MINSK — The Ritual Fires of Abandonment (review)

MINSK — The Ritual Fires of Abandonment album cover Album · 2007 · Atmospheric Sludge Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
The Angry Scotsman
Noisy, psychedelic post metal

It took a few listens for this album to grow on me, but what a great experience when it finally did. Atmospheric, sometimes lengthy, songs that often start light and melodic, building to a sonic pummeling and filled with layered synths, tribal drumming and droning, echoing vocals.

Minsk obviously worships at the church of Neurosis, and the influence is quite evident. The building, atmospheric songs, extremely sludgey guitars, strained singing (though sometimes clean)but there is some more to it. There is heavy use of synths and not just some filler, but very prominent in the songs, often layered. The vocals have an echo on them and are layered as well at times, this all gives the album a very dense, bludgeoning feel. However, it also adds a psychedelic feel that I havn't personally seen in any other post metal band. The tribal drumming, echoing vocals and occasional "trippy" guitar also add to the feel.

Oh, there's also some saxophone for a nice bonus, (courtesy of Bruce Lemont from Yakuza).

The album is 59 minutes long and composed of 6 songs, 3 over 13 minutes in length, the others under 6 minutes (acting as nice transitions between the epics). The long songs rise and fall over their journeys in true post metal fashion. The end of the 15 and a half minute "Ceremony Ek Stasis" is a doom metal dirge, but damn it made me rock so hard that my shirt was saturated from sweat.

This album is heavy, dense, crushing yet also hypnotic. Let it sink in and drift through its trippy, powerful and emotional songs.

Four Stars
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UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Great review and great album. I really enjoy the psychadelic element in their sound.

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