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Saying that One Starving Day is a lesser version of Neurosis is no dis. It’s a fine wellspring from which to draw. If Neurosis move mountains and scar the sky, One Starving Day build a good garden, with a gnarled oak nearby. This Italian group may not play new tones, but it pitches them perfectly, which is perhaps more important.
Black Star Aeon (excerpt)Fate Drainer (excerpt)
My only quibble, and it is small, is that when this band tills earth, it doesn’t do so deeply enough. There are a few heavy moments, but mostly this album (five songs at 47 minutes constitutes an album) remains in indefinite suspension, spreading wings, not landing. That’s fine, though. The digressions open small but palpable cuts – cello drones, string overtones, volume swells that clamp shut like unrequited love’s hope.
The production is natural, exposed, and so is the packaging, a matte-finish gatefold with matter-of-fact typewriter font. Old Dischord releases come to mind. These guys have hardcore punk backgrounds, and it shows. I like their offerings of soil; however, I await the day of complete burial.
Broken Wings is available on CD from Planaria, and on beautiful white-and-black colored vinyl from KNVBI.
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You know, I was going to review this over at I’m the Most Important Fucking Person… (and probably still will).
I really like this record, and I think the Neurosis comparison is easy, especially because THEY compare themselves to Neurosis on their website, but I agree that they don’t really get “heavy” that often.
At first I was kinda bummed out by that (I like heavy stuff, duh) but when I accepted that this just wasn’t a heavy record it became a much better listen. Rather than waiting for the heavy parts I just try and enjoy the psychedelic nature of it.
Definitely a good listen, and a good review.
If you like the record, you should write on it! Good music deserves press.
Yes, I’m a little frustrated that this record feints Neurosis, then goes in other directions not as strong. But the sound is interesting and open-ended. Powerful, this band could be.