Gin

America gets a pretty bad rep when it comes to black metal (among other things). If you believe some of the too-trve-4-u grognards on here, Americans might just be genetically incapable of producing good black metal, our best efforts winding up as inferior imitations of the genre’s Nordic forebears at best, or gentrified art school nonsense at worst. None of these people have ever heard of Cobalt, nor do they deserve to.

Cobalt gives a whole new meaning to the acronym USBM, a black metal band that not only happens to be from America, but SOUNDS distinctively American. Cleverly mixing influences from Neurosis, Swans, Townes van Zandt, and Tool into the black metal mold, Cobalt came up with a completely unprecedented and inimitable sound. The compositions here are simply untouchable. The way these tracks build and collapse and charge forward, sometimes slowing down but never losing momentum, can only be compared to some mutant spawn of Swans and Bathory. Every song offers at least one S-tier riff, even the instrumental interludes, and the drumming propels everything forward at the pace of a furious cavalry charge. The concoction is completed by the unusually polished production, which gives the record an uncanny sound, like something preserved in formaldehyde.

Similarly, Cobalt’s aesthetic vocabulary is completely unique to them, conjuring up images of burning red mesas, mummified shamans, dead insects floating in whiskey, circus freak shows, prison chain gangs, and buffalo herds thundering across the endless, godless plains. This is music for Cormac McCarthy novels. Phil McSorley is a gifted lyricist, his words bleak and raw reflections on sex, death, spirituality, and war, all heavily indebted to the man on the cover.

Gin is the rarest kind of album, one that sounds completely unique, where every song is almost equally addictive, and which flows perfectly as a single cohesive piece. It represents an artistic peak for artist, scene, and genre simultaneously, and never loses its edge. Slow Forever was great, but it honestly never even had a chance of topping this. Just listen to it. It’s fucking good.

If you're looking for a "kvlt" black metal album, this album is not for you. Gin is a confusing, sometimes sinister sounding record from the duo from Colorado. When the very first note comes in, you may start questioning if this is the legit release you were hoping to dive into. It almost sounds like a country band trying to make heavy metal. However, have no fear, this is simply the tip of the iceberg.

Cobalt makes a type of black metal that can't easily be defined. The band themselves refer to the music as "war metal." I happen to like this term but i'd say it's more like "blackened war metal." The riffs are brutal, but have a certain brutality to them that seems too sneak up on you without warning. Songs like "Arsonry" and "Stomach" will leave every fan of extreme metal satisfied, where as "Dry Body" will just leave you creeped out and, most likely, wondering what the hell is wrong with this group.

As far as instrumentation goes, the riffs are cleanly played with a stellar backbone of drums. The vocals are about as perfect as I could ask for on an album this strange, and I do mean strange in the best way possible. The lyrics to this album are also very odd and sometimes confusing, but when you think about them they become clear, and quite mind expanding.

Overall, this is probably my favorite black metal album, let alone release period. With vocals that sound sinister, riffs that are crunchy and chuggy but at the same time wicked enough, I can't find a single thing to complain about. Stand out tracks are "Arsonry" and "Dry Body" with every other track being just as stellar in composition and overall ingenuity.

I don't know if there's a definitive sound that black metal ought to have, but Cobalt don't fit the stereotype that I associate with most black metal. They avoid the whole Satanic pretense, they don't wear corpse camo, they don't spend the length of this album shrieking and firing furious blast beats at the listener. Obviously those are nothing more than assumptions people make about black metal when they have no clue what the genre contains (such as myself), but regardless of my inexperience in the genre Gin has connected with me, and perhaps I'll see black metal in a different light from now on.

