Review: Iggor Cavalera/Shane Embury ‘Neon Gods/Own Your Darkness’
Even someone like me, who isn’t predominantly a ‘metalhead’, recognises the legendary names on this split release. On the off chance you haven’t, they are legendary former Sepultura skins pounder Iggor Cavalera (also of Cavalera Conspiracy, Absent In Body, Petbrick, Soulwax and Mixhell) and extreme metal bass giant Shane Embury (Napalm Death, Blood From The Soul, Brujeria, Venomous Concept, Lock Up and Dark Sky Burial).
Indeed, it’s of no great surprise to me that Iggor and Shane are involved in this type of project, particularly as I’ve always found metalheads to have the broadest of musical pallets; Dave Lombardo and Alex Skolnick, for instance, further confirm this theory.
This latest project then sees the duo releasing an album through the esoteric, yet musically diverse label Cold Spring who have put out a fascinating array of records from the drone/doom metal of Corrupted, the pre-Heaven 17 experimental electronica of British Electric Foundation (B.E.F.) and The Telescopes’ shoegaze psych-rock/noise, to name three. In other words, there is something there for everyone, and I, for one, am overjoyed to yet again be given the opportunity to cover another of their releases, especially one as highly anticipated as this.
Cavalera‘s track Neon Gods is not only the opener on this split release, but also its longest at nearly twenty minutes. The vibe is haunting and outright creepy, the low electrical hums not only reminding me of Gridfailure, but also his collaborations with trumpet legend Mac Gollehon. I’m not sure whether a trumpet and/or sax is employed here, but there is definitely a dark noir jazz and ambient feel which would definitely not be out of place on the Italian label Signora Ward Records.
the noise/industrial elements ever threatening to overwhelm the listener…
There’s also a claustrophobic presence, what with the noise/industrial elements ever threatening to overwhelm the listener, which in turn helps to enhance the overall sense of unease and uncertainty. Moments of respite are, on the face of it, offered by Cavalera and which to quote the promotional notes, come in the form of ‘slow, pulsating drones and almost meditative waves of static’. Sometimes though I find it’s these very moments of reprieve which can prove more menacing, as potential harbingers of further sonic chaos and which, judging by the track’s conclusion, proves to be the case. A sublime performance.
While my relationship with Napalm Death can run hot and cold a lot of the time, I’d heard only good things about Shane Embury‘s Dark Sky Burial project (which I really need to investigate properly) thanks to The Shaman colleague Mark Hunt-Bryden. Moreover, as a fan of electronic avant-garde music (for want of a better description), I was curious to check out what Embury had to offer within the field. It’s safe to say that those craving and expecting blastbeats, leftist orientated lyrics and shrieked/growled vocals are advised to steer clear of Own Your Darkness.
wave after wave of deliciously bleak, monochrome Lustmord fare…
The track marks something of a first for Embury, who reports that it was his first experiment with the Solar 42 Synth, and this resulted in a little colour to the otherwise relentless wave after wave of deliciously bleak, monochrome Lustmord fare. So, whereas Cavalera‘s contribution saw mostly unpredictability and harshness (in a fashion not totally dissimilar to Petbrick), Embury adopts a more even tone and a sci-fi John Carpenter soundtrack-esque vibe. A wonderfully contrasting track.
At only two tracks and a thirty-three minute runtime, there’s not a massive amount to get through. This means that for those with shorter attention spans, this release will prove to be enough of a pleasant distraction without exhausting their patience.
Label: Cold Spring Records
Iggor Cavalera: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Shane Embury: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Reza Mills
