Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Middian-Age Eternal, 2007

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That's right I actually broke down and bought a cd that came out this year. Guitarist/vocalist Mike Scheidt formed YOB in 1996 and started cranking out slow, droning music after a few years of figuring out a musical direction. In late 2005 after four releases, Scheidt decided to call it quits for YOB because the rhythm section had quit the band. He took a short break and then started recruiting for a new band, this one. Just like YOB, Middian are signed to Metal blade records. The sound of Middian is maybe 60% the same as YOB. There are lots of long, winding slow musical passages with a minumum of vocals just like YOB. However this band is far more metal and less psychedlic than YOB. Perhaps less Pink Floyd and more Sleep and Electric Wizard. There is just such an emphasis on every specific note like they are pulling as much out of it as humanly possible. Plus there are lots of big echoes so you hear and really feel all of the sounds vibrating around you. It's probably as much doom as it is stoner rock, but has far more hooks and a tighter song structure than say Sleep or Electric Wizard. It's not something that you can easily grasp right away and it may not be for everyone. Despite the pace there really is just so much going on. The vocals are purposefully very low in the mix. Almost sounding at times like Burke Shelley of Budgie singing in a tunnel. I am kind of split on how I feel about the vocals, but I am gradually warming up to it. The music is at times very large and I felt like it was all around me and this is maybe just one of a few albums in recent years that made me feel that way. You may have to be in a certain mood to really appreciate it, but it's well worth the effort. I expected this year to be a good one for doom and stoner rock and this album begins to make a good case for that point.

5 Comments:

Blogger The Mule said...

I need to review this one myself! I was a huge YOB fan, and you're right, Middian has its own thing going on. I just need some more time to absorb its epic density.

11:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the review...I've never heard of YOB or Middian, but that sounds like the kind of stuff I would get into!!! Cool!!!

5:25 AM  
Blogger DPTH International said...

I've been waffling on YOB, but I think I'll check out Middian first. I've noticed this release the last few times I've shopping. Sounds exciting, I've been exploring more and more doom metal lately ie, Solitude Aeturnus and Candlemass.

10:22 AM  
Blogger bob_vinyl said...

It's always a good sign when you say it's worth the effort, because it means that music is different enough to be difficult, yet good enough to stand up. I'll have to check out Middian, because I liked YOB.

11:05 AM  
Blogger Ray Van Horn, Jr. said...

This is an excellent album that I reviewed for AMP mag. I was sucked in instantly and had to take many listening sessions to soak all of it since it's a long album. There's definitely tons of doom and stoner coming down the way...lots of it in my piles. For some doom/prog, Titan is an amazing band to check out.

10:07 PM  

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