Neurosis-Souls At Zero (reissue)

Neurot Recordings 2011

I was pleasantly surprised when Mark presented Neurosis's Souls At Zero reissue for me to review. Originally released in 1992 Souls At Zero is nothing short of a masterpiece. While Neurosis had started out as a hardcore band by the time this (their third album) rolled out they had begun to experiment with a variety of different sounds and effects. Simply not contempt to just stay within the confines of hardcore the group played around with tribal beats, sparse vocals, doom metal and bizarre samples to create what would eventually be known as atmospheric hardcore. I remember when this first came out it created quite a buzz in the metal underground. Through reviews and word of mouth the album became a must hear piece of music. I bought it the first time I saw it at my local record store. Thinking back I can recall how far removed it was from much of the music of the 90s. It was just so dark and mesmerizing. Certainly ahead of it's time. As I sit and listen to the reissue I'm still impressed with not only how unique it is but also how well as a whole the album flows. It creates it's own little world of melodic yet powerful wonder. It's a work of art. Much more than just meets the eyes as with each listen you'll pick up on something you've missed. If you've never heard this album than do yourself a favor and pick the reissue up when it comes out. Featuring 2 extra demo tracks and a live number Souls At Zero is a feast for the ears. Few releases ever achieve the lasting impact that Souls At Zero has. Neurosis was and is one of the most creative metal acts out there. With a live show that is a visual experience as well Neurosis is in a class of their own. While their later material is good nothing ever compared to Souls At Zero for me. This is an album that I forgot how much I enjoyed it. I need to keep this one handy for when I need something really good to indulge in.