SCALD - "Vermiculatus" - Reviews

[unhinged]

A pretty bad one (some metalheads definitely don't appreciate ambiant ):

this does seem to be the case

but some do
from http://www.lunar-hypnosis.com/


It would be difficult to describe a work so large and ambitious as "Vermiculatus" in just a few sentences, although this is the task laid before myself as I set to write. With their latest effort, Scald, a commonly-described "prog-grind" quartet from Northern Ireland, have taken a huge step up from their previous outing "Headworm" and created a conceptual, single track, forty seven and a half minute monster. To be honest, the commonly-ascribed tag of "prog-grind" hardly does the band justice, as Vermiculatus draws stylistic influence from not only grind, death metal, and progressive music, but also from dark ambient, noise, doom metal, electronics and inevitably many other eclectic sources which I cannot even identify.

So back to Vermiculatus: the album (in summary) starts off slowly, occasionally breaking between little snippets of grind-like segments and quieter clean guitar work. Eventually, this builds up in intensity over the next 15-25 minutes. It never really appears to reach any kind of climax, but it is always changing and morphing as the direction of the work evolves in a through-composed manner with no recurring themes or motifs whatsoever. Somewhere around the middle of the chaos, there is an increase of noise and ambient motifs beginning to slowly but surely dominate the work until by the very end the composition seems to have completely shifted direction into a soundscape/noisescape before it finally fades out into oblivion. The album is completely an instrumental work, offering no context except for some rather grotesque although very well done artwork and a rather long passage from the Gnostic text "The Apocalypse of Peter" which seems to offer a description of the punishments for "those that had forsaken the way of God".

For such an experimental album as Vermiculatus, it is executed extremely well with a healthy dose of eclecticism which keeps it fresh and interesting as it progresses along, with never a dull moment maintaining a good balance of aggressiveness and respite. Excellent work Scald, I can't wait to hear what you'll have for us next.

August 23, 2006
By MajestikMøøse
9 of 10

 

[Emi]

http://www.friedhof-magazine.com/criticas_detalle.php?id=913

0-9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Scald (United Kingdom (Great Britain))
"Vermiculatus" - CD (2006)
Sello: Aural Music
Género: Avant-Garde Progressive Sludge/DroneDoom
7.75 / 10

Mucho he escuchado este álbum, y aun sigo preguntandome donde encuadrarlo o como expresaros lo que en él os encontraréis. No me resulta nada fácil describir la propuesta que Scald propone con este su segundo cd, pero espero que cuando acabéis de leer esta reseña, al menos, podáis decidir si este álbum os interesa o no.
Vermiculatus no es ni de lejos un álbum convencional, más bien todo lo contrario, estamos ante una muestra de experimentación musical con pocos precedentes, una muestra donde vas a encontrar un solo tema en donde se concentran las numerosas ideas creativas de estos locos norirlandeses. Una sola canción donde no vas a encontrar ni un solo rifft repetido, sino un esfuerzo de calidad y originalidad compositiva digno de alabanza.
La primera parte de este álbum puede recordarte a ratos a bandas como Neurosis, Meshuggah, Cephalic Carnage, Ephel Duath, Dysrhythmia, Fantomas o a los nipones Boris, con estas referencias ya os podéis hacer una idea de la calidad que atesoran los instrumentistas que componen Scald.En esta primera parte se atreven también a phacer sus pinitos con la electrónica y el jazz, como suele ser común en este tipo de bandas que adoran la experimentación.
Sin duda el conjunto de sonidos que componen este álbum es ya sumamente valiente y arriesgado, pero por si esto fuera poco, tras haberte embaucado con los enrevesados y alucinantes sonidos que han salido ya de tu reproductor durante la primera mitad del tema, Scald vuelve a sorprenderte, cambiando el rumbo de la experimentación hacia el océano musical donde navegan Sunn O))), Khanate Merzbow o Godflesh con gran maestría. Nos adentramos entonces en ese pesadísimo mar de caos sentimental, una aprensión conseguida unas veces por sonidos electrónicos y en otras simplemente a cargo de distorsiones de guitarra. Es entonces que tras 50 minutos de pura experimentación sonora se producen dos respuestas. En la primera se encuentran los que ya apagaron el reproductor mucho antes de que acabará el cd, estos nunca volverán a escuchar Scald y nunca deberían haber adquirido este álbum y también se encuetran los valientes que pese a no gustarles, aguantaron la escucha hasta el final, estos tienen alguna opción de redescubrir el álbum tiempo después. La segunda respuesta a Scald ,en la que me incluyo, es darle de nuevo al play y prepararte para descubrir nuevos matices en esta extraña obra de arte.
Como guinda a la locura, Scald han incluido en este álbum Vermiculatus B1 una especie de cara B, que no es más que un video, donde las animaciones hacen tomar vida el carácter más maníaco del Scald más drone, fundiéndose imagen y sonido en un abrazo de dolor y caos.
Vermiculatus está solamente indicado para amantes de lo experimental y la locura sónica, es decir de la parte menos convencional de la escena musical extrema y por supuesto fuera de toda comercialidad, sino pertenecéis a esta panda de frikies ni os acerquéis a él.