I had the idea that this was going to be one-dimensional and boring, but I couldn't have been further away with that guess. Gin is among the most dynamic records I've had the pleasure of hearing, with influences drawn from doom metal, death metal and even some hardcore. The riffs have a sort of bounce to them that gives them a nice groovy rhythm, but the tone is more akin to sludge metal. It's a mix that works very well, and although the production makes everything a little unclear it never becomes merely a wall of noise. Rather, I find that it adds to the dark and slightly creepy atmosphere that Cobalt project. The atmosphere is key to Gin, and without a doubt it's the part that the guys nail the most. Acoustics are a prominent feature of this album, and they're used to great effect to break up the heavier and darker sections and really emphasise them when they come around again. There's always a sense of foreboding though, which is subtly played upon with some quiet electric guitar in the background on the track 'Throat' and something else droning on 'The Old Man Who Lied for His Entire Life'. Cobalt know how the play off of the listener, that's for sure. I feel like it would be wrong not to talk about the drumming as well, because rather than 1349-style hammering with the intention being to pound the listener into submission, Erik Wunder plays tastefully and with excellent control. He's mostly quite reserved, but it suits the nature of the music perfectly.

I should also mention the vocals, because they have great variation and most of the time are quite fantastic. The vocal style that so many bands use has always been one of the main reasons that I avoid black metal. High pitched shrieks and screams just go right through me, and I just cannot bear to put up with them no matter how good the music is. The vocals are the only reason that I can't bring myself to listen to Desire for Sorrow's At Dawn of Abysmal Ruination, for example, as they detract so much from some excellent musicianship. Okay, the mid-pitch scream that Phil McSorley uses across Gin isn't fantastic, but it's not bad either. I can feel something being added to the music at least, an element of suffering that feels so real. It's as if he channels his experiences in the army straight into this performance, giving it that extra edge that would be missing without it. The lower growls appeal more to me, but they're used sparingly. It's the cleans that are the real gem, and although they're always somewhere near the back of the mix when they show up they sound so eerie and haunting. They work so well in tandem with the rest of the music and they're one of the main reasons that the stand out track is 'Dry Body'.

The most impressive part of this record though is how seamlessly everything weaves itself together and how it all just works. There are so many different sides to this album, and each track has its own personality. When a band can do that you know that you're onto a winner, and Gin is an album that I will be hearing a lot more of, I think. If you think that black metal is a dry and stale genre, give this a listen. Cobalt will make you certain that this is not the case at all.

In the past years, USBM has developed to a varied scene of plenty of bands that create unique sound-experiences instead of ripping each other off as it is often seen in other countries' scenes, such as the Norwegian, for example. While Norway was the beginning of what we call "black metal", that form of "true black metal" has stagnated. And even putting that aside, while being honest, the term "true" does not really fit monkeys covered in corpsepaint pretending to hate humanity.

Cobalt are something else. McSorley is stationed in Baghdad as an U.S army scout, which is one of the more dangerous positions in war. He has to face real death and horror on a daily basis and this directly influences the music. It is not about false, made-up stories of fake hatred created in some bedroom locked from the world out there.

"Gin" is the third full-length album of Cobalt and, for me personally, their most thrilling release up to date. There is so much passion for details and progression while the sound remains raw without overstating its case. There are powerfully written riffs and crushing, filthy vocals that couldn't hold more of a "true" feeling of life and death. Riffs and tempo changes are exactly where needed with no dragging on...just straight-up devolution from start to finish.

The various soundscapes incorporated into the music will never make you feel like you've heard them before. We have crushing black metal blastbeats, sludgey walls of sound, a punkish rock 'n' roll vibe, misanthropic passages full of anger and despair, boozed native nostalgia, overwhelming bass lines, and a form of progression that is more than unusual for a black metal record.

If people asked me of a perfect example of "US black metal", I'd tell them to check out Cobalt. They aren't just a black metal band from America. Their music actually sounds American.

While they've generated a lot of buzz, I'm willing to bet I'm not the only person who hadn't heard of Cobalt before. And I'm going on record saying that anyone with even a passing interest in extreme metal needs to know about Gin.

