"Curses" is the debut full-length from Oslo, Norway's Manhattan Skyline (released by the ever-curious and diverse Fysisk Format label), whose 11 tracks in about 45 minutes are quite reminiscent of The Dillinger Escape Plan's earlier work—just a little more tangible and bottom-heavy in many respects. There's definitely a hell of a lot of caustic riffing with dizzyingly fast-paced shifts and change-ups, not to mention scathing screams and blisteringly technical guitar runs (tracks like "Carrion" literally sound like they were torn straight from the "Calculating Infinity" playbook), but there's also some experimentation with assorted textures such as piano, electronic beats/blips, dark ambient throbs, succinct breaks of jazzy clean passages, and some completely ripping bass runs that provide some nice breathing room whenever presented. And while most of the compositions are rather short bursts of about two minutes or less, there are also excursions like the eight-minute, largely instrumental "Black Rain", which spends most of its time quietly building into an absolutely pounding midpaced climax. Not to mention the nearly 13-minute closer, "Empty Seats", which takes on an incredibly effective "Neurisis" styled direction completely out of nowhere—accentuating the strained texture of the vocals over sparse clean guitars and roaming bass pulses that occasionally burst forth into swells of distorted power chords. So, yeah, overall I suppose it's a smidge unoriginal at times, but certainly strong regardless. And if they start to achieve more balance by integrating the slower, plodding rhythms and experimentation right alongside the gratingly aggressive flurries, they could really be onto something...
Manhattan Skyline "Judas Christ"
Manhattan Skyline "Empty Seats" (excerpt)
I'm not seeing the CD available at any distros in the US yet, but thankfully Fysisk Format's releases are now available digitally for extremely reasonable prices via Amazon.com and iTunes Plus. Very cool...
Get It
Tiger Records (CD)
Amazon.com (mp3)
iTunes (mp3)
Comments
Sounds pretty good.
Reminds me a bit of the new Crowpath “One with Filth” which is a magnificent album.
http://www.myspace.com/crowpath
12.2.2008 | By Tobias
I can’t hang with these guys at all - way too ADHD for my tastes. composition and dynamics are almost non-existent.
12.2.2008 | By Avi
Wow, even in the “Empty Seats” excerpt? I can totally see that elsewhere on the disc for the most part, though I actually find these guys’ material to be a little more tangible than even Dillinger’s early work, but… I think they really have some potential with the slower and more consistent passages they blend into things.
12.2.2008 | By Andrew Aversionline
Yeah, even the slow stuff doesn’t click with me. Which is a big surprise too because every single one of Fysisk Format’s other releases have been stellar. That Haust record? Holy shit - totally unstoppable.
12.2.2008 | By Avi
not feeling this one at all unfortunately
12.2.2008 | By Anonymous
Great release, this band has improved on every recording. It’s rare I get to see Aversionline enjoy a “mathcore” release, you tend to have a hate on for them.
1.8.2009 | By TKKT