NEW REVIEWS FOR 'The Core' will be posted here as they accumulate!
Thrashpit Zine
http://www.rocknworld.com/thrashpit/reviews/09/Gollum_-_The_Core_.shtml
Hearing The Core is the aural equivalent of drilling through the Earth's many layers. In much the same way our planet's crust consists of various rocks constituting one whole, so too does this record mix a plethora of genres into one distinct sound. Regardless of the starting point, however, the final destination is an unbridled passion at the center of it all.
The sophomore effort from Wilmington, North Carolina's Gollum, The Core is a versatile record effortlessly molding every sub-genre of heavy metal into one effortless sonic identity. In the same way one might glance too fast at Michelangelo's David and miss a detail, The Core rewards multiple listens with an intricate and unique take on the art of heaviness. Elements of death, black, doom, sludge, thrash and progressive metal all appear, crafting a style of metal familiar yet alien. Winding yet claustrophobic, it is the sound of a massive cave system collapsing inwards.
The moody opening ambience of "The Calm Before," first signals this trend, soon erupting into a whirlwind of time signature changes and angular riffs. The title track comes next, unleashing a thrash metal hook as sharp as a pickaxe and harmonics which sear eardrums like chunks of lit phosphorous.
In stark contrast stands "Ominous Winds," an ethereal number sporting ghostly chords ebbing in and out of focus. Beautiful yet eerie, "Winds" oscillates between a soft caress and a crushing avalanche. Capping it off is a wavering, Pink Floyd-worthy guitar climax, the likes of which is amongst the album's most haunting moments.
"Blacksmith (Summoning Wrath)" crafts a war-like brand of metal from the innovations of Mastodon, Meshuggah and Lamb of God, creating a modern killing machine of stunning viciousness. The guitars are choking and massive; conversely, their absence provokes the sensation of falling down an abandoned mineshaft into a terrifying void of nothingness. Working its way into a panicked frenzy, "Blacksmith" emerges as a clear contender for album highlight.
"Diggin,'" meanwhile, is a song which channels primal aggression into a tribal litany of violence, simplistic and repetitive. The guitars pound like migraines before floating away like specks in one's vision; though the tension they conjure is relentless, it shifts form again and again with ease.
"Amor Fati," for its part, is a soft yet psychedelic interlude which paves the way for the wild "Darkhouse." Careening wildly, "Darkhouse" exhibits the best of the band's attributes - massive but precise guitars, percussion as rhythmic as a heartbeat, spastic freakouts and vitriolic vocals so strong the spittle flies out of headphones.
"The Burden of Ubiquitous Scars" is next, slashing with oft-kilter guitar tones before calming down into a passage of free-flowing ambience. This interlude of relative tranquility does not last long, soon bursting forth with a blistering assault of blastbeats and blackened shrieks.
After this," Schadenfreude" turns heads with a few chilling piano keys before unleashing another rabid metal anthem with the flexibility of a writhing cobra. Between the soaring guitar solos, charging punk percussion and slamming guitars, this one has something for everyone.
The shadowy "Carver Bones" reveals the possibility of new musical territory, fusing the piercing leads of arena rock with pulverizing death riffs cloaked in a hazy sludge. It is also a real head trip, sounding wondrously organic despite the fact it is a meticulously-crafted piece of music.
The album's grand finale is "Omens," a surreal composition combining paranoid psychedelia with gothic melancholy. It drifts like fox fire, shimmering in the gloomy dusk around it. Though it lacks the bludgeoning brutality of other songs, "Omens" is still undeniably heavy, standing as a testament towards Gollum's versatility.
Featuring guest appearances from Lamb of God's Randy Blythe, Weedeater's Dave "Dixie" Collins and Hope & Suicide's Scott Angelacos, The Core is one of those best-kept secrets which will not remain hidden for long. Though for now Gollum remains mired in the heavy metal underground, music this ambitious and exquisite will rise to the surface sooner rather than later. Here's hoping The Core gets unearthed by many; in the meantime, chalk this up as one of my early contenders for sleeper album of 2009. - Mark Hensch
Rating: 10 out of 10!
