Neurosis, the one and only. The almighty. The greatest, the loudest, the band who launched a thousand genres. Their latest offering Fires Within Fires builds on the bands noble tradition and shows us how much more is to come from these subdued geniuses. A band who have always done things the right way and have always had a clear sense of forward motion since day one, Fires Within Fires sees them taking traditional elements but also expanding on old ideas. There is something almost magical about every new Neurosis release and the very human beauty of this particular album makes it the perfect companion to long nights and hard days. It invokes the suffering of the human condition but also is able to couch it in something grander, to show us that while all is definitely nor well we can move forward through massive chords, crushing melodies and mellow vibes driven forth by Scott Kelly's dominating presence. This is what brainy metal should be about, Neurosis should know, they started it.
I think one of the things that gets me about this record is how it feels like a continuation on their last effort, the awe-inspiring Honor Found In Decay. While the orchestrations generally feel a little less lush on this release Fires Within Fires still sounds absolutely massive. The understated moments that come through on tracks like 'Broken Ground' only add to the quiet poetry of the music. I find myself coming back to Fires Within Fires and getting lost in the guitar lines, as I do with almost every Neurosis record. It's not really about the individual songs as much as it is about the overall experience that the music communicates, the burning darkness and the overwhelming passion. The magic of Neurosis is impossible to put into words but it stands for the same sort of poetry that inspired William Blake. It ebbs and flows and forces us to look for our own deep set societal hypocrisy to build a better tomorrow.
Neurosis albums always feel like an event. Even if it's just Neurosis being Neurosis that always means innovation, progress and evolutions upon forgotten, broken ideals. I am genuinely convinced that hundreds of years from now, Neurosis will be looked upon as old masters, the great poets of their time, composers who found a distinct unity between music and poetry. This is a band who can't help but to be great, a band who continue to vibrate at their own frequency and carve out passionate soundscapes. They are speaking to a time forgot – a time which the rest of us might never get a chance to access outside of the lens of a band like Neurosis. They give the common fan the opportunity to be a part of something greater, to see that tomorrow isn't just an abstract construct but something we all need to work for. In what Kelly describes as a “very difficult world” Neurosis provide sweet relief, Fires Within Fires functions as the transcendent release we all need from crippling pain.
