YOB
Atma

When I stumbled upon "Atma", I immediately thought back to the albums I’ve worn out over the years: "Catharsis," "The Illusion of Motion," "The Great Cessation." The anticipation, but most of all the curiosity for the new chapter by Mike Scheidt grew over time, until "Atma" finally began to scar the flesh in true Yob style.

The band in question, born in Eugene, Oregon in 1996, has earned appreciation through a unique way of interpreting music: the base genre of the trio (the remaining members being bassist Reiseberg and drummer Foster) is doom metal, the slow and pounding kind with reminiscences of the Melvins and the bony Saint Vitus, with infiltrations of psychedelia and the more uncompromising stoner kind. To be clear, it’s not the romantic doom metal of My Dying Bride, nor the overly existentialist kind of Shape Of Despair. Yob’s music is solely theirs.

From the beautiful cover, this "Atma" presents itself well: an impression confirmed by the opener "Prepare the Ground", a tough and metallic song in full Yob style, with Scheidt’s voice as acid as ever. A well-executed composition expertly played on the simplicity of vocal lines. The same cannot be said for the title track, which is too conventional and lacks particular inspiration, though still enjoyable. The same issue applies to "Before We Dreamed of Two", well-played, dark and venomous as the script demands but devoid of any particularly engaging highlights. It’s precisely this sensation of normality, of superficiality, that prevents "Atma" from reaching Yob’s past compositional peaks: even "Upon the Sight of the Other Shore" leaves a bitter taste. Contrasting greatly is the concluding "Adrift in the Ocean", finally dreamy and elusive in its melancholic beginning only to explode in a sudden succession of heavy metallic waves as necessary. Probably one of the best things composed by the band in their entire career.

All in all, however, "Atma" seems to be unfinished, leaving the listener somewhat disappointed by such a tortuous journey. The impression is that Scheidt and his associates aimed for "greater assimilability," reducing the tar of the past and focusing more on standardized compositions (particularly "Prepare the Ground" and "Upon the Sight of the Other Shore"). Missing are the long and unsustainable lashes of lava that made past albums successful, lacking a bit of inventiveness and softer passages that occasionally appeared in the splendid "The Great Cessation". In summary, a lot of craftsmanship, but few emotions. Half a disappointment.

1. "Prepare The Ground" (9:05)
2. "Atma" (8:57)
3. "Before We Dreamed Of Two" (16:01)
4. "Upon The Sight Of The Other Shore" (7:34)
5. "Adrift In The Ocean" (13:33)