IMHOTEP (Norwegian Webzine)
http://www.imhotep.no/?did=9090818&aid=9069486
You know that feeling you got when you first discovered Opeth, Mastodon or Tool? That overwhelming freshness of the NEW in not just metal, but MUSIC as a whole? Do you know why these bands cause such a stir, such a devotion, such admiration, such cult following? I think it's because they absolutely do not care whether they are metal or not, as long as they create what they want to instead of what is expected of them.
An example to the contrary, would be Dark Tranquillity and Killswitch Engage (oh, he mentioned KILLSWITCH ENGAGE on a metal site, to the stake with this traitor!). Both bands are, in my opinion admirably if predictably, driven by their fans' expectations. Both bands, once unique and fresh, are becoming a little stale... Don't get me wrong, DT is and will remain one of my favorite bands, but I sometimes wish, listening to "Fiction", that they ventured out a bit again, like on "Heaven" or its predecessor "Projector". Even "Character" was a very experimental album. I like experiments, even if, or rather especially, if they venture outside of the comfort zone.
What makes Opeth, Mastodon and Tool so unique, then, is their ability to seamlessly fuse different sounds, genres and even musical styles in general into compositions, which should not even be called songs, per se. But it works, and the same can be said about Between the Buried and Me. You absolutely cannot possibly predict what you will get on the next album, but you know, whatever it is, you will be floored.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the future giants of progressive/eclectic rock/metal, if you will, a band worthy of taking place along the Opeths, Mastodons and Tools of the world - Gollum. Supposedly NOT named after the Lord of the Rings' Smeagley, but, instead, rendered from Yiddish word "goylem" for "a shapeless mass", the name accurately describes Gollem's music. If you like metal or rock, chances are you will hear the parts you like the most on The Core. And all of it is doused with copious sauce of Pink Floyd, pre -and including, Dark Side of the Moon era psychedelia.
But what makes Gollem geniuses they are, is that they don't SOUND like Slayer, Megadeth, Mastodon, Opeth, Tool or Pink Floyd, but merely make you THINK of those and many other bands. In 1994, Machine Head, with its debut "Burn My Eyes" was able to accomplish this same effect. Some stuff reminded you of Metallica, Pantera or Slayer, but when you played it against the respective bands' records you were shocked to find no plagiarism or even derivation has taken place. For, too, Stroehmer brothers (Gollum guitarists) have a sound of their own.
EVERY song on "The Core" is ENTIRELY different, drawing from various influences. It can be described, at first, at its base as a very filthy thrash/punk with abrasive vocals. But then another unique quality hits you: it's not only what kind of riffs they play but how those riffs sound. A riff would be played at a certain level of "dirty" and suddenly the guitars cut you with razor - sharp precision (the title track). Remember Corrosion of Conformity's 13 Track on "Wiseblood" with that very deep, almost detuned sound, as if they did not care? Well, that's kinda what I'm talking about here.
Furthermore, the band plays with such ease, skill and ingenuity, free from trends or requirements, that you swear this must be a seasoned, 10 albumer, but "The Core" is merely a sequel to their debut! Only two albums folks, and the music you hear is already throwing me on my knees, because these guys have the 'tude that's genuinely lacking from metal these days, the kind you heard on your "Vulgar Display of Power", "Killing Is My Business" or "Show No Mercy” records", a feeling of unadulterated artistic freedom of expression with no expectations or strings attached, that's right, the big "Fuck you, we don't give a fuck motherfucker, and we know we're fucking good, anyway" syndrome.
