The Angelic Process

Though Jesu’s self-titled debut and Swans’ early work essentially wrote the book on emotive, doom-y noise, there is evidently still room for progression within the style. The Angelic Process take the aural punishment and eerie atmospherics of the aforementioned acts, filter them through an unbelievably thick, deliberately muddy production and of course, have a bizarre lyrical concept to go along with it all. While not as polished and thoroughly developed as Jesu, comparisons could be drawn, particularly in the repetitive minor key melodies. The weight of the instruments is overwhelming and can induce a suffocating sensation in the listener under the right circumstances. Unfortunately, it all becomes a little bit monotonous after a while — this disc is not for impatient listeners or those expecting anything "heavy” in the traditional sense. However, it is a well above average offering.