Intronaut The Challenger
Translation Loss TL25-2 October 30, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Based on length alone, itd be easy to see why someone may at first glance think the 55-minute The Challenger is a new full-length, when in reality its an EP with three new songs, five live renditions, and a remix. If youve yet to experience Intronaut, however, itd be best to start with Null and work your way forwards since everything the band have released has paled in comparison to their inaugural EP.
Still, the new songs are what audiences have come to expect from this quartet: nimble post-metal with occasional Neur-Isis tendencies, especially detectable in the beginning of the drifting Whittler of Fortune and in the laidback, Mastodon-in-parts tune Deep Architecture. Otherwise, The Challenger is a quirky, upbeat number, laced with scratchy vocals, audible bass lines, and busy drums, that ultimately parallels Intronauts previous material, even though its arguably less aggressive. The three arent quite as moving as those that comprise the core of Null, either.
Of the five live tracks, the Void choices Gleamer, Fault Lines, and Rise to the Midden were recorded on 02/23/07 at The Clubhouse in Tempe, Arizona, while the Null selections Sores Will Weep and They (As in Them) were recorded on 10/10/05 at The Mountain Bar in L.A. Though faithful to their studio counterparts, they fail to capture the intensity of the actual experience, which is why Ive never put much stock in live albums at least those without a DVD twin. The remix, courtesy of Sacha Dunable (vocals, guitar), puts a fresh spin on another Null composition Burning These Days. Finally, the hidden track consists of a soundcheck with banter, and the liner notes are interesting because Zao used the carbon-paper-intermingled-with-photos approach last year in The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here.
The bottom line is that Intronauts finest body of work is Null. If you enjoy that one, then seek out Void and see how it treats you. The Challenger is definitely third in the pecking order, at least for now.
Official Intronaut Website
Official Translation Loss Website
Translation Loss TL25-2 October 30, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Based on length alone, itd be easy to see why someone may at first glance think the 55-minute The Challenger is a new full-length, when in reality its an EP with three new songs, five live renditions, and a remix. If youve yet to experience Intronaut, however, itd be best to start with Null and work your way forwards since everything the band have released has paled in comparison to their inaugural EP.
Still, the new songs are what audiences have come to expect from this quartet: nimble post-metal with occasional Neur-Isis tendencies, especially detectable in the beginning of the drifting Whittler of Fortune and in the laidback, Mastodon-in-parts tune Deep Architecture. Otherwise, The Challenger is a quirky, upbeat number, laced with scratchy vocals, audible bass lines, and busy drums, that ultimately parallels Intronauts previous material, even though its arguably less aggressive. The three arent quite as moving as those that comprise the core of Null, either.
Of the five live tracks, the Void choices Gleamer, Fault Lines, and Rise to the Midden were recorded on 02/23/07 at The Clubhouse in Tempe, Arizona, while the Null selections Sores Will Weep and They (As in Them) were recorded on 10/10/05 at The Mountain Bar in L.A. Though faithful to their studio counterparts, they fail to capture the intensity of the actual experience, which is why Ive never put much stock in live albums at least those without a DVD twin. The remix, courtesy of Sacha Dunable (vocals, guitar), puts a fresh spin on another Null composition Burning These Days. Finally, the hidden track consists of a soundcheck with banter, and the liner notes are interesting because Zao used the carbon-paper-intermingled-with-photos approach last year in The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here.
The bottom line is that Intronauts finest body of work is Null. If you enjoy that one, then seek out Void and see how it treats you. The Challenger is definitely third in the pecking order, at least for now.
Official Intronaut Website
Official Translation Loss Website