Cobalt is a two-man band, with the vocalist/lyricist in the military and only able to work on the albums sporadically. It would appear that kind of hardship has yielded something amazing.

As simply as I can put it, they sound like mid-to-late-90's Satyricon covering Tool material from the same period. This is, of course, an over-simplification, but they show the same kind of brilliant interplay between bass and guitar as Tool, similarly phenomenal drumming (see "Two-Thumbed Fist"), and the same knack for including moments of beauty in otherwise aggressive compositions. The tracks tend to start off more in Norwegian black metal, and then branch off to explore other, more progressive or post-metal territory (see "Arsonry").

Like I said, though, that is an oversimplification. "Dry Body" doesn't fit either mold, with its extended droning vocals dark enough to keep a motivational speaker from getting out of bed for a week. They have acoustic/electric interludes of both startling beauty ("Throat") and incredible sadness ("The Old Man Who Lied for His Entire Life").

They also give it a distinctly American feel to go with Hemingway on the cover. "Pregnant Insect" has clean vocals which sound like traditional Native American song. "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" is an instrumental with audio clips over the top, which sound like a monologue from a soldier. And to top it all off, there's a hidden track which sounds like Southern prisoners singing at hard labor.

All of these elements fit together seamlessly, with beauty and ugly not just balancing each other, but emphasizing. This is not just great music, this is amazing.

The Verdict: Cobalt deserves every ounce of attention they've gotten for Gin, and probably deserve a lot more. This could well be the high watermark for American black metal. This is an album I would seriously consider for my "if you were stranded on a deserted island" list.

originally written for http://fullmetalattorney.blogspot.com/

You know, it's much easier to find albums that are simply enjoyable, rather than both musically intriguing, and enjoyable. Basically what I'm saying, is that some metal albums just have this 'something extra'; some kind of elusive, perhaps personal nature to the sound - something almost introspective, in its sheer genuine craft and original synthesis of something very inspired, but not in a typical sense, we'll say. Something that stands out on its own, not necessarily through musical technique, but with an even more intangible sense of spirited conviction. Yes, this album is really something very special, and certainly stands out on its own now, and it will forever, I'm quite certain. Personally, I'm finding that this is a rather difficult album to review, as in it invokes very complex and unique feelings in me. I mean, all albums have their own charm, but some of them have appeal that just goes deeper and seeps with more meaning that the rest. Gin is one of these albums. A stoic and blackened ritualistic venture into warm, infernal, grand and beautiful soundscapes unlike any other. It's August, and I'm already betting that this will be the best metal album of 2009.

This album is long and expansive, showcasing a wide variety of influence and rhythms; often hearkening to dark, yet powerful post-rock/metal and sludge or 'drone' within verses. The gritty guitar riffing is thickly accentuated with the kind of slow, elaborate pacing of Neurosis or later SWANS, and creates a most original abrasive intensity, that is somehow also grandiose and powerful in all aspects. Cobalt have crafted such a seamless and delicate balance of black metal and the aforementioned elements, that there is an astoundingly natural feeling that pervades the entire album. I must emphasize that a lot of this album's appeal lies in how genuinely natural this music is conceived. In addition, there is a very personal feel to this album. From the album being dedicated to Ernest Hemingway and Hunter S. Thompson (two of the members' favorite authors), to the lyrics, that often reveal a vehement sense of restless passion and stress. There's an elusive, yet utterly grand feel to the album. It feels dark, yet triumphant to me. When I listen to the third tack, "Arsonry", for instance, I'm always floored by it's rough beauty and the overt and utter sincerity of the mood of the music. I really hate to use the word 'romantic' to describe a metal riff, but the dark yet steady mood of this album really has a sense of unusual beauty, albeit a very dark and dynamic one at that. However, this is a highly subjective sound here, so it will offer many things to different people.

