As time goes by, I want less polish on my music. Don't get me wrong, I haven't become a lo-fi black metal fan quite yet (though there are some lo-fi black metal releases which absolutely slay). But still, as I listen to more and more music, I am less interested in things sounding smooth. I know that there are many composers and producers out there that can get a "clean" sound, whether that describes how something sounds or how it's written. And so, that's less special, especially since often the restraint necessary for something sounding clean takes away some of the punch that earlier works might have had. This is somewhat the case with Moths' Septem. Space Force, their previous release, and even more so Moths, their debut EP, were not polished albums and I loved them for it. There was a blistering energy that was flying off of the record, some heavy metal and progressive edge to the stoner rock that was on display.
Septem is not an album. It simply takes all of those sounds and puts them in order. The production is much better, especially the balance between the vocals and the rest of the arrangement. The songs are also better structured, filled with more momentum and drive. Moths know how to deliver a groove and they do that again and again on Septem. If you're looking for a solid, hefty release to rock out to, this one will do quite nicely. But where is the fire that was lighting Moths (both record and band) on fire? Sure, plenty of songs (starting with "Greed"), feature those super raw and emotional vocals. And that same song has some great synths. But everything else is so by the numbers; from the lilting clean vocals, through the main riff and its interaction with the synths, "Greed" is restrained and set on a very clear course.
It doesn't help that both "Pride" and "Lust" seem to be playing off of the same vibes. "Lust" at least takes things a step further and is my favorite track on the album; in its sudden blast-beats and weird use of syncope and slightly dissonant solos, "Lust" is more what I want from Moths. The clean vocals also reach some truly delightful high notes, which work really well the drama created by those aforementioned solos. That all comes together to a track whose structure rises and falls at unexpected places, leaving the listener flat-footed. This is what I want from Moths and what initially drew me to the band, this unfiltered and exciting blend of theatrics, really solid riffs, and a penchant for playing with expectations.
"Gluttony" and "Wrath", which close the album, unfortunately return to the same kind of basic structure that dominated the tracks before "Lust" (though "Wrath" has a few more interesting and promising ideas). Again, these are good songs; the entire album is fun to listen to. But I found my attention wondering more often than not, since I could see the path painted before me without even looking. Only on rare occasions did I feel arrested by that old fire that used to burn at the heart of Moths. "Lust", and other key moments on the album, tell me that it's there but perhaps in their desire to chase a more polished and cohesive sound, some of that has slipped through Moths' fingers.
Moths' Septem was released today, August 1st. Head on over to their Bandcamp page above to check it out.