Reseñado por: Iván C. el 21 / 8 / 2006

 

[unhinged]

that looks pretty good
wish I understood it

this one is from metalireland.com

When the gods created Scald they must have intended it as a cruel joke with which to torment music critics the world over. A comeuppance for their opinionated ways, their choice to engage in a pass time based on judging the efforts of others. Undoubtedly, many of these critics will, upon receipt of the latest mutated, disfigured Scald offspring ‘Vermiculatus’, have requested that their editors depart and defecate, as it were. For Scald defies all conventions, providing nothing for the reviewer to latch on to, nowhere to get a foothold. But then presumably creating music that is simply unquantifiable is part of what Scald is about. Certainly it is what makes the band so fascinating.

The vermis has grown over the last three years. It has multiplied and it has spread. No longer just in the head, the host is now ridden with worms, and ‘Vermiculatus’ charts the course of the organism in decline, as it is gradually hollowed out from within, through moments of pain, pleasure, despair, terror and relief. Scald has no consideration for its listeners. ‘Vermiculatus’ is intense. It’s schizophrenic. It’s psychotic. It’s unlike anything you’ll have heard before. And it’s often brilliant. Fans of traditional popular and rock music concepts such as the verse, the bridge, the chorus, the solo, concepts such as the song, will probably view ‘Vermiculatus’ much as they view the pustulant pimple nested in that sensitive area where the fold of the nose meets the upper lip, from where it stubbornly refuses to budge.

‘Vermiculatus’ is a rollercoaster ride. A slow, pensive start, a moment of shock, and then almost relieved cheer. A lightness. And then the end of respite; a long, drawn out, fragmented heavy slog, the loud bass contrasting entirely with the guitars and drums, all accompanied by swirling, eerie keyboard sounds. The music and the mood alternates again and again over the first thirty minutes, yet with the exception of one or two more obvious breaks, it’s a single coherent piece, albeit twisted and flanged. It ranges from isolated optimistic flashes, to stop/start frantic moments to droning terror. It is at times slow, building up to a claustrophobic crescendo, before abruptly stopping again and drifting off into a monotonous sonic wasteland. At times it’s a whirlwind of noise. But it’s always intense; always ominous. And then the twenty ninth minute arrives. After the hissing and buzzing has faded, the gentle cadences come almost as a relief from the terror and confusion of before, presumably as the host dies. The relief is only short lived, however, as now the second part of the album begins and the parasite moves on; when the ‘music’ ends, and the no less intense ambient part begins. Another challenge for the listener.