Musicianship is well, magisterial, to say the least. Cobalt have both honed their precise and dynamic brand of blackened metal to stunning levels on the instrumental end, yet keeping the atmospheric potency alive at all times, and MAGNIFYING the different moods and shades of color with different techniques and tempos. It's actually a remarkable feat for music this original. Actually, even more remarkable is the fact that all of the instrumentation on this album was done by Erik Wunder, as vocalist/guitarist Phil McSorely's position as a Sargent in the Army had kept him in Baghdad at the time of recording. Despite this, Phil is responsible for all vocals and lyrics on this album, and he actually does a remarkable job on both accounts. His vocals are a moderately-high shriek, but sound very natural and emotional with raw anger and stress. Fitting the atmosphere perfectly, with no sign of gimmick or pretentiousness. It actually adds greatly to the 'personal feel' of this album. Describing extreme metal vocals is a bit of an walloping task, so I'll just leave it at that. But luckily, this album has such an even and well-balanced sound, that is just so cohesive and full of depth and character, that you simply can't help but get sucked in. One of my favorite parts about this album is that the drums are very pronounced in the mix, which really creates intensity. Controlled, creative chaos, as Erik precisely pounds his kit with some of the most evocative and creative drumming on any recent metal album.

Guitar riffs...are simply elite. I know I've already told you how this album just feels so grand and powerful, but you really have to hear it. There's the magnificent opening title track, which opens with somber, bluesy acoustic guitar before crawling along with sludge-tinted, warm, muddy riffs at a mid-pace. I really love how a great band like this utilizes the importance of stressing certain notes within the consonant flurries of riffing. A lot of the rhythms fluctuate with welcome and inventive unpredictability, like I said; utilizing various tempos and techniques. Like when this track (the title track) then leads up to a powerful, punchy, hammer-on pull-off staccato riff before brilliantly slowing down into moody tinges of blackened post-rock. Or notice how the band flips a 180 on the following track, "Dry Body" which is an entrancing, ritualistic, shamanic ambient piece spanning nearly nine minutes. I really shouldn't describe every song, as you simply need to hear the power of "Arsonry", "Stomach", and "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place", and...well, the entire thing, frankly. Also, you'll notice that between many of the more 'black' tracks, there are 'interludes' of sorts. However, these interludes are much more than simple, dispensable pieces. No, each song here is a fucking SONG, and half of this album is bereft of distorted guitars and growls! It's amazing how Cobalt can so seamlessly stamp their identity over all of these elements in their sound, and weave it all together so flawlessly. But nonetheless, the overall feel is very metallic and raw, which really creates a perfect balance of elements, and is exactly why this music still feels so focused and well-composed throughout. It's consistency is superior to many, many albums.

By now, I think that I've given you a pretty good idea of just why I deem this so special and essential. It's a truly original and intriguing work, that offers so much, without seeming to even go out of its way to achieve it. Erik states in an interview; "Phil and I are basically heathen men" and that statement certainly rings true within Gin. This isn't just the brains of two heathen men reveling in the sound; their souls are there as well. Along the way is an apocalyptic, rapturous theme within the sound, like it offers the last importance of life in just over a glorious hour. I'm truly proud to share a state with this brilliant, one-of-a-kind band, and will be anticipating the next offering immensely. Welcome to the new universe.

No man. No dog.

I've been sitting on this one for a while. I wrote an entire review and threw it away. This is an important album, but it's difficult to describe. Gin is American black metal that is transcendent of the genre. It's spirit is somehow more genuine than most anything labeled "black metal" in this day and age. At the same time, Gin actually embodies something American that is hard to quantify. Cobalt is made up of Phil McSorley and Erik Wunder.

Gin starts off with some innocuous clean guitars, and heads into some filthy riffage. The guitar tone is excellent. You won't find triggers, blast beats or walls of sound here. The drumming is savage and has a barbaric Keith Moon feel to it. McSorley's vocals are animalistic and satisfying. I feel a comparison could be made to Grutle of Enslaved, but McSorley emits more of a sense of madness and agony in his screams.

