Urizen Autocratopolis
Noetic Productions NP001 2005
By Jason Jordan
Like Whats He Building in There?, Dallass Urizen play avant-garde metal that has The End Records written all over it. Parallel to output from Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Stolen Babies, and Unexpect, Autocratopolis is a rich debut that offers eccentricity without pretension, though it still pales in comparison to other albums in the same vein despite predating them.
Above all, however, Autocratopolis sounds great. The production is full and thick, as the Sigh-esque A Shift in the Weather and It Begins to Rain both prove. Urizens MO calls for heavy keyboard/piano usage that will remind some of various members of The Ends roster as well as Norwegian duo Solefald, but, this quartet nonetheless manage to create a unique identity, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. Streetlight is much more pop in nature, though, and its at this point that the absence of gruff vocals seems most apparent and unfortunate. Even so, the four-piece are vocally at the top of their game. The acoustic guitar in Behind the Vast Window is well-executed, too. Barren Winds is energizing, since its relayed at a quick pace, while Oh, the Humanity! and Neon lay the electronic effects on thick the latter radiating organ to die for. (Or 3 Steps to Happiness), a two-parter, relies primarily on humor and vocal harmonizing, although the piano provides undeniable support as it does in the seven-minute closer The Horror. Nevertheless, the compositions dont really break new ground, nor astound to the point where originality ceases to matter.
While its true that these Texans dont best their fellow experimentalists, its also true that Autocratopolis is satisfying for what it is and is also nice to look at. On the whole, Urizen possess far more positives than negatives. Sensing that, perhaps The End or a label equally as adventurous will take notice and sign em.
Official Urizen Website
Noetic Productions NP001 2005
By Jason Jordan
Like Whats He Building in There?, Dallass Urizen play avant-garde metal that has The End Records written all over it. Parallel to output from Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Stolen Babies, and Unexpect, Autocratopolis is a rich debut that offers eccentricity without pretension, though it still pales in comparison to other albums in the same vein despite predating them.
Above all, however, Autocratopolis sounds great. The production is full and thick, as the Sigh-esque A Shift in the Weather and It Begins to Rain both prove. Urizens MO calls for heavy keyboard/piano usage that will remind some of various members of The Ends roster as well as Norwegian duo Solefald, but, this quartet nonetheless manage to create a unique identity, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. Streetlight is much more pop in nature, though, and its at this point that the absence of gruff vocals seems most apparent and unfortunate. Even so, the four-piece are vocally at the top of their game. The acoustic guitar in Behind the Vast Window is well-executed, too. Barren Winds is energizing, since its relayed at a quick pace, while Oh, the Humanity! and Neon lay the electronic effects on thick the latter radiating organ to die for. (Or 3 Steps to Happiness), a two-parter, relies primarily on humor and vocal harmonizing, although the piano provides undeniable support as it does in the seven-minute closer The Horror. Nevertheless, the compositions dont really break new ground, nor astound to the point where originality ceases to matter.
While its true that these Texans dont best their fellow experimentalists, its also true that Autocratopolis is satisfying for what it is and is also nice to look at. On the whole, Urizen possess far more positives than negatives. Sensing that, perhaps The End or a label equally as adventurous will take notice and sign em.
Official Urizen Website
