principles on Celestial, but now it seems Isis have a new found appreciation for song structure, ambience, and controlling their aggression.
The first song I ever heard was Collapse and Crush, and I would have to say it's the most accessible and identifiable track on Celestial. This is due to the distorted, clean bass line, and the acoustic guitar after the brutal beginning. Compared to the dynamics of the other songs on here, this features little change between the overall moods. Isis mastered the art of transition on this song. Aaron Turner is known for having "shout down a hallway, without a microphone over the band" vocals, which he demonstrates on this song. For some, this might be a turnoff, but I think it adds to the discomfort of these songs.
If for some reason (God forbid), you are turned off by Mr. Turner's style of yelling/bleating, there are two mostly instrumental tracks. The total instrumental song is called Deconstructing Towers. This is one of the more violent tracks on the album, but there is melody and order within the assault. To add to the uneasiness, there is screeching electronics midway through the song, complimented with a blasted of guitar. This ends up working well, because Isis has learned when to use deafening noise, and when to hold back. After hearing this, you are on the edge of your seat, but then, slowly, the song fades away with the strum of the guitar. It's these buildups and small details within the transitions that make Celestial a successful debut. It's simply hypnotizing.
The other instrumental track (is mostly instrumental, I never notice the two lines that are sang here) is called C.F.T. (New Circuitry and Continued Evolution). It is by far the softest, most acoustic track on the album. To call it a ballad would be insulting and untrue, but if there were such a thing on an Isis album, this would be it. It could be Track 8 on Panopticon, and no one would look twice. It's a simple, building song, with a guitar line that sounds even more melancholy with each listen. In some ways, this song is the cathartic departure from Isis' earlier works. With this song, it seems that Isis have carved a new path for them, and aren't turning around.
Isis is:
Aaron Turner (Guitar/Lead Vocals)
Aaron Harris (Drums)
Jeff Caxide (Bass)
Cliff Meyer (Guitar/Keyboards)
Michael Gallagher (Guitar)
Total running time: 51:52
FINAL RATING: 4/5