Can one speak of a concept album when there are no lyrics? Does the term become redundant when the album in question consists of only a single track? In either case, there is a story behind ‘Vermiculatus’, a story its creators may or may not decide to tell. But it’s there, and the music tells you it’s there. And that’s one of the Scald’s greatest achievements; it's more than just the quality of the execution, the creativity, the great production. ‘Vermiculatus’ is a vibrant, evocative, living piece of music that enraptures the listener. At least all those who can bear to listen. The purists might say that the music is all that counts, but the members of Scald are realistic enough to know that this isn’t the case; that the eyes judge too, and have packaged ‘Vermiculatus’ accordingly. In-house artist, and twisted visuals genius Unhinged has come up with a suitably bizarre and disturbing design to accompany the ‘ridden with worms’ concept, and a short animated video bonus track, again best summed up using the same two words – bizarre and disturbing, to round up a milestone in Scald’s career, and possibly in extreme music generally.

A final observation. Some will possibly already have been aware of Scald’s reverence of Voïvod, and close listening to ‘Vermiculatus’ will confirm this. Whether the influence is just something natural, fundamental to Scald’s music, or whether it was a conscious element during the writing of the album, a reaction to the sad death of Denis ‘Piggy’ D’Amour last year, only the band will know. At times, though, one might think Piggy himself had a hand in the album, a guest appearance even, and as such ‘Vermiculatus’ is also a fitting tribute to the man, an affirmation of his importance as a musician, and a confirmation of his legacy.

4.6 / 5 - David Butler Manning ::: 28/08/06
http://www.metalireland.com/

 

[unhinged]

check this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S606v7oW4oc
made by a fan, which is pretty flattering
the text seems to be from a kenji siratori review

 

[unhinged]

from planet loud

http://www.planet-loud.com/v6/recordreview.php?album_id=673

Vermiculatus
Scald
Code 666

In Brief - Completely brilliant and unsettling music for the brave few

By the gods, that was unsettling. Scald’s latest release comes courtesy of the most respected label in the metal underground, the ridiculously brilliant Code 666 records. Scald are an ideal band for an elite roster such as Code 666, and it was always inevitable that they’d make their home there. “Vermiculatus” has been hotly anticipated for some time now, and with the revelation that the N. Ireland Arts Council had sponsored an animated video for the release, expectations were high.

“Vermiculatus” is an album of two vastly differing styles; the video track features a mother, father and baby all succumbing to the Vermiculatus parasite from previous albums “Headworm” and “Nematoid,” and certain religious overtones can be found. It’s highly disturbing, yet one cannot tear their eyes away from it. The soundtrack to it is eerie and unpredictable, and definitely begs further study.

The music track is a 47 minute instrumental, played to perfection, with excellent time changes, no repeating parts, and a very Rush-like prog feel. It’s as uncommercial as you can get, and very inaccessible on first listens. The ambient part in the middle is extremely menacing, and creates a tense atmosphere, which is exacerbated by new keyboardist Glyn’s headmelting tones.

The artwork is done by Paulrus, who also drums for Scald, and is simply breathtaking in all its disgusting symbolic detail. The band are notoriously uncommunicative about their concepts, preferring instead for the listener to develop their own interpretations. This release both mesmerises and terrifies in equal measures, and remains a must for anyone into challenging music. Most people will hate it, but the few that Scald are targeting will love it. I think I need to lie down. With the light on. [Rating 9]

Reviewer Dónal McBrien

 

[Emi]

"... Scald’s latest release comes courtesy of the most respected label in the metal underground, the ridiculously brilliant Code 666 records. Scald are an ideal band for an elite roster such as Code 666..."

 

[unhinged]

"... Scald’s latest release comes courtesy of the most respected label in the metal underground, the ridiculously brilliant Code 666 records. Scald are an ideal band for an elite roster such as Code 666..."

thought you'd like that. meantime>
from Kenji Siratori

SCALD "Vermiculatus"
Code666
http://www.code666.net/

Vermiculatus is Scald's most experimental, innovative and un-commercial
project to date. The work consists of a singular album length instrumental
track, the first section of which is performed by the band and is a complex
composition of no repeated parts, followed by the closing section, which is
an ambient reconstruction of the performance part. This is accompanied on
the CD-rom track by a short animated film (Vermiculatus B1) with a further
reconstructed soundtrack, an integral facet to the work and concept as a
whole.

