Mouth of the Architect - Time & Withering

circus_brimstone

Forest: Sold Out
Jul 5, 2003
5,154
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Indiana
Mouth of the Architect – Time & Withering
Translation Loss – TL5 – 2004
By Jason Jordan

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I downloaded “The Worm” off Time & Withering, and was awestruck by what I heard. Thus, when the kind folks at Earsplit PR asked me for a second opinion – on the latest output from Mouth of the Architect – a burst of excitement stormed through my body. After camping out at the mailbox for a solid week, I finally received that which I was so looking forward to. And, to corroborate Nate’s views, Time & Withering is unequivocally colossal.

There are only four songs on this forty-minute offering, which means that they’re all quite lengthy, except for the five-minute “Heart Eaters.” And, I believe the extinct Rune deserves a mention as well due to their relevance. Musically Mouth of the Architect can be herded into the fold that encases bands such as Isis, Neurosis, Cult of Luna, and Red Sparowes. Be my guest if you want to label the aforementioned groups as slowcore, post-rock, or what have you. As for me, I’m going to try and avoid the flames this time. Anyhow, Mouth of the Architect are adept at just about everything they do. The vocalizations are fairly standard and are subsequently easy to coexist with, the instrumental passages sprawl for ages without being stuffy, and the album is bereft of any major problems. The transitions, though, is where Mouth of the Architect perhaps do their best work. Check the 6:55 minute mark of “A Vivid Chaos” or “The Worm” at 6:50 for damning evidence.

I almost relish the fact that it takes me a half an hour to get to work, because I got to listen to this close to three times today. To say that Time & Withering is magnificent isn’t giving the album its due. I’d say that other purveyors in this subgenre better hit the practice room pretty soon if they want to keep up with such skillful opponents.

9/10

Nate The Great’s Review of Mouth of the Architect – Time & Withering
Official Translation Loss Website