The second song, "Dry Body," takes us in a completely different direction. Clean guitars accompany Erik Wunder's amazingly deep, clean vocals. His voice makes me think of Phil Anselmo at his most lucid. The clean vocals continue in a semi-chant along with some fantastic distorted riffage. The guitar work is primitive, crusty and bluesy. There is some small corollary here to Satyricon's recent guitar sound, but Erik Wunder has infused that blackness with more soul than Satyr could ever manage.

Gin soldiers on with a marshal spirit, constantly displaying an eclectic but cohesive synthesis of influences. I really enjoy this album. The dynamics do well to maintain interest and the cacophonous crescendos frequently induce involuntary headbanging.

Gin is not without flaws. There are a few moments where a repeated riff will drone out and lose me. It's a small gripe compared with the amazing uniqueness of the whole package.

The nearly 10 minute long "Two-Thumbed Fist" is a stand-out track for me. There's something progressive here that eschews the usual Provolone associated with progress in metal. The spirit of black metal remains, but all it's trappings fall away to reveal something that truly rocks.

Amazingly, one of the most memorable songs on the album isn't even by the band. There is a hidden track that Erik Wunder claims is an early 1900's field recording of a Negro spiritual, sung by an African American chain gang. The track is haunting and absolutely astounding. To me, it's worth the price of the album on its own. It takes a gigantic pair to tack something like that on the end of a "metal" album. But that is the genius of Gin.

Originally posted here: http://atanamar.blogspot.com/

Review originally publsihed at http://www.teethofthedivine.com by Erik Thomas

2007s Eater of Birds was a watershed release for this Colorado duo, firmly putting them in the very forefront of USBM along the likes of Nachtmystium, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Krallice and the long awaited follow up, Gin will further cement the duo as one of the very best forward thinking, envelope shredding purveyors of black metal that the US has to offer.

Though further pushing the levels of experimentation and what black metal sounds like, Gin though not as experimental as the ambience filled recent EP, still pushing the boundaries of traditional black metal and extreme music for that matter. Culling from all sorts of outside influences from Tool to Ennio Morricone, Gin simply challenges listener’s expectations of what black metal is, but still retains black metal’s underlying hues and atmospheres.

From the title, the Ernest Hemmingway cover and guest appearance from Jarboe, to the use of chants, programming, a tangible Old West vibe and even an almost chain gang sounding ditty (a hidden track at the end of the album), Gin is unpredictable, unconventional but at the same time utterly brilliant as it cuts a swathe not unlike Assassins: Black Meddle pt 1 in its progressive, genre bending path.

Breaking down the album is a tall order (as is most Profound Lore material) and really must be heard to be appreciated rather than conveyed in words. Opener “Gin” is a multi layered, sepia hued journey into sublime psychedelic riffage that ebbs, build and climaxes in a drunken flailing fit. The languid duo of “Dry Body” and “Arsonry” see Cobalt chant and sway with a hazy abandon and juniper scented experimentation while retaining an underlying sense of foreboding and spurts of swirling, urgent and bold yet warm riffage, the complete opposite of most of black metal sterile and cold, calculated assaults.

With the first three tracks forging such high standards, the rest of the album has to try awfully hard to keep up but a hypnotic interlude (”Throat”), almost Mastodon-ish gait of instrumental “A Clean, Well Lit Place” and raucous punk fueled standout “Pregnant Insect” (with just a killer climax) keep the albums middle section interesting a varied. However, the albums last couple of tracks (the rangy “Two Thumbed Fist”, “A Starved Horror”) seem a bit familiar and recycled, if still enthralling. After some extended silence the afore mentioned hidden track closes things out with a truly off the wall, end note, but its oddly hypnotic.

Once again Profound Lore has upped the ante with one of their releases, and Cobalt have proven that Eater of Birds was no fluke and released a black metal album for true connoisseurs of extreme music.