But with such jaw-dropping musicianship, how can you disagree? I have been listening to the new Gollum for two weeks now and I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer! I guess, if I could offer a single point of reference for you, I would still have to mention two albums simultaneously: "Blood Mountain" and "Crack the Skye" by you know who. Listening to these you have a feeling like these guys have a vision, fans be damned. No, I'm not talking about the lack of respect for the fans, but about not hanging onto their every word. Rightly said Alistair Crawley: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law". So true, in life and in music. As for the sound, again, think "Prove You Wrong", didn't Prong do whatever the hell they wanted on that one? And yet the music was still cool, nevertheless.
But I still owe you, perhaps a short description of your possible encounter with this masterpiece: It starts slowly with an eerie intro and then, yes, definitely "Countdown to Extinction" in attitude and execution, ergo, without the melodisism. Before you wrap your mind around it, they hit you with Opeth, Prong, Mastodon and even Slayer before moving on. And so on and so forth.
There is a guest appearance by Randall D. Blythe from the (once, since Wrath is such crap) mighty Lamb of God, but that is, rather one of the least exciting tracks. It sounds too much like Blythe's day job. Be that as it may, it's a minor gripe of mine, in no way taking away from the pleasure of listening to this gem of an album.
The CD is best digested as a whole, with headphones on, as you pay attention to every sound. It's only a shame, that the main man behind this project, Hunter Holland, passed away of heart failure shortly before the release. It makes me worry a bit about Gollum's future endeavors, but we'll see.
So far so brilliant. Get it and listen on your knees, minions! The biggest surprise of the year and my personal number one for 2009 so far, along the new Mastodon, of course.
by Marcin "Dethster4life" Lewandowski6 out of 6Hot Indie News
A heart-stopping shot of Southern discomfort arrives courtesy of viciously versatile Wilmington, NC metal crew Gollum, whose 11-track batch of tainted tuneage renders an acid-soaked musical adventure that’s both evil and expansive a la Goatwhore, Bloodlet (whose Scott Angelacos appears here), and Soilent Green. Raging hardcore rumblings and technical death metal sensibilities bolster this unit’s sonic foundation while an oddball agenda containing psychedelic overtones, foreboding electronic manipulations and a devilish use of dynamics launch at all angles from Gollum’s viscous superstructure, setting an ominous atmosphere akin to being stranded in the swamp as dusk becomes nightfall (”The Core”, “Omens”). THE CORE relentlessly shifts gears and styles, yet keeps it heavy throughout, examining every heavy-handed riff method to savagely crush your skull (”Blacksmith”) while utilizing multiple guest vocalists to further impose the jumpy point of view of “The Burden of Ubiquitous Scars” and “Diggin’”. Settle in with some strong substances and enjoy a sullen and sinewy schizophrenic stomp delivered by a juggernaut brimming over with avant-garde abrasiveness and unabashed fits of metallic fury. www.rottenrecords.com -Mike SOS
There’s nothing precious about Wilmington, NC’s Gollum, but they sure do offer a wonderfully strange brew of art deco sludge.
A challenging listen even after the first five spins. Stocky distortion collides satisfyingly with progressive layers. Rarely goes awry or gets choppy; otherwise, this thing is on-point.
Forget any Sméagol allusions, though Lord of the Rings has provided a new/old muse for contemporary metal bands ranging from Battlelore to Summoning. Wilmington, North Carolina’s Gollum is largely unclassifiable unless you feel inclined to merely pin them as an art sludge band not far off from Sourvein and a still-developing shadow cousin to Mastodon.
The Core is one of the most complex, sonic-scraped albums of the year because you literally have no idea where these guys are coming from, much less where they’re wading towards through their distorted furrows. Vocalist Shawn Corbett has a way of throwing his audience loops between his variably-pitched screams which pits him as a demonic black metaller at times, a good ol’ boy stepping on broken glass at others.
Meanwhile, Gollum grinds and chews through their explorative rip chords and chunky rhythms, bowing nods to Today is the Day, as well as Sourvein and sometimes Skrape. In-between, The Core fuses clean-shaven note sways and psychedelic electro-twangs, all in anticipation of occasional thrash clatter and boomeranged bluster on tunes that simply go everywhere such as “Ominous Winds,” “Carven Bones,” “Diggin’” and “Omens.”
