by Ken Geiger
Melvins frontman Buzz Osbourne once said, "Change or die like the dinosaurs. I’m up for the challenge." While Osbourne has clearly taken on that mission statement (Do any two Melvins albums really sound the same?), are there many other groups around still that can say the same thing? Some of the biggest names in music have either collapsed under pressure and bickering (The Beatles) or simply have overstayed their welcome for far too long (The Rolling Stones cannot possibly think that anyone wants to hear new material from them.). Through it all, you have the bands that have endured the test of time and managed to evolve into something so much more than what was thought imaginable
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If there is any group who has managed to showcase the results of Mr. Osbourne's statement perfectly, it would have to be Neurosis. For the better part of the past 30 years, the group has carried on as a five-piece messenger of sonic assault. They were quick to distance themselves from the hardcore roots of the mid-80s in which they formed in order to tap into the more profound sides of sonic and visual exploration. They may have lost many of the punks who adored them when keyboards and slideshows were incorporated into the band's sound and aesthetic; but what they stumbled upon was something far greater than anything that scene, or any type of music at the time for that matter, had to offer. Classic albums such as Through Silver in Blood, Times of Grace, and The Eye of Every Storm showed that Neurosis was so much more than just a band playing music. They were looking to find a deeper purpose, or as the band puts it, following a path of "Strength and Vision." Now in the year 2016, we are led down the next logical step of their path with Fires Within Fires, and signs of creative decline appear to be absolutely nowhere in sight.
On the band's earlier albums, such as Through Silver in Blood, the listener is taken down the path of destruction and breakdown. Each song feels like it could just fall off the rails at any given moment. Thematically, the band was looking to point out the absolute darkest flaws in mankind. On this album though, the song arrangements are more slow-burning; we are not immediately thrown into the fire (no pun intended). Mood-wise, darker and more bludgeoning moments are still in the band's repertoire, but only in short flashes. This album definitely invests more time into giving identity to its more emotionally uplifting parts, whether they be epic or somber. The payoff truly comes for listeners when a connection is formed between themselves and those parts. One cannot help but feel like they are in a trance-like state by that point, as if the music is a part of their own soul.
In that sense, Fires Within Fires cannot help but feel like a reflection of the path of life and search for self-identity everyone finds themselves down at some point. I have been saying for years now that Neurosis do not perform music like a regular band. No one member of their unit can do what they do alone. It is rare when a band can last for 30 years and still remain interesting. But it is a once in a lifetime occurrence when a band can last that long and turn from just five separate people jamming on a couple of tunes into one unique entity, using music as the life force to be a guide for those who wish to explore the path of “Strength and Vision.”
I have to say this is one of the best albums I have heard all year, which is saying a great deal in a year that has already offered us so much great music. The band is at a musical high point and longtime producer Steve Albini managed to capture that for us to hear. You can order the album on all formats over at the Neurot Recordings webstore. You can also hope, if you are a citizen of the east coast like I am, that Neurosis will bring their breathtaking live performance over for you to see. I bet you will find me there right at the front of the stage.
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