Back in 2012, when NEUROSIS released ‘Honor Found in Decay’, the band steered clearly to an era of stagnation. In the long run, the record failed to reflect the band’s past, especially the golden era from 1992 to 1999. Supporting an ambient and experimental sound, ‘Honor Found in Decay’ was the weakest record NEUROSIS ever made. Four years later ‘Fires Within Fires’ their eleventh full-length record so far, is released.
To be honest, ‘Fires within Fires’, feels like an EP release, while it lasts only forty minutes. The reduced number of songs, is not apparently bad, because the completeness of a record is rather measured by its essence and not by its length. Given the fact that NEUROSIS as individuals are not the same guys they were, eleven years ago, the band has managed to record in a retro way, close to the dynamic of the past, but not without the ambient sludge elements that established the band’s 00’s era. As a result, within the record, the listener can encounter the plurality, the complexity NEUROSIS, usually use on their songs, which during the very first contact may seem plain, but they always have deeper and deeper layers of existence.
‘Fires within Fires’, kicks off with ‘Bending Light’, a dizzy and jam-feel like song. The band’s experimental sound, gains control in here, leading into a violent explosion and Scott Kelly’s deep, aggressive vocals. As a labyrinth, the record progresses with ‘A Shadow Memory’ and ‘Fire is the End Lesson’, songs full of melancholic but powerful guitar riffs, a touch of synths and haunting break-downs. ‘Broken Ground’, is the record’s best song, as it rewinds the dates back to ‘Times Of Grace’. Warm, embracing and literally liberating, ‘Broken Ground’ elevates ‘Fires within Fires’ into another level of existence. ‘Reach’ succeeds ‘Broken Ground’, closing the album with narrative-like vocals and echoing guitars.
‘Fires within Fires’, ends in a confusing way. A listener well experienced in NEUROSIS’ music, who followed the band for years, will find himself in an awkward position. The record is growing along with him and the record reflects the epilogue of a trip, the destination of nowhere. By that, I don’t really mean that NEUROSIS will end their career and I, for sure, don’t imply that. It’s just that, after thirty years of career, the band has become something close to an archetype of their sound, for one music genre and their latest release strongly highlights that.
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