08 Aug 2008 // A review by CEOMong
A fantastically unique and different sounding album, so many elements that cant easily be traced back to another band’s sound – all at the same time without sounding like pompous try-hards. Love it. Nort are always running at full tilt, every track throwing something more at you and turning up the intensity just that little bit more. Heavy and memorable rhythms and real trickiness shown by all – especially the lead gax. Full of emotion, threaded throughout the whole album so craftily its amazing. Well-balanced and produced, each track seems to focus on different elements in order to serve up one mean mother of an album. Definitely one of my faves this year.
1 – Intro – short tease
2 – The Age Of Violence – full-on from the start, full and widely ranging vox and intriguing riffs. Massive and tasty, an orderly yet chaotic sound.
3 – Torn – solid headbanging bass-heavy riff draws you in, throws some tricky bass and gax in your face. Smooth and well-evolved sound. Out of it little sideways lucidity plunge 2/3rds through, cranking some fucking out of it almost-bluesy, amplified acoustic action – before cranking up the heat to ‘sear’.
4 – Lab Rat – a bit more speed now, a track to let your Bogan inside free.
5 – Within – similar theme from the Rat, thinner tempo with some audio jam spread nice and thick over that shit. Really inventive, sweet hooky as chorus.
6 – Skin Deep – some real tricky thunderstormy atmosphere feel to begin, which hints at a transcendence and lays it on nice and thick through each chorus, before falling back through the clouds to glide a bit more. A real journey taken in this track.
7 – Someone’s Son – mellow gax and tribal drums blend into spine-tingling unplugged kind of riff. A very sad song, a fit tribute to one who has fallen. Epic & heartfelt.
8 – We’re All Whores – plunges headlong and speedily back into the metal, picking up pace rapidly. Cool gax solo pieces, nice short dropping riffs leaving you hanging just enough. Juicy bass lines throughout.
9 – Substance – a real bootstomper, Leopard unleashes some mean and truly epic drumming styles.
10 – Morta – a real speedy headbanger of a track, carries on the theme of the album thoroughly and convincingly.
11 – Red Sea – eerie open start, slow, careful, mellow, expectant air. Deep, methodical, brings on a full-body sway and slow headbang.
12 – Falcify – More of a mellow gax driven track, a bit more of a commercial radio-friendly track. Mint as riffs, tricky little pieces throughout.
13 – The Dead – slower but no less technically ripped – out of it vocal and gax effects and slower tempo axe make this another special track. Awesome.
14 – Everybody Dies – Quicker track to end the album, short sharp headbangers and a bit of punk rock feel. Sneaky hidden track rolls in, chock full of power and snarky snares and rumpy-pumpy bass – demonstrating once again Nort’s diverse style. A real nice way to end the album.
Yours in Violence,
CEO Mong