Scald are not known for being free with explanations behind their concepts
but it can be stated that the on-going conceptual, metaphorical
representations of the parasitic worm as psychological states has been
further evolved from the 'Nematoid' & 'Headworm' material. Without the use
of words or human voice these emotional and neurological conditions must be
conveyed through the aural and visual stimulus of the Vermiculatus whole. It
is not necessary to understand, only to be aware.

"SCALD's abolition world-codemaniacs of the terror fear cytoplasm that was
send back out to the insanity medium of the hyperreal HIV scanners DNA
channel of the corpse city technojunkies' era respiration-byte to
non-resettable mass of flesh-module. Vermiculatus turn on the feeling
replicant living body junk of SCALD's digital vamp cold-blooded disease
animals to the corpse feti streaming circuits of the biocapturism nerve
cells that compressed the acidHUMANIX infectious disease of a clone boy
ill-treatment. SCALD FUCKNAMLOAD the paradise apparatus of the human body
pill cruel emulator to the brain universe of the hybrid corpse mechanism
gene-dub of a chemical anthropoid murder-gimmick of the soul/gram made of
retro-ADAM. Vermiculatus aspirate the paradise apparatus of the human body
pill cruel emulator corpse feti streaming of the soul/gram made of
retro-ADAM to the abolition world-codemaniacs that was processed the data
mutant of SCALD's ultra machinary tragedy-ROM creature system acid.
Reptilian HUB modem that crashed a chemical anthropoid SCALD install the
terror fear cytoplasm that covered cardiac gene-dub of the drug fetus of the
trash sense to that mass of flesh-module with the era respiration-byte.
SCALD's brain universe of the hyperreal HIV scanner form murder game of the
dogs of tera to the acidHUMANIX infectious disease archive of the
biocapturism nerve cells nightmare-script of a clone boy to non-resettable
noise. SCALD's terror fear cytoplasm gene-dub of the drug fetus of the trash
sense to the acidHUMANIX infectious disease archive of the biocapturism
nerve cells nightmare-script of a clone boy corpse feti streaming. SCALD
plug-in the paradise apparatus of the human body pill cruel emulator mass of
flesh-module of the hybrid corpse mechanism that was send back out the era
respiration-byte of a chemical anthropoid murder-gimmick of the soul/gram
made of retro-ADAM. Vermiculatus turn on ill-treatment to the insanity
medium of the hyperreal HIV scanners feeling replicant living body junk of
SCALD's digital vamp cold-blooded disease animals DNA channel of the corpse
city." - Kenji Siratori, author of Blood Electric

Tracklist:
The Vermiculatus album is a single instrumental track with a running time of
47:28.

 

[unhinged]

From the one and only JULIAN COPE

"Staying right in the same groove is Scald’s enormous new record VERMICULATUS, on the Code 666 label. Like Sleep’s JERUSALEM, this record consists of one single track, this one 47 minutes long, which moves through several stages from bombastic metal riffery to musique concrete via white noise and the moving of the earth’s tectonic plates. Check out their myspace or buy this sucker at www.auralmusic.com. "

http://www.headheritage.co.uk/addressdrudion/89/2006/

 

[Langoustator]

One more from vs-webzine (France)

Rating : no rating

Pas plus tard que dans la chronique du dernier COMITY, j’évoquais rapidement une forme d’intellectualisation de la musique qui allait crescendo depuis quelques temps déjà. Voilà que le hasard a voulu me mettre dans les mains cet album des Irlandais de SCALD dont le label annonce la couleur dans la bio en présentant ce deuxième disque de leur carrière comme étant le plus expérimental et anti-commercial à ce jour. Des propos un rien racoleur mais qui en disent quand même long sur ce qu’on va probablement devoir subir.

Ignorant tout du groupe en question, je me penchais sur leur carrière et apprenait que le combos avait vu le jour en 1993 en Irlande du Nord et qu’il avait déjà à son actif quatre démos et un album ce qui n’est pas un bien grand palmarès pour une carrière de plus de treize ans. Un rapide échauffement des conduits auditifs et me voilà parti pour « Vermiculatus » l’anti-commercial.

