Haunting [adj]; Remaining in the consciousness; not quickly forgotten. Why the definition to the word 'haunting'? I'll explain, gather around the hearth children for I will tell the tale of how "All The Waters of the Earth Shall Turn to Blood".
The year is 2010, a robust duo hailing from Rhode Island set out to create the soundtrack of nihilism. An album that is both harrowing and grim in all of its facets; sonically, atmospherically, lyrically, structurally, and yes even visually.
Lyrically outlining the failures of science, humankind, deities and just about everything else negative tinged and forlorn through shrieks that barely pierce through the ensuing chaos, as if the words are being swallowed up and buried under its own instrumentation.
The atmosphere is a swirling wind carrying negative vibes your way, causing an uneasiness through its entirety. The Body doesn't give a fuck about your fragile feelings, in fact, they intend to smash them along with your rather whimsical take on life. Structurally scattered adding to the foreboding nature of the beast, with riffs weaving in and out of the labyrinth of molasses paced drone/doom. The guitars are thick and glacial as the drums beat on in hypnotizing fashion, both seemingly recorded louder than the recording equipment could handle.
What you hear is entirely unique (as unique as something can be while still being influenced), which can be a rarity in todays day and age, but these two burly dudes deliver bizarre soundscapes through a bounty of interesting ways; The Body collaborated with "Assembly of Light" choir group to add their ethereal gospel like chant into a few songs, most notably the opener track "A Body" where it is used brilliantly to create immense tension for a solid 7 minutes (Demanding patience) until a wall of noise comes crashing in.
There are a number of other oddities that take shape on "All The Waters of the Earth Shall Turn to Blood", in the song "Empty Hearth" which features unusual throat singing and a ongoing nonsensical chant by a religious separatist movement woven throughout the dense sound of guitars and droning drums where its use is edited quite intriguingly. "Song of Sarin, The Brave" has fragmented quotes from Charles Manson, a man who often goes on these (sometimes brilliant)nonsensical tangents that have manipulating power, it's a suitable voice for misanthropy.
I'll quickly dabble into the visual element, an album cover that only conjures up impenetrably eerie vibes and peculiar intrigue. The two members are shown standing in a barren scenery brandishing guns,… but here's the odd part, they are wearing outlandish garments (I read somewhere that it had something to do with traditional ceremonial wedding garb) that fester up an uneasiness that was surely intended.
Behold, an album that succeeds in just about every way it means to; Create the misanthropic funeral dirge of nihilism, buried in a devastatingly heavy sea of mid-tempo riffing, hypnotic drumming, and unsettling atmosphere through careful layering. The Body will reward patient listeners with fresh frissons of palpable tension and sonic vertigo. This is how all the waters of the earth will turn to blood.
Get it. (thanks to The Elementary Revolt for the download link)
