Neurosis
Times Of Grace

I know, I'm a bit late with this review... this album was released a whopping 7 years ago in the already distant 1999, by the glorious and now defunct MUSIC FOR NATIONS, a true master in discovering talents that would heavily influence the bands to come; do the early works of METALLICA ring any bells?

I must say I'm biased in this review as NEUROSIS are one of my favorite bands. Since '99 they've released 3 more CDs (“A Sun that never sets”, “Neurosis & Jarboe”, “The eye of every storm”); all three are beautiful, but in my humble opinion, they do not reach the level of intensity and the sensation of impending apocalypse that this masterpiece exudes.

Neurosis put on a scene of a perfect blend of industrial, apocalyptic gothic, sludge, doom, post-core, post-rock and tribal rhythms... A mixture that is devastating from the second track, following a brief acoustic intro. “The doorway”, indeed, immediately presents industrial scores and martial cadences which in the end flow into doom that is as apocalyptic as it is dark, haunting, and breathtaking. And how can we not mention episodes like "The last you’ll know” with its bagpipes (which have already become a fundamental part of creating the particular moods the band aims at... you'll certainly remember their use in the poignant "Purify" from "Through silver in blood"), its organs, and its post-rock interludes, all together creating those post-nuclear desolation scenarios so dear to the band, but which never before had found such depth of expression.

How can we not mention then an "Away" that slithers slowly and distressingly throughout most of its duration only to lose itself, in the end, in a mantra of lacerating pain. Or yet again, a title track that makes us understand who have been and who still are to this day the inspirational luminaries of bands like Isis, Cult of Luna, Pelican, Jesu, Breach... The first quality that stands out about the aforementioned band is their ability to look beyond any other formation (perhaps excluding a few names... like the "tool", a band very close to neurosis, especially in creating ascetic and tribal atmospheres that make the spirit, soul, and especially the stomach travel!!).

Precisely for this reason, Neurosis, in my most humble opinion, fall into that league of legendary bands that will remain etched in our minds forever. “Times of Grace” closes the twentieth century, and a better farewell could not have been hoped for what was the century of great rock music. SUPERIOR!