Effectivement, le moins qu’on puisse dire, c’est que SCALD a volontairement choisi d’enregistrer un album pas facilement appréhensible par le quidam lambda. Premier point important de « Vermiculatus », le disque ne contient qu’une seule et unique plage de plus de 47 minutes. Second point : l’album est entièrement instrumental. Troisième point, SCALD a composé exclusivement ce disque de thèmes uniques qui ne se répètent à aucun moment. Quatrième point « Vermiculatus » est un concept album (sans textes, oui, oui!) dont le thème principal réside dans les vers métaphysique de l’esprit (gné ?)
Et enfin cinquième point, le trio irish se décrit lui-même comme étant une formation de « Progressive sludge grinding doom ». Alors oui, compte tenu de tous ces éléments, vous vous doutez bien que « Vermiculatus » fait partie de ces disques dont on ne sait pas trop par quel bout les prendre lorsqu’il s’agit d’en parler dans un article (message personnel « merci Greg !»).

En fait, de plage unique, l’unique titre de « Vermiculatus » se compose de deux parties bien distinctes. Dans la première moitié, SCALD pose les fondations d’un sludge metal alternant passages ambiants et riffs lourdement assenés. Dans un premier temps, on a le sentiment d’écouter un genre d’easy listening métal digne d’une salle d’attente de dentiste et puis très progressivement et nonchalamment, SCALD nous entraîne sur un terrain de plus en plus sombre. Peu à peu une sorte de tension, principalement échafaudée par le côté volontairement abstrait de la composition, s’installe. Bien vite les ambiances sont plus lourdes et le paysage bucolique du début se transforme en immonde marais glauque et inquiétant. L’absence de chant ne fait que renforcer ce déplaisant sentiment de désarroi qui prend forme. Il faut bien l’admettre, sous sa forme rigoureusement indigeste, sans repère, SCALD réussit à nous entraîner dans une sorte de miasme musical abscons qui fout carrément les boules. Le genre de truc qui rendrait maniaco-dépressif un télétubbie, c’est vous dire.

En ce qui concerne la seconde partie de « Vermiculatus », le trio reprend l’idée de la première moitié qu’il décline en exercice de style encore plus avant-gardiste en se contentant de jouer sur une seule corde, de nous balancer tout un tas de bruitages électroniques dont la portée m’échappe totalement et de triturer tous les boutons qu’ils avaient sous la main pendant leur passage en studio.

Ce disque comporte également une piste multimédia composée d’un film d’animation noir et blanc visuellement stroboscopique qui décline le concept des vers métaphysiques en un série de scènes incohérentes accompagnées de bruitages qui m’ont fait croire, dans un premier temps, à une défaillance de mon PC.

En voulant pousser dans ses derniers retranchements une œuvre pseudo-artistico-intellectuelle, SCALD réussit seulement à rendre la fin de ce disque pénible et fortement rébarbative. Tout cela me laisse à penser que je ne n’ai visiblement pas la fibre intellectuelle suffisamment développée pour appréhender dans sa plénitude cette galette résolument atypique. Une chose est néanmoins certaine, les écoutes successives de « Vermiculatus » m’ayant foutu le moral dans les chaussettes, il me faudra probablement toute une journée du best of d’Henry Des dans ma platine pour me sentir mieux.

Par curiosité, j’ai poussé le vice jusqu’à aller écouter des extraits des précédents enregistrements mais il n’y a que peu ou pas de similitude entre ce disque et certains trucs excellents que j’ai pu découvrir dans des démos.
En particulier « Born with Teeth » qui est entièrement disponible en téléchargement sur leur second site (en fait ils ont trois sites en tout et pour tout.

Mais pour revenir à nos moutons, « Vermiculatus » est un disque plus désagréable que captivant. Comment voulez-vous que je note un truc pareil ?

 

[unhinged]

cool
is it positive or negative?

