Originally posted by TrevJ
Well... I just listened to "Carry" and some other song (it was so boring I already forgot the title), and I just don't really see what the big deal is. I can't believe that people were comparing them to Opeth in an earlier thread (and if you're going to call me a fanboy or some shit, feel free to feast of my rectum). I will admit that they are somewhat atmospheric, but their riffs are sooooo simplistic and repetitive that I can't understand how anyone could get enjoyment out of repeat listens. While the vocals were rather monotonous, they didn't bother me, but they don't stand a chance against Mikael's voice. I can't see these songs growing on me either, as I usually need at least a LITTLE complexity to keep me interested.
It doesn't help that I just discovered Maudlin of the Well either. 
a lot of Opeth fans seem to be caught in a listening paradox. they love Opeth's long, winding, adventurous songs, which require more patience and love for music than the average music listener is capable of. at the same time, though, their attention spans need not be too great, as Opeth concentrate mostly on the high end, and change riffs quite frequently. their music for the most part is horizontally complex, built on the process of stringing ideas together into cohesive bundles.
on the flipside of composition you find ISIS. ISIS compose layer upon layer of shifting, evolving (and therefore orgasmic) motifs that are all connected to a central theme. their music is vertically complex, as they use the full spectrum of low end to high end. In the course of a moment one idea may be in the foreground as other motifs clash, meld, or complement in the background. they are likewise horizontally complex, but on a grander scale than Opeth as the music is constantly shifting, but simultaneously gravitating toward the central theme. thus an ISIS song is as a beautiful painting on a massive, sprawling canvas. they are very hard to get into for this reason. once you listen to a song like 'Weight,' for instance, about 30 times, you begin to see the bigger picture, and how every layered sound at any given moment is related to what is developing at any other given moment during the song. as Eld said, this is a far more complex and skilled approach to composition.
it is evident that Mikael has evolved as a composer when you compare the first couple of albums to the more recent ones, especially Deliverance. his compositional skill is greater now than it was when he first started out with Orchid. he is now able to evolve and integrate ideas more fluidly, and often simultaneously. i was surprised by the vertical complexity in BWP. it was easily Mikaels most mature and concentrated effort of the first five releases, but many people seemed to dismiss it in confusion. i think it is very much for the same reason they dismiss ISIS now. Still Life is still my favourite, though, with unbelievable songwriting through and through.
Originally posted by Elysian Blaze
Recently, I downloaded the song "Carry" by Isis from Century Media's website, and I was, for a lack of stronger words, fucking floored. This song instantly became one of my favorites in recent times and it just gets better with each listen. What I'm asking from you guys [since you all seem to adore Isis] is for:
Recommendations: Where do you guys think I should go from here, seeing how I just downloaded "Carry" and I love it?
Information: Any kind of web sites that you guys may frequent. Where are they from? How many albums do they have? Et cetera.
If you guys could reply, that'd be great. And on one last note, do any of you guys compare Isis to Neurosis or is it just me? At the 4:00 mark on "Carry", everything comes together and it just seems to have that whole "wall-o'-sound" style that Neurosis have.
Thanks!
for what ever reason, ISIS have tried to remain as obscure as possible. you will find very little info about them. their
official site has no info whatsover on the band. the Ipecac site has a short bio on them though.
i suggest getting a hold of any ISIS material you can, as it's all excellent. their releases are as follows:
Mosquito Control EP - their first release. mind-blowingly original. from the very beginning they had this otherworldly approach to guitar playing that it very hard to describe in words.
Red Sea - originally released as an EP, but released again as a full length with more tracks that have appeared on various obscure compilations. among these is included one of my all time favourite songs, 'Ochre.' all in all, another superb, crushing, original release
Celestial - the first official ISIS album. after two years this seemingly infinite opus is still growing on me. there is simply nothing else like this ever conceived or recorded by another human being. i would argue, by my definition, that it is the heaviest album of all time. it is also a completely enveloping, relaxing, spiritual experience. at times it has made me feel as if my consciousness is as vast as the universe. i believe this was ISIS' aim in creating Celestial.
SGNL>05 EP: the companion to Celestial. an expansion of the celestial journey.
Oceanic - a refinement of the ideals put forth before. from a musical standpoint, a work of absolute genius that may never be surpassed... except maybe by ISIS themselves.
Neurosis and ISIS are definitely related in that their music as an entity is something beyond mere music. it is art in the truest sense. it is also music as an educator, as a device that causes introspection, revealing the true nature of self, of man, and of the universe. Neurosis is my favourite band for those reasons. there is something timeless about the music, as if what we are hearing is the hopes and dreams of a million generations pouring across the soundscape. ISIS have tapped the same well, drawing out the essence of existence and releasing it in sonic waves that clash and bind, and then sublimate our consciousness to some higher plane of existence. these are the reasons i set Neurosis, ISIS, and even Enslaved apart from other bands that i consider brilliant, such as Opeth. they transcend mere music.