At times The Core gets spaced-out weird, such as the ambivalent trance loops of “Amor Fati,” but instantly thereafter, Gollum stomps mercilessly with tremendous heaviness and fleshed-out rhythms on “Darkhouse.”
Accordingly, Gollum’s biggest asset is their unpredictability and their willingness to take a chance even if it becomes rocky at times along the way. The bumpy trip thus becomes the listener’s, particularly on the astral-flung “The Burden of Ubiquitous Scars,” which transcends from hemped-up lucent to thunderous ala Remission-era Mastodon. For its volatility alone, check it out.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Way Too Loud
.... In the world of extreme music, boundaries always need to be pushed. Faster. Louder. Heavier. Slower. Unfortunately, some of these pushes to the extreme end up being superficial.
So what does Gollum have for us? Well, it starts with some insanely heavy southern rock and good old 80’s rock made insanely heavy, but after that it gets weird. Strange harsh grooving, big spaces with bass slogging along up to tremolo picking a little bit of blast beating. At times, the down tuned morass gets a little like nu-metal with integrity.....
The vocals are equally as strange, coming off as members tag teaming each other. A strangled high croak that sometimes comes close to Dani Filth of Cradle of Filth, then there’s also a lower bark that’s a dead ringer for Randy Blythe from Lamb of God. There’s other noisier vocal experiments within the album, but those are the most used elements.....
So what is “The Core”? I always say that music this different that’s able to fire on all cylinders is the equivalent of expanding ones mind without the drugs.....
Rating: 4.5/5....
Ripple Music
By the time you make through the last two discs, you should be already and primed to accept The Core into your life. This album is a brutal metal experience similar to something you might hear from Mastodon, possibly Isis, but then take those sounds and fly warp speed so far left of center that you’re fluttering around in your own dimension. Mixed with the traditional metal guitar tones and rhythmic soundings, we have Gollum experimenting with bizarre song structures and seemingly random mood swings that create a truly wondrous listening experience. Hailing from North Carolina, these guys incorporate everything that I love about metal with everything that I love about experimentation. Never afraid to change things up to keep us drooling listeners on our toes, Gollum push the envelope on the tried and true form of the music that we all love and branch out in a remarkable artistic form.
I’m not done raving about this one folks. Brutal one moment, surreal and spacey the next, and all of three minutes and forty-six seconds long, “Darkhouse” is the quintessential song to what I’m talking about with this band. The opening riff has a thrashy aspect to it, but the tones to the guitars are more grating and scratchy, and with the distorted and psychotic vocals over the riff, this tune takes on a tone of paranoia. Steer clear of sharp objects when giving this tune a spin. High marks in regards to the way the whole band approached their performances on this one. The timing of the screams over the empty musical portions to add emphasis to the power of the riff, the double bass drum work at key times within the tune rather than dulling around senses with a constant barrage of the stuff, and out of the box composition make this tune one for the ages.
To show that these guys don’t simply come at you with both barrels blazing, as some might say, “Ominous Winds” is a delay drenched tune that creates an almost psychedelic air. At times, ambient swells of clean tones arpeggios flit across the mind’s eye, which are scattered by the occasional bursts of psychotic metal like a waving hand. The scattered musical notes eventually rejoin each other to flit around once again and again, are seen flying off in every direction once the waving hand of metal returns. This song is an amazingly beautiful journey that deserves constant listens to fully capture the essence of the music. And, the band does this throughout the recording. The entire album is a high point, but you’ll want to key into “Schadenfraude,” “Diggin'” and “Blacksmith (Summoning Wrath)” as they are all great example of the mind fuck you’ll get from The Core.
- Pope JTE
Unboundzine
It's really hard to put a label on what Gollum plays. While it certainly easily falls into the metal catagory, the band throws everything from vintage thrash riffs, sludge filled doom riffs, and vicious vocal snarls at the listener and they make it work perfectly. Think early Megadeth meets Eyehategod to have an idea of what exactly the band sounds like in motion.
