ISIS is a difficult band to review, because the people who hate them are going to always hate them, and the people who love them will pretty much always love them. Both sides already know what they're in for when they put on a new ISIS record, and some will fault the simple, repetitive guitar lines and others will call them "entrancing" and "hypnotic" instead of "boring" and "formulaic." What can certainly be said about Wavering Radiant is that it's more of an accessible listen than many of its predecessors, but these are still 7-11 minute songs that expansively explore the possibilities of the minor scale.Simply put, Wavering Radiant isn't going to hook anyone who isn't already an ISIS fan, but it'll certainly stun those who are on board with what the band is doing. It's through no fault of the band's own that 9 million post-rock bands have sprung up in the past few years, tarnishing the credit the band would otherwise have received because the genre now sounds calculated and phony. The average listener can't necessarily hear a few bars and know whether it's ISIS or This Will Destroy You or whoever, but once you can get past the homogeny of it all, every song on Wavering Radiant has at least a few hooks that will make you come back again and again, should you give it the chance.
See, patience is the key. This album is like a more challenging Tool release, in that there's promise all over it, but you've got to let it impress you. Luckily ISIS goes for an immediate grab with the one-two punch of the heavier-than-you'd-expect "Hall of the Dead" and the hauntingly infectious "Ghost Key". Before the time display even reads 0:01 in that second track, the keyboard lead is digging into your skull trust me and it's there for good. Keyboardist Clifford Meyer is the band's secret weapon, and they use him well.
The album does hold up to the standards established in the first two tracks, which is no surprise since ISIS is very much an album band and not a singles band (though you have to be in a very ISIS mood to get through the album this is not picnic music.) The very ISIS-titled "Threshold of Transformation" brings the album to a nice close with a really good groove, even if the last minute or so of lonely guitar chords comes off clichι.
Aaron Turner is still not the most intriguing singer in the world his metal growl sometimes sounds like a cartoonish parody but when he opts for clean vocals, he's surprisingly adept. To hear his desperate, withdrawn cry of a voice standing against the wall of sound that's closing in on him could truly bring you to tears, until the obligatory heavy part returns and he'd rather have you angry than remorseful.
The key is to focus on the music itself and not on categorizing it. When everyone ripped off Black Flag, Black Flag still ruled, and in the same way ISIS are still the champions of the long, brooding, introspective, almost-metal dirge. Listen with an open mind and you'll hear it too.
Don't Believe Me?
www.myspace.com/ISIS
Recommended If You Like:
Any other ISIS song or album, Tool, Red Sparrowes
