| CD REVIEW Musth |
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Band : Musth Although they're from my neighborhood (members from Leuven and Brussels), I had never heard of Musth before, but since a week they're high on my current favourites list! But before hailing the band some more, perhaps some background info? I ain't sure when exactly the quintet [then consisting of singer Simon, guitarists Jens Wouters & Stijn – the latter also occasionally using a mouth harmonica – bassist Shana, and drummer Bram] got together, but their Facebook page mentioning a membership since April 12, 2007, I guess that might be seen as very much the beginning days of the band. Pretty soon after, Musth self-released a promo CD, which sold out in about 4 months and in return got the band to play a multitude of gigs during that same year and the next. In early 2009 the guys (and young lady, let's not forget) took some time off from the busy gigging schedule, and write some new material in stead, finish off some ideas they'd been toying with, and pre-recording some stuff for actual album recordings (engineered by guitarist Jens and regular Funtime Records recording/ mixing engineer Jimmy “Turbo” Van Rietvelde, also the bassist in PN, whom are playing their final show later this month) to start during Summer 2009. Vocals and other details (see further) were recorded during September and October, and in December the band, plus Turbo, reconvened at Bunsbeek's Sugarbeat Studios for 4 days of intense mixing. Then, in February, the mastertapes were sent to Germany, where Uwe Teichert (see productional/ mastering work for the likes of K's Choice, Deviate, X-Legged Sally, De Bossen, Ashbury Faith, Eightball, Zyklome A, Meat Beat Manifesto...and while this is only until 1998, the list goes on, the most recent things including Kiss the Anus Of A Black Cat...but also quite a few non Punk or Metal related things) did the mastering. The album finished, the search for a label was started, and only a month after the band got news that the label they had originally envisioned for the release was actually interested. For reasons undisclosed, the band then parted ways with their original singer, and recruited Black Harvest (and ex-Sludge Phenomenon) singer Tim to replace him. In order to make for an album as representable as possible for the current band, Tim then re-recorded the vocals...and now, more than 15 months after they first started recording it, the band sees its first official album released. Okay, so what's it sound like? Well, on their MySpace page the band itself gives a nice description, which I'm not about to withhold you: “Musth rocks your world, burns your eyes and crushes your heart. Hardcore for the pussies, Post-Rock for the smartasses, sweetmodderfuckin' Rock 'n' Roll for the Johnnys, Metal for the mothers. Musth is Musth.” Well...if that didn't answer all your questions about the band's musical style? Personally, I've found an additional one: Post-Hardcore Down-Paced Prog Metal (how about thàt for a mouthful?)! In essence, it means that you can find the band goin' through different motions, from the acoustic openings of album opening instrumental “Gurdjieff's March”, to atmospheric passages within songs, to all-out distorted heavy passages that'll crush your heart to the floor during gigs, I suppose (on the condition that PA levels are high enough, of course!)...with plenty of repetitive yet playful (build-up, build-up!!) interaction between the guitarists. In between, there's even a more romantic passage (opening of the album's title track – by the way, wold that title have anything to do with the natural reserve park, way up North in Sweden...actually Lapland?) with some piano play courtesy of guesting musician Stefanie Mannaerts. Another guest performance comes from Funtime Records owner (and singer with Homer and PN) Johan Quinten during the lengthy (over 10 minutes) “Sex On Drugs”. His contribution (and most likely the only one, even if a second singer seems to perform during “The Young Man And The Sea”) are the calmer passages during that song...at least, those are the vocals I would identify with him, all other vocals being of a style which is strangely reminiscent of late '80s/ early '90s Neurosis to me (other general comparisons would include the likes of Cult Of Luna, and occasional moments of Isis)! You know, a semi-screamed, semi-grunted type of vocals (still, somewhere during the aforementioned “The Young Man...” he also, and very surprisingly, does a short bit of very clean, almost spoken word type of vocals). To get yourself acquainted with Musth music, check myspace.com/musthcore (a shortened live video, plus one track off the new album – the other one posted I've not been able to hear for some odd reason; the band also has a page on purevolume.com, which wouldn't open for my network-regulated pc either...hopefully you're luckier), but really there's only one good way to get to know this band's sounds, and that's to either go to one of their concerts, or buy the album. 45 minutes of pure joy guaranteed if you're into the above mentioned descriptions. “Best Album Of The Year 2010” nominations anyone? Musth sure have my vote!!! 98/100 Tony. |