Stinking Lizaveta Scream of the Iron Iconoclast
At a Loss Recordings AAL022 April 23, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Stinking Lizaveta is a name that gets tossed around in instrumental circles, and rightfully so, as Scream of the Iron Iconoclast their fifth full-length is a melting pot that fuses a variety of styles into one semi-interesting whole. Genres such as rock, doom, stoner, jazz, blues, and others are explored here, and though theres a lot to like about Scream , its too easy to drift off during the jam-heavy portions that display an unnecessary amount of noodling, which would probably be better suited to a live setting.
At barely over an hour, perhaps its unrealistic to demand undivided attention when an instrumental band as varied as Stinking Lizaveta are involved due to the meandering that occurs in several of the 16 tracks up for grabs. Leads and such arent overkill in tracks like Gravitas, To the Sun, and Thirteenth Moon since theyre significantly more structured than others that aimlessly wander, ostensibly, for minutes on end. Also, I find it difficult to enjoy Scream of the Iron Iconoclast when its at its most sluggish Secrets of the Past, Presence of Mind, Thats How I Feel, etc. whereas the tension-filled Indomitable Will and bouncy closer Nails succeed as a result of their energy.
Now, Ive never been enthralled with Steve Albinis production-related work, but his recording and mixing jobs impressed me here. Each instrument can be heard clearly and distinctly, and the trio sound great overall. Still, while SLs latest has a few definite winners among the 16, I think the length expects an unrealistic attention span from the average listener, and, furthermore, perhaps a few less tracks (10, 12, or even 14) wouldve been more manageable. Though very good from time to time, I doubt Ill return to Scream of the Iron Iconoclast that often.
Official Stinking Lizaveta Website
Official At a Loss Recordings Website
At a Loss Recordings AAL022 April 23, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Stinking Lizaveta is a name that gets tossed around in instrumental circles, and rightfully so, as Scream of the Iron Iconoclast their fifth full-length is a melting pot that fuses a variety of styles into one semi-interesting whole. Genres such as rock, doom, stoner, jazz, blues, and others are explored here, and though theres a lot to like about Scream , its too easy to drift off during the jam-heavy portions that display an unnecessary amount of noodling, which would probably be better suited to a live setting.
At barely over an hour, perhaps its unrealistic to demand undivided attention when an instrumental band as varied as Stinking Lizaveta are involved due to the meandering that occurs in several of the 16 tracks up for grabs. Leads and such arent overkill in tracks like Gravitas, To the Sun, and Thirteenth Moon since theyre significantly more structured than others that aimlessly wander, ostensibly, for minutes on end. Also, I find it difficult to enjoy Scream of the Iron Iconoclast when its at its most sluggish Secrets of the Past, Presence of Mind, Thats How I Feel, etc. whereas the tension-filled Indomitable Will and bouncy closer Nails succeed as a result of their energy.
Now, Ive never been enthralled with Steve Albinis production-related work, but his recording and mixing jobs impressed me here. Each instrument can be heard clearly and distinctly, and the trio sound great overall. Still, while SLs latest has a few definite winners among the 16, I think the length expects an unrealistic attention span from the average listener, and, furthermore, perhaps a few less tracks (10, 12, or even 14) wouldve been more manageable. Though very good from time to time, I doubt Ill return to Scream of the Iron Iconoclast that often.
Official Stinking Lizaveta Website
Official At a Loss Recordings Website
