NOXAGT - THE IRON POINT (LOAD 057)

I AM NOT GIVEN TO BEING IMPRESSED BY INDIVIDUAL VIRTUOSITY IN MUSIC. AS SOON AS THERE IS MORE THAN 1 PERSON PLAYING I CARE ABOUT THE SOUND OF THE ENSEMBLE AND WHAT THE ADDING TOGETHER OF PERFORMANCES RESULTS IN. ALL THAT DRUM CLINIC / GUITAR MAGAZINE POSTURING CAN GO TO HELL. ERIC CLAPTON IS A SNOOZE. DREAM THEATER HAVE NEVER WRITTEN 1 SECOND OF WORTHWHILE MUSIC.

OF COURSE IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A BUNCH OF AMAZING MUSICIANS TOGETHER BE GOOD (CASE IN POINT: ORCHESTRAS). THE POINT I AM HAPHAZARDLY MAKING HERE IS THAT EVEN WHEN A BAND IS LIKE 1 OBVIOUS TALENT AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE...I CREDIT WHAT THE OTHERS ARE DOING, EVEN IF IT IS JUST MAKING APPROPRIATE SPACES. OF COURSE NOEL REDDING AND MITCH MITCHELL ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT HISTORICALLY AS JIMI HENDRIX BUT WHEN THOSE RECORDS ARE ON I AM HEARING THE WHOLE OF IT.

I WRITE ALL OF THIS AS A WRONGFOOTING TECHNIQUE: A-HA! THE IRON POINT BY NOXAGT IS THE RECORD WHERE I BASICALLY AM MARVELLING AT ONE GUY AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THE OTHERS ARE THERE TOO. NILS ERGA'S VIOLA PLAYING ON HERE IS, TO MY JADED AND MIDDLE-AGED EARS, FUCKING SEMINAL.

BRANDSAL'S BASS STILL HAS THAT HEAVY RUST FLAVOUR AND KYVIK'S DRUMS ARE CRISPER (HIS RIDE CYMBAL FEELS LIKE A MANHOLE COVER, ALL RICH AND METALLIC) BUT ERGA'S PLAYING IS TRANSCENDENTAL FROM THE WORD GO. ON OPENER NAKED IN FRANCE HE GOES FROM A JOHN CALE DRONE TO SOMETHING LIKE STACCATO POWER CHORDS TO THROUGH A WHIRLWIND OF PEDALS THAT RENDER HIS POWERFUL BOWING LIKE COMING UNDER FIRE FROM A LASER SQUADRON ON HIGH.

ON BLOOD THING HIS PLAYING COMPLEMENTS THE QUASI-HARDCORE OF THE RHYTHM IN A WAY THAT MAKES WHATEVER YOU COULD COME UP WITH ON A GUITAR SOUND EITHER PUNY OR TOO TRAD. IT'S DIRECT, MELODIC, AND POWERFUL. THE WAY IT SOUNDS LIKE STUKA DIVEBOMBING IN THE MID-SONG IS AWESOME. AWESOME. THIS IS A GREAT TRACK. THEY ALL KILL IT. BUT ESPECIALLY ERGA.

IT GOES LIKE THIS THROUGHOUT. ON THE GENTLER SONGS WHERE ONE OF THEIR GRANDADS SINGS, TO THE HEAVY AS THE TITANIC LANDING ON YOUR HEAD SVARTEVATN (THE SOUNDTRACK TO ANY RESPECTABLE VIKING SEA BURIAL CEREMONY) THEY BRING IT EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

CERTIFIED: GOOD. PROBABLY THE BEST LOAD RELEASE UP TO THIS POINT.