Neurosis - Enemy of the Sun (Alternative Tentacle 1994)
Did some yard work today listening to Comus First Utterance. An album I highly recommend for its unique and interesting delivery. It is unique and adventurous. It is also a fitting listen as one begins to walk through the yard in the spring. For me, my early season clean up and what not. Pick up sticks, rake out some dead foliage and prep for the hotter months on the way when the more labor intensive events would be better suited before or after the mid day hours.
The end of that album contains a repetitious sample that rings out for a short while. Hearing “Insane! Insane! Insane!” bouncing ear to ear in stereo reminded me of the closing moments in Neurosis Enemy of the Sun. Another album I would recommend at all cost to the fan of heavy music. As the closing track titled Cleanse, an extended percussive treatment in the tribal vein that also touches on slight elements of becoming one with the rhythms of one’s self, comes to a close, we hear a similar sample. In this case, it is the voice of Jim Jones announcing “I’ll fight! I’ll fight! I’ll fight!” At least this has always been my interpretation of what is featured. Until today I had never realized the extreme similarity to the closing Comus track The Prisoner.
Give them both a quick listen in an A/B fashion and make your own judgement. It’s possible this is all connected and the matrix is simply weaving its magic, right?
Considering this sample appears at the end of the Comus album, I decided to go deeper into my thoughts and jump straight into Enemy of the Sun. As a long time fan of the band, this album was my introduction to the world of Neurosis. That introduction was one that would quickly change my life for the better in a completely drastic way. A way that sent me down a path of musical independence with a DIY vision that stands to this day and carries on in my heart like a bright burning flame of desire to create and balance something of life and internal struggle. That spirit may never see a true place outside of the circling path. Like the serpent swallowing its own tail.
After witnessing the band performing this material live in 1994, everything changed for me. Let’s talk about the album today and perhaps we’ll talk about the live show on another day.
I rarely ever present album track by track breakdowns but thought of walking my thoughts through this one in a way that is fitting to the emotional connection about the album.
The album opener is titled Lost. After a brief sound sequence taken from film source ,we hear the sample “Are you lost?”, a responding voice replies, “Yes.” and a simple hi hat count in of “‘tis tisss” begins our journey.
The spoken word I’ve quoted among my friend circle since 1994. The slow steady rhythm of hi hat accompanied by the chorus driven baseline and samples now set the ultimate mood for darkness. The samples, taken from a film, tells us a story. One of reflection. It takes our mind to a place of understanding that we are temporary visitors upon this earth. And now, for a second time we hear the question. “Are you lost?”
Already swimming in the mystery of it all, we hear the vocal come in. It is easy to forget that this album is being delivered by a, up to this point, punk rock band. They are now venturing into a zone the world has never heard before. The previous album Souls at Zero began to develop the tone, sure. We can not deny it but Enemy of the Sun is the well oiled diesel engine running smoothly and absolutely unstoppable. At this point of the song it’s not even certain that we are headed toward the metal zone.
It is a clear spoken tone with a droning voice speaking of sacrifice. At this point we have not even heard a single note of a guitar riff. Slowly building emotion upon darkness in layers. Finally it breaks. That sudden burst of guitar is a simple and powerful chord followed by feedback. One more chord followed by feedback. And this repeats over and over as the samples carry the weight of focus with this rhythmic section once again hi hat and bass taking us deeper into this mysterious place.
It’s important to say that even though the drum work is fantastic, at this point we’ve only began to hear a small sample of what this album provides in the world of drumming. Where we are starting to feel more dense, we still have not heard a heavy metal scream until an abrupt change of focus occurs. As the music picks up tempo we are now hit with the low-end baritone roar of Dave Edwardson. A classic Neurosis element loved by the metal community. It is absolutely cherished amongst the heavy-metal world.
This is a moment for me that I started to realize that multiple vocals can themselves become an orchestration of sorts. Instead of one specific style that reigns supreme across the board on the album we are hearing multiple people branch apart and layer in their own ways to create a dynamic and emotion that I had never heard before the moment of discovering this album.
Now that the piece is starting to pick up we begin to hear the classic Neurosis screams of Steve Von Till and Scott Kelly. The back-and-forth signature bouncing off of one another. One sentence leading directly into another. The rage and violence in the tone is awe inspiring. At this moment we now start to hear the real breaking bones of Jason Roeder and his drumming. The rhythmic pulse and direct nature becomes unrelenting yet the perfect measure of what this all needs to take it to another level. Never overbearing and only allowing enough foundation for the band, as a complete cohesive unit, to continue to obliterate every sense of the listeners nature.
We now erupt it into some of the heaviest music I’ve ever heard in my life. Then, as if signaling a brief moment of time to recalculate what we have experienced, it breaks back down into a mellow and reflective section. Just guitar, clean. Straightforward, simple baseline and drums present only to create a moderate pulse to the scenario. A floaty, distorted guitar line takes the lead and then we start to take note of the piano finding its way into the music. With a welcome new element, we once again begin to develop a wandering mind. Then things softly stops and there’s a moment for a deep breath of reflection.
Now begins the true battle the drum and bass abuse. Revving up the engine for another assault. This time, unlike the songs beginning, this is punishing. Suddenly distorted waves of guitars ring out. Feedback screams throughout the sequence. We hear what sounds to be the heavy breathing of a Star Wars super villain and everything erupts like a volcanic explosion. We are now being crushed by absolute destruction. Screams cry out. Drums are pounding. All frequencies are pushing into the red and a sudden stop gives us one single moment of clarity. Like a splash of water in the face and directly back into the heaviness. Keep in mind, when we discuss heaviness, this is over 30 years ago and there is none of its equal today of what this band is creating in these moments.
Again the multiple vocals taking their place. Each having its own spotlight. Building and building until the dynamic is at its fever pitch. One last decrease of tempo to add the ultimate layer of weight and then you have the final and absolute stop. The sample rings out, “Still we’ll fight! Still we’ll fight! Still we’ll fight!”
And now our story has come full circle. Well, sort of. This is the sample, or similar in sound, that took me on this journey. Though it closes the final track of the album, it is also briefly featured here. Instead of taking you on a written word of the track by track, as previously noted is not really my thing, I’ll let you choose your own adventure from here and leave you with the knowledge that this song is only scratching the surface of the magic that follows it through this album sequence. It is a true masterwork in creativity. One that has inspired countless areas of the music world, created an entire genre, touched the hearts and minds of unknown numbers and is an accomplishment unmatched. One that any artist would welcome into their legacy.
If you have read this far, thank you and I hope you found a moment here that would influence you to press play on this album.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments in Ruin)
Bandcamp: https://neurosis.bandcamp.com/album/enemy-of-the-sun
released September 17, 1994
Your support keeps this thing alive. Thank you for being a supporting member of Monuments in Ruin at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/monumentsinruin
You can also send direct support through the following link
https://monumentsinruin.com/products/donate
(O)