0 [FROM THE CRATES #14] Human Fly - II (2008)

Review by Matt Abramson

Humanfly - II
(20 Buck Spin - 2008)

Like a record that has finished playing and continues circling around neglected into infinity, I am stuck writing about awesome psychedelic doom metal albums. The problem is I keep coming across these fucking amazing albums that I have no choice but to do a column about in spite of only being a few years old. I guess the point was never old, it was good. So, much like the allegory of the cave, walk with me back toward the light. This light, however, is of the loud and gnarly variety.

Do not compare this band to Isis or Neurosis. From this point forward I will not accept the validity of any description of a band that involves comparisons to Isis and/or Neurosis. I do this out of respect for those two bands as the forefathers of psychedelic doom metal, to protect their street cred from shitty knockoffs and to encourage everyone, particularly myself, to be more thoughtful in their consideration of music in general. Therefore, the only description I can offer of the sound of Humanfly is as follows: if Syd Barrett had joined Black Sabbath, they decided Ozzy was better off being a roadie but let him throw in a few vocals here and there, you played their record at half speed and then THAT band became Tool... you would have Humanfly.

Every trademark element of heavy ass-kickery is present here. I like everything about this album. I like that there is over two minutes of wandering space guitar before it actually "begins". I like the dense layers of distortion and subtle double-kick groove syncopation that isn't the usual showing off. I like intentional feedback. I like synchronized delays. I like that I can barely hear acoustic guitars filling out the clean guitars. I also like it when musicians intentionally underplay their instruments. That is, when a player thinks about the song first and the instrument second. No wanking here, just ass kicking with some pondering sprinkled about. I like that I can't understand a single fucking word on the record, and it ain't because these dudