Like a mix of that sweet spot Houdini/Stoner Witch-era melvins blended with Unsane and a little Goes Cube, Bison lay a solid foundation that takes noise rawk to new heights on You Are Not The Ocean You Are The Patient.
“Until The Earth Is Empty” begins with this insane build up and these awesome passages making for the best sonic journey possible combined with Dan And and James Farwell barking and shredding at you. If ever there was a song that straight up throws down a gauntlet and dares you not to like it, it’s this one. Gargantuan. Epic. Track One. It’s a gnarly opener and only a taste of what’s to come.
“Anti War” pummels you from its’ riffroarious onset then slides nicely into the groove of “Drunkard” before “Kenopsia” upends it all with a monolithic instrumental rager that just builds and builds. Bassist Shane Clark leads the way on the sludgefest and aptly titled “Tantrum” before the somber opening of “Raiigin” makes listeners feel like “anti-raiigin” until about two minutes in when all hell breaks loose.
Did you say you liked riffs? Masterful songwriting? Grand album closers? Well, “The Water Becomes Fire” has all that and more within its’ lumbering walls. A fitting closer to a truly impressive album.
You Are Not The Ocean You Are The Patient is out on July 7th through Pelagic Records (June 23rd in Europe if you’re anxious). Get yours here and here.