Review Summary: If you come into this with the expectation that it will be like Oceanic or Panopticon, then there isn't much for you here. If you come at this with an open mind, and accept that this one is different, then you just might enjoy the ride.
This album holds the, err... "Distinction" of being the single worst-reviewed Isis album on this site. In fact, it's the only album that holds a rating below 3 in the entire Isis catalog (a 2.5). People tend not to like it because of how un-Isis they consider it to be. While the rest of the Isis discography leans towards sludge (Mosquito Control to Celestial) or Post-Metal (Oceanic to Wavering Radiant), this obscure EP is a totally different sound. Instead of being the Isis that we all know and love, this sounds like a completely different band. Which doesn't have to be a bad thing.
First of all, the two tracks that are Isis originals (not covers) have no vocals and no percussion. Yeah, you heard me. No Turner or Harris here. Just a bunch of good-ol' drone metal, at least in House of Low Fiction and Emission of the signal. Drone metal, for those who don't know, is exactly what the name sounds like. It's minimalist metal. Just listen to some of Sunn o)))'s stuff to get the picture. Instead of a long, atmospheric buildup, and then a huge finish, like the type displayed on Panopticon, it's one long buildup with no resolution. This makes it a very "anxious" type of music, as it literally makes one anxious while listening to it.
It also makes for an incredibly creepy listen. If you don't believe me, then try listening to House of Low Culture all the way through, turned way up, in a dark room. It's good stuff, but it takes a certain mindset to truly appreciate it. Emission of the Signal is also great, but lacks the total "creepiness factor" that House of Low Culture does. The latter, with the extreme fuzz, quick, random cutoffs, and the strange ambient effects, a prominent example being what seems to be a train going past (???), is one of the creepiest things I've ever heard, although it might not have the same effect on everyone.
Now that we're past the original tracks, and all the drone metal, let's get to those covers. First off, we have Isis's Godflesh cover, Streetcleaner. Unlike the two drone tracks, this one is, well, heavy. No, scratch that. This track is brutal. It's almost all instrumental, except for a short bit in the middle, where some very scratchy, rabid-sounding vocals come in for a few seconds. This song basically repeats a few different riffs for six minutes, all insanely heavy, dissonant, and guaranteed to invoke a desire to smash something.
The other cover track, Hand of Doom (Black Sabbath), is different than anything Isis has ever done in the past. One might not even recognize it as Isis, as it sounds like, well, Black Sabbath, albeit slightly heavier. This is also a great cover, with some very Ozzy-esque vocals, performed, I believe, by their drummer Aaron Harris (correct me if I'm wrong). There's some great guitar and bass work here, with a couple blistering solos by the guitarists. Overall, a track worthy of the Isis name, and a cover that truly honors the original.
As stated before, I've heard quite a bit of complaining about this EP. Yes, this certainly isn't anything like, and isn't anywhere near up to par with masterpieces such as Panopticon and Oceanic. This is a totally different band. If you come at it thinking only that, then you might just want to go from The Red Sea straight to Celestial, and skip this one altogether. There isn't much for you here. However, if you have appreciation for this genre, then I recommend that you give this one a try. Listen to it. Let it grow on you. Who knows? You may like what you're hearing.
P.S. As this is an extremely obscure and hard to find EP, with only 200 cd's and 250 vinyls ever printed, I see no problem with giving y'all the download (not torrent. Download - much faster and easier. Works on my PC. Dunno about Macs, though.)
http://rapidshare.com/files/33660161/sawblade_ep.zip