There is almost something progressive or artistic about the band. Granted the music is ugly and quite heavy for the most part, but the structuring is very different and this isn't a band that likes to repeat themselves. If you are expecting big hooks and choruses, you won't find them here. The approach is layered and noise driven but each new listen brings new elements to the surface. The snarling vocals further reinforce the bands chaotic yet familiar approach.
As odd as it sounds I would call this original even though the band really isn't doing anything you haven't heard before. They do however manage to take sounds and riff styles that you have heard before and put a new spin on them. The noise driven and sludge riffs work well in contrast to some of the more thrash inspired moments and really contrast with the mellow moments. If you like your metal incredibly heavy yet still quite inventive, check out this one for sure.
Away-Team
Well, one thing is for sure…on April 14th, some serious shit will hit the fan when N.C. Death Metal-Core Thrashers, GOLLUM see nationwide release with their Rotten Records debut, The Core. Not only is this album an amazing feat for a band to capture right out of the gates, but it’s even more amazing that they were able to carry through with the process after the tragic death of founding member/drummer Hunter Holland who passed right after laying down his drum tracks for The Core from a tragic heart failure. If that’s not enough to tear away at the fiber of any band, we don’t know what is…however, as Hunter would have wanted…the band carried forward and finished the record. What results is an incredible album full of hauntingly exotic Metal tunes and outright Death Metal bludgeon. The thing that makes them so exciting is the fact that each tune is a mini-epic story in and of itself. Take for example, “Ominous Winds”, a frightening track with angelic choir vocals seeping in and out of PINK FLOYD-ian riffs that crash into an undercurrent of full-on adrenaline that will scare the living shit out of you. Then, you’re welcomed into the world of insanity through deadly riffage on “Schadenfreude”. The tunes are common in attack, but their brutality is broken at times with nice, soft passages that contain strange harmonizing from church choirs or spoken word. It’s a really strange hybrid that works 100% for the band. The liner notes say that there are vocal contributions by LAMB OF GOD’s Randy Blythe, but they are not noted on individual songs, so I can’t really tell where he comes into play. However, throughout the entire effort, Holland’s drumming is rock-solid and very tasteful. He truly was a defining force behind this band.
The band chose to record in their hometown of North Carolina at Wilmington’s Umbilical Studios which is partly why you can feel an undiluted force coming from the entire effort…no reason to put their hair up in their own backyard, for sure! The brothers Stroehmer (Serge (bass) and Frank (guitar)) deliver great performances throughout as does screamer Shawn Corbett who, at times, takes on the sound of OBITUARY’s John Tardy and then immediately shifts gears to become Phillip Anselmo (check out “Diggin”). I fucking love these guys!!! Killer music, killer performances, and awesome production!!! Special mention goes out to the guys for keeping it real in the face of tragic death within the band and staying on the mark and finishing the effort as well. Word is that the band has recruited long-time friend, drummer Seth Long to continue forward. Let’s all wish them the best because the music and showmanship are awesome! And to our pal, Double-H…Rest In Peace, My Metal Brother!
Very, Very Highly Recommended!!!
04 Apr 2009 by Bam-Bam
So, Bring On Mixed Reviews
Creeping up from the depths of Wilmington, North Carolina emerges Gollum with their Rotten Records debut titled The Core. Gollum’s The Core carries more meaning than most albums, and is dedicated to the late Hunter Holland, who died of an unexpected heart failure shortly after finishing laying down the drum tracks for The Core. This sort of setback would stop most projects in its tracks but after grieving the remaining members pushed forward. With the fierce, bone cutting vocal work of Shawn Corbett whom adds atmosphere with keys and samples; alongside the tandem of guitarist Frank Stroehmer and bassist Serge Stroehmer. The Core also features a few guest appearances of the infamous Randy Blythe of Lamb of God and Dixie Collins of Weedeater. The Core stands at eleven tracks roughly forty-five minutes, now its time to get into the core of The Core.
