Goddess preserve us

>> Boston’s Isis lead the true new metal

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

“With bands like Fantomas, Neurosis, Dillinger Escape Plan, Cephalic Carnage and Knut evolving at a rate that has not been seen since the Krautrock scene of the ’70s or the electronic movement of the ’90s, metal and hardcore are proving to be the most progressive genres happening right now. Previous emphasis on speed is now being replaced by ambience laced with moments of electronic blips and beeps, free jazz, noise, no wave and tinges of psychedelia.
Boston’s Isis could very well be the leaders of this new style of metal/hardcore. Last year’s Celestial album and SGNL 05 EP were the defining moments for this newly hatched genre. Their new record Oceanic, which will be dropped later this month, promises even more atmospheric instrumentals with musical reference points even more cleverly disguised.

“I’m not really apt at describing our music,” says guitarist Aaron Turner. “I guess you could say that hardcore and indie rock were our springboard but we’re a bit more orchestral and dynamic, with a bit more sparseness to it than your typical hardcore or what a lot of people are used to listening to.”
Metal and hardcore, in the past couple of years, have proved to be like sharks—if they stop moving, they’ll die. The two camps are merging, along with a new interest from fans of a more experimental background. But even with more and more coverage in experimental music rags like Wire, metal still has a long way to go in shaking its headbanging image.

“There are still a lot of bands that don’t get the attention they deserve because they come from a metal background, but I think that is changing. Obviously a lot people from other scenes are starting to pick up on this stuff. The lines are starting to get really blurred now and that is really exciting. As far as Isis goes, at this point we are just as influenced by electronic or psychedelic music as we are by metal. I think one of the points for us has always been to constantly evolve and the day we don’t do that is the day we will just stop.” :

With Below the Sea and Austerity Report at la Sala Rossa on Friday, Sept. 6, 9pm, $12

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