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PO || SUMAC - What One Becomes


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How many times have you spun Deal, Kurazz? I dug what I heard right out of the gates and was definitely content with the record for a good bit, but in the last two months I've been revising it rampantly. (Mostly for a show that was canceled a few weeks back.) In the process I managed to really, really heighten my appreciation for the album. It's not as immediately rewarding as a lot of folks hope it'd be, I think, but I feel like it delivers from start to finish.

 

My experience was quite the opposite, I had such high hopes for the album that when it was released I gave it numerous listens for the first few months hoping something would change even after the first spin did absolutely nothing for me. I was only ever content with the album. I gave it another go yesterday morning and then again during the day, my position on the album still hasn't changed and whats worse is I don't know what it is that I don't enjoy. I mean it's classic Aaron, heavy is as heavy does.

 

I have listened to the new teaser over 100 times already, so there's that.

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They're a little more gritty and dark (and less aquatic and lush) than Isis, but the sprawling structures of the tracks coupled with Aaron's vocals makes me feel like The Deal is the closest thing we're getting to new Isis material anytime soon. Sumac feel right at home while also being their own kind of behemoth, and I really admire that. It just makes me wonder if all fellow Isis fans feel like they resonate comparably well with this project, or if that's a comparison I'm alone in drawing. Either way, I just hope Gumbo doesn't stumble across this thread anytime soon.

Don't worry, I'm not really on the Sumac train, haha.

Although I did like this teaser a bit better than what I heard of The Deal. This project is just too like, grungy... or weird, in a way. I don't know, I just can't get into it. I want those fucking sprawling builds, dense and fluid.

I did, however, for a second feel like Aaron is touching back on the early Isis material with this stuff. It's so fucking dark and heavy, but not in that suffocating way early Isis material was.

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Listened to "Rigid Man" a few times already now that I'm home from work. I like it. It definitely has that feel overall from the songs on The Deal, but I'm getting the sense that the band has found their groove and footing in their sound. Esp. with A.Turner's vocals and guitar sound. If you sludged-down ISIS' Mosquito Control and made it louder as well. 

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I also struggle with The Deal somewhat. These have been 3 of my favorite musicians for a long time so I can't begin to explain the hype I had around this project when it was announced. My main struggle with The Deal is the way it's sandwiched in between these two (essentially) intro/outro tracks. The opening track especially frustrates me since the following track has another decent opening part to it that I find a bit cheesy. Then the closing track has a completely different feel to the rest of the album which is fine but is an awkward ending. But dang when they get into it, it's so good! I also truly didn't comprehend the complexity of the drumming until I was able to see them live. I find the mastering on The Deal to be a bit bass heavy and really covers up a lot of the drum work.

 

However, what I've heard so far from What One Becomes has been killer. I remember being somewhat let down by The Deal but feeling like their next album would be gold as it seemed they were still finding their groove as jhulud mentioned. The last 2 minutes of that just released track is friggin hot fire!

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Giving this tune another listen. I'm liking it a lot more now on this 2nd trip through than on my initial play.

I can't do The Deal. Those songs just bore me so badly for some reason. This is a little bit better.

I'm sure the vinyl for this album will sound fucking tremendous though. Anything Aaron puts out on vinyl is pretty much the best-sounding thing ever.

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