Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Callisto | Providence - Disappointing

Above is the best thing about the new Callisto album, Providence. Yes, that's right, the vinyl's cover is the best thing about it. After releasing two awesome albums, Callisto have just written the most boring post metal album I think I could name. Their song "The Fugitive" off of their 2006 album, Noir was more entertaining than this entire new record. Sad.

7 comments:

8:16:13 said...

I couldn't disagree more. This band just show us time and time again, progress, with each new release being something new over their previous one. Personally, I think Noir is a masterpiece and this new album can't be compared to it, I am not one to make comparisons but one to appreciate originality and risk and Callisto have taken a step into distancing themselves from the masses, the added vocals and lyrics give a whole new dimension to this band.

Chris said...

I encourage progression and change but only if it's going to sound good. Sure, the vocals are unique for this genre, but I'm not really into listening to Lane Staley sing over post-metal, just like I don't like hearing Serj Tankian singing over post metal (Giant Squid).

Music at times was alright, but for the most part extremely boring, dragging and not going anywhere after minutes of build up.

Again, very disappointing to me.

Anonymous said...

I've only listened to like one song. but so far i actually really like it.



-davey havok

Anonymous said...

After my first listen I'd have agreed with you, but even then I'd have said it was less disappointing than In The Absence Of Truth was. I still don't like the last Isis album (and Oceanic/Panopticon are two of my favourite albums of all time) but after just a few listens I adore Providence.

There are plenty of moments here that are up there with the best of Callisto's earlier work, and even surpassing it at times. Sure it can seem bland at first, and it often feels like there's too much singing - as if the songs have been written with that in mind and they never just let a riff speak for itself - but after a while it all started to fall into place.

Just listen to the last couple of minutes of Stasis and tell me that's not some of Callisto's best work right there, and there are plenty of other moments like that.

Once you start to notice those moments of genius the rest starts to fall into place and the whole thing just makes sense. I love it. I hope it grows on you too.

I also have to say the new guy has a better screaming voice than Markus (very reminiscent of Klas from CoL in fact) but he just doesn't use it enough :(

Chris said...

Thanks for the replies to this. I'll keep this short and simple...This album HAS grown on me a lot in the last few days. I really do like it now. Apologize for bashing it so badly. I still may prefer the old style a bit more, but the change was intriguing enough for me to continuously listen and now I am thankful I've done that.

This happens a lot to me. Probably a few times a year. I'll totally bash an album and then end up loving it later on.

Anonymous said...

It's interesting to see how passionately people feel about Providence. I guess it goes to show that the band has some serious fans out there. I personally thought the combination of True Nature Unfolds and Noir was the best first two albums any band that I've come across has ever made.

I knew they were gonna change, but still Providence was a big surprise in the beginning. Now, after tenacious listening, I am starting to get it. It's still the same band underneath, and they're still damn good! To me Providence is already as good as TNU, while Noir is still superior to the other two.

As much as I like the new singer, I still would have had more instrumental parts and thrown out some of the more stagnant vocal parts.

josef said...

Pedro, they had an album before those two: Ordeal of The Century.