Isis Reissue 'In the Absence of Truth' and 'Oceanic'

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Oct 17, 2014

Though our current political climate has drastically altered connotations behind the name "ISIS," defunct metal unit Isis are plugging away as best they can postmortem by giving fans another pair of reissues from their back catalogue. This time around, they're set to give both 2002's Oceanic and 2006's In the Absence of Truth new pressings.

First up is a double-LP reissue of In the Absence of Truth, which Robotic Empire puts into stores October 28. According to a press release, vinyl copies of the set have been out of print since 2010. The album is described as featuring nine tracks that added more singing into the mix, despite the "'heavy' parts" being "even more brutal and crushing" than on previous albums.

Oceanic, meanwhile, has been remastered for an upcoming November 4 release through Ipecac. Described in a press release as "a sea change moment for Isis," the group's sophomore LP last received a double-LP repress through Robotic Empire, but the band themselves have praised the upcoming edition's tweaked sonics.

"The clarity that's been revealed in these songs was surprising even to me," drummer Aaron Harris revealed in a statement. "I've heard these songs probably thousands of times. When I listened to the remastered version of 'Weight' it was like I was back in the studio recording the song. I also noticed a lot of new detail in Jeff's bass guitar, and energy in the guitars. I know Oceanic is a favorite among fans, and I think this remaster will bring a new appreciation even to those who have heard it many times."

You'll find a stream of the set's "The Beginning and the End," a punishing, post-metal melding of aggression and melody, down below. The reissue will also come with new packaging.

Since calling it quits in 2010, Isis have also given the reissue treatment to Temporal and their debut full-length Celestial.

Latest Coverage