At first the cover art had me skeptical, but that once the bass lines and the shrapnel vocal styles of Shawn Corbett came in on the intro track “The Calm Before,” I was already semi-hooked on The Core. Next stop, “The Core,” GollumHunter Holland wrote the majority of the lyrics for The Core, something I tend not to expect from a drummer. The onslaught enfolds in “Ominous Winds,” which blends delicate melodies with destructive passages to be my favorite track on the album. Other tracks that standout are “Diggin’,” and you’ll realize why when you hear it yourself, as well as the subtle ending track “Omens.” produces a very sporadic sound while constantly foreshadowing where they will be traveling. One thing that does strike me as different is that
The Core is a solid album with a perfect blend of soft melodies to go along with the hard hitting riffs and lyrics. It although may take some time to really appreciate what Gollum does on The Core, enough time that some people will write them off before giving them the proper chance. Gollum has an interesting sound, that its not the typical song structure of mainstream metal, and that is doesn’t really fit into any mold made by genre whores. The fact that they can not be pin pointed, but instead have a free flowing way about them is a double edged sword.
I am going to guess, that many of you have never heard of Gollum. That being said, I think you should give yourself a little taste test and visit there myspace. The Core, is not just another album but also a dedication to the life of Hunter Holland and might I say he did a damn good job with not only the drums, but the lyrical content of The Core. The Core was a very solid album but seemed to lack that one track that blows you away, so I will leave you to make your own decision on whether to purchase or not, but be sure to at the very least give Gollum a listen. ~Staff
Score: 3.5/5
Aggressive Tendencies – May 2009
With this Rotten Records debut, the follow-up to their 2004 self-released Lesser Traveled Waters, Wilmington, NC's Gollum have proven that they are been able to soldier on even after tragic adversity. The progressive metal band have dedicated The Core to their late drummer Hunter Holland, who passed just before the recording was completed. The album has a very experimental sound due to the band's use of samples and keyboards, but it also contains elements of hardcore and death metal, as well as an old school thrash vocal style. The title track is rich and dynamic, while "Blacksmith (Summoning Wrath)" is very groove-driven, with Frank Stroehmer's catchy guitar riffs. The standout track on The Core, however, is most definitely "Diggin'," which features aggressive guest vocals from Lamb of God's Randy Blythe. The Southern influence on this track is undeniable and also features an exceedingly brooding vibe, with vocals that sound like someone being dragged through the depths of hell. (Rotten) - By Denise Falzon
Audio Drome (Italy) - translatedhttp://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.audiodrome.it/modules.php%3Fop%3Dmodload%26name%3DNews%26file%3Darticle%26sid%3D4740&ei=EFbeSdXTHcOJtgfwnZCgAQ&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=3&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Daudiodrome%2Bgollum%2Bthe%2Bcore%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GFRC_enUS212US212....
Dedicated to my fellow road and Hunter Holland (original drummer of the band),
The Core continues the path of Gollum in search of a new form of expression in the metal, a kind of Esperanto that incorporates within it a multiplicity of approaches and nuances.
At the side of Gollum into the scene of some guest respected as D. Randall Blythe (Lamb Of God), Dave "Dixie" Collins (Weedeater), Scott Angelacos (Hope & Suicide) and Cassie Sipe and George Zervos, to form a team decidedly mixed, but at the same cohesive. The result of these synergies is a magma sound, without ever losing sight of the song form, is striking for the versatility and the desire to experiment: the thrash backbone slowdowns sludge plug, spoken words, openings ambient, ethereal arpeggios, scores prog, sampling and female choirs.
What is surprising, just the ability to build devastating anthem from the front and able to get straight to the goal, while attached to them countless changes of mood and direction. On the contrary, it is even desirable for the future a greater amount of courage the inclusion of these digressions, which at present are likely to be crushed from the aggressive songwriting. Overall, however, one can only praise a job designed to widen the boundaries of the scene of origin, and that shows a sincere drive to innovate.