 

[Langoustator]

I wouldn' say it is positive, but at least it's not negative (hence the "no rating"). The reviewer just didn't get in the album, and disliked the ambiant part (not the first one to write such a thing ).
But sentences like "Il faut bien l’admettre, sous sa forme rigoureusement indigeste, sans repère, SCALD réussit à nous entraîner dans une sorte de miasme musical abscons qui fout carrément les boules" which could be sumed up by "I have to admit this unidentified musical objet scares me" are pretty positive i think.

Oh, and he liked "born with teeth"

 

[unhinged]

"I have to admit this unidentified musical objet scares me" are pretty positive i think.

"

ha, sure theres the fucking job done right there

 

[Bard F]

From Benzoworld (ita)

(http://www.benzoworld.com/v2/rece.php?id=2187)

Meglio mettere le mani avanti. Questo non è un disco facile, anzi. Non è nemmeno un genere facile, figuriamoci poi se fatto in questo modo. Gli Scald sono un duo irlandese al secondo lavoro e ‘Vermiculatus’ è un’opera dall’evidente taglio artistico a 360°. Basta maneggiare per qualche attimo la lussuosa confezione digibook, osservare l’artwork inquietante, e concentrarsi nell’immaginare cosa la musica ci sta per offrire. ‘Vermiculatus’ è una lunga traccia di slugde apocalittico, misto ad elettronica e ambient. Già, siamo nel mondo malato dei Neurosis, anzi, per meglio definire, dei Tribes Of Neurot, propaggine ancora più deviata. La voce non trova spazio negli Scald, come è giusto che sia, altrimenti avremmo avuto qualche elemento umano a cui appigliarci. Invece, tutto quello che abbiamo sono tre quarti d’ora di delirio prima elettrico, con uno sludge monumentale che si richiama alle visioni di Steve Von Till, o alle idee di Sunn O))), Earth o Khanate, anche se il tutto è rivisto in un’ottica post-industriale, da quanto i suoni sono secchi, taglienti, freddi e inumani; nella seconda parte invece, c’è spazio per lugubri atmosfere dark ambient, creato su frequenze spaventose e demoniache. E’ facile svicolare il mio compito di recensore con musiche così visuali, in quanto potrei menarvela per diverse righe citandovi visioni psicotrope, albe apocalittiche e panorami post-atomici. Ma sarebbe sbagliato. Un’opera come quella degli Scald di per sé stessa suscita sensazioni, emozioni forti. Di per se stessa si presenta come ostacolo, come sfida. Che sia odio o adorazione, questo è un disco che vi farà riflettere, che cercherà di disturbarvi. Perciò, il mio dovere è quello di sviscerarne qualche perché. Musicalmente l’abbiamo detto, si tratta di un calice amaro da bere, 45 minuti prima elettrici e poi subito dopo elettronici, in un’ottica ben precisa il cui la band irlandese rilegge con il solo aiuto dei campionatori tutta la prima parte più metallica. A questo punto, dalle molteplici forme di ‘Vermiculatus’, emerge pure un video, un disturbante progetto, in cui immagini di uomini e tenie si intersecano a formare bizzarre e marcescenti composizioni. Resta poco da dire: tutto è nero, tutto è disperazione nel mondo di ‘Vermiculatus’, tutto è vissuto con angoscia e dolore. E’ un universo nero pece, in cui potreste voler entrare. Alla faccia di chi pensa che l’arte deve essere didattica, solare e costruttiva: gli Scald sono la riprova che c’è del rimosso, da qualche parte. Tanto rimosso.

Review by: Benzo
Rate: 8/10

 

[unhinged]

a nice one fromMetal storm 8.8 / 10

http://www.metalstorm.ee/pub/review.php?review_id=3535

Scald - Vermiculatus
2006


01. Vermiculatus


Country: Ireland
Genre: Post-Metal
Label: code666


This is one seriously damaged work of art to say the least; this album might be one of the most disturbing experiences I've had this year (and I thought Stalaggh was sickening). "Vermiculatus" is one of those albums that will haunt your dreams for its eclectic dissonance and methodical irony; the intriguing factor will keep your ears near the speakers and the eerie sounds will make you want to run as fast as you can.

