Manatees - The Forever Ending Jitter Quest Of Slowhand Chuckle Walker: An Introduction To The Manatee mp3 download

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Those who felt Boris and Sunn0)))'s 'Altar' lacked a little in the direction department - a collaboration caught between the two band's contrasting aesthetics rather that a groundbreaking, and shaking, conjoining of tones as intended - may, neigh will, find cause to slip back into those doom metal robes courtesy of Carlisle trio Manatees. Since rising from the ashes of oft-overlooked Borders collective Second To Last, the untitled debut from Greg Wynne, Alex Macarte and Paul Heron is a 45 minute discordant sludge rock opus split into five tracks, but clearly designed to be listened to in its entirety, LOUD. Recorded for a second time after scrapping the original cuts, the album charters an epic course through prog, metal and drone, emanating purpose and structure. Yet there's still room for a hefty fiddle of sonic experimentation that puts the aforementioned Southern Lord lot to shame.Taking their cue from Swans, King Crimson and Neurosis, Manatees are similar masters at delivering crushing highs and devastating lows. Percussion is the main focus of the album, and indeed its tribal drumming that opens proceedings, aided by subtle touches of reverb-soaked slide guitar and stacked harmonies played over bowed basslines. 120 seconds in and the hushed vocals turn into screamed 3 Stages of Pain-esque growls, pummelling the words "we are all forgotten" from all corners and transforming the contemplative opening into an angry and regretful steam release.The heavy riffage continues over the half way point before the sound shifts and floats to pastures new, with ebow replacing the slide, and trill feedback creating an elemental alarm to which the remainder of the orchestration responds.Texturally captivating from beginning to end, Manatees are navigators of an intense, rapturous juggernaut, and, like their namesake, their debut is a triumph of size and scope, grace and placidity - an exhalation of robust beauty from an aberrant creature.