The Gollum are musicians with excellent potential to find its own original form of expression and eager to leave their traces in a scene - now more than ever - saturated by trade. Given similar circumstances, one can only hope to train to complete a project as ambitious as interesting.
Gothtronic
http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&reviews=6156
Gollum is a metalband from North Carolina in the USA . The name of the band is derived from the Yiddish term Golem, which literally means shapeless mass. This doesn’t go for the Gollum although the sound of this band does need some time to digest. The band around singer Shawn Corbett and the Stroehmer brothers does not choose the easy way with standard song structures. The guitars sound heavy and complicated and this also goes for the drums. Furthermore the sound is filled with samples. Think a technical metal variation with elements from thrash and sludge. Here and there a psychedelic Southern influence rises to th surface in the overall heavy, thick and epic sound of Gollum. Sometimes it even becomes hypnotising with its tribal feel, atmosphere and samples. Fascinating it definitely is, the music of Gollum, and the vocals from Shawn fit very well. The album is dedicated to drummer Hunter Holland, who unfortunately died after the recordings for this album. Luckily the band continued since The Core is a surprising effort that shows there is still much original possible in metal.
Teeth of the Divine
http://teethofthedivine.com/site/reviews/gollum-the-core/
I hadn’t thought about this North Carolina band in years, but I do recall being impressed with 2004’s self-released debut album Lesser Traveled Waters, although I’ve had no luck locating my review of that disc. As such, let’s just say the band’s shape shifting ways on that album left me impressed and the arrival of The Core had my interested piqued. Sadly, drummer/founder Hunter Holland passed away from heart failure shortly after completing his drum tracks for the sophomore album. The Core is dedicated to his memory.
But back to shape shifting. A derivation of the Yiddish “goylem,” the translation to “shapeless mass” would be an exaggeration as a musical descriptor, but The Core doesn’t exactly paint itself into a compositional corner either. Still, the core of The Core is grounded in hard hitting Soilent Green/Mastodon throat punches that stray a bit from conventional structures, yet don’t outright jettison structure in favor of blotter-acid dreams. The tough stuff heard (e.g. “The Calm Before,” “Darkhouse,” and the title track) bring the clobber with righteous force, even if nothing is particularly stand-out memorable. The witchy sizzle of “Blacksmith (Summoning Wrath)” - featuring guest vocals from Hope & Suicide’s Scott Angelacos - is quite tasty too. Brothers Serge and Frank Stroehmer - bass and guitar, respectively - play off each in an appealing organic way, the chemistry most apparent on a song like “Schadenfreude” when the bass flows free and guitar solo soars. In fact, the band’s unwillingness to clutter the compositions with needless rhythm track overdubs allows the songs to breathe and generate some magical moments.
Crossing the heavy with the trippy works best on “Diggin’, a song on which guest vocalists Silky Johnson (a.k.a. D. Randy Blythe) and Weedeater’s Dave “Dixie” Collins contribute vocals (and lyrics) to grand/grimy effect. The introductory sermon from Dr. George Zervos, Professor of Religion/Philosophy at UNCW is just perfect. A similar sentiment can be expressed about “Ominous Winds,” where Cassie Sipe’s lilting vocals add a measure of atmosphere to the cool flow and acidic bursts, as do the breezy keys and hypnotizing bass lines. More of the dreamy fare occurs on the windswept acoustics and effects of an interlude called “Amor Fati.”
Obviously, The Core is an album of many colors and is not easily described for review purposes. There is a certain level of “hip” involved that sets it apart from most albums that attempt to move in many directions at once, yet depending on one’s mood, the multitude of paths traveled can cause momentum to wane - usually about two-thirds of the way through - and one’s attention to be diverted elsewhere. And yet, I find myself coming back to The Core to determine just what makes it tick. The true test will be whether I return to it a year from now; about that, I’m still not certain. An intriguing album, to say the least.