There are some albums that are enjoyable only if you're doing something else (let's say organizing your stack of porn for example) and there are albums that need your attention from the beginning to the end. Scald successfully created a compelling mix of both kinds; "Vermiculatus" can be dissected in two halves, the first one embodies the musical skills of these Irish brains, the second one becomes an ambient-noise hiatus ala Objekt 4, Stalaggh, and Merzbow with creepier approaches (I'll talk about this later in the review)

The first half-hour goes by marvelously; I can't get enough of the music found in this record. Scald attacks the listener with one of the most solid Post-Metal assaults in the scene; this half narrates uncanny music indefinitely, it gathers an imprecise number of influences and styles creating an eclectic musical mixture. The mix of genres is almost undeniably infinite, yet the tight execution makes it easy on the ear. So much for the "musical" department, it's really original, it's intricate, it's aggressive, and it's fucking mind-blowing; but the next branch it's even more complicated.

The ambient-noise part it's really hard to digest; at first it sounds like a mild face of Merzbow, but once you toss this CD in your computer you'll see things differently as I did. The noisy side it's accompanied by a short-film…a very, VERY disturbing short-film; it's all about worms conceiving humans and worms fucking up with humans and all things "worm". The clip manages to keep you aware even though the imagery becomes really raw at times; anyway, this short-film makes the ambient-noise segment slightly "bearable" (as the video itself it's quite disconcerting as well), and in the end this thing will only enhance your experience with "Vermiculatus" in a very awry way.

You need to hear this album to know how "conceptually twisted "sounds like; the music part it's incredibly worthwhile, and even though the noise segment takes some re-playable values off of this disc, "Vermiculatus" is still a magnificent piece from this year's roster.

Best Tracks: lol


Performance: 9
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 10
Production: 7
Overall impression: 8


written by Herzebeth | published 24.11.2006

 

[unhinged]

from> Metal Act
[Act XXXIII] Metal Act - Metal Albums Reviews                                                                                                                                                                                                             

The sound of a submarine crushed by giant waves.
It seems that metal is heading in stranger and stranger directions, and allow me to be very glad for it. Who risks listening to “Vermiculatus” starts in an ample 48-minute journey in a closed, empty space. It’s not easy to fit Scald in the classic labels, but what’s for certain is that their music has its far-away roots firmly planted in doom metal. Who lends his ears has what to listen to. “Vermiculatus” is a musical oxymoron, it joins “heavy” stoner riffs a-la Kyuss, sludge atmosphere, industrial parts a-la Godflesh, psychedelic ones a-la Tarantula Hawk, drone and noise in the most original way possible, that if we don’t consider “Headworm”. Their precedent album.
The mastodon-track is built on a well-defined skeleton, seemingly dating from a funeral-doom mammoth: crescendo, climax, ending. Hmmm… ending, ending, ending. The instruments overlap somehow in another way than in traditional metal: over a riff that “rules”, percussion coming in front. The serve only for the atmosphere. It’s exclusively instrumental.
It’s strange how such an album, a willing mixture of styles, can easily compete with others belonging to already-established, well-determined genres. “Vermiculatus” contains true attacks to the hearing systematically and intelligently built, and they are the most listenable ones, as opposed to eccentricities such as Wolf Eyes.
Sometimes beings able to eat even metal are born. Listen to the great worm and you will understand what I am talking about.

8/10

Tracklist:

1’ Vermiculatus [47:28]


Author:Samyaza

 

[unhinged]

"The sound of a submarine crushed by giant waves."
..actually I've got to fucking use that!

 

[_cirumbo_]

sooner or later I'll catch my copy of Vermiculatus, but I'd like to hear more clips.:Smokin:

 

[unhinged]

sure just download it illegally like 99% of the other people who've heard it

...............or maybe take an actual risk in your life...

 

[_cirumbo_]

I'll take the risk. Download is crap, I always buy what I like, those 10 cds in one year... maybe Santa...
hail Scald!

 

[unhinged]

good man
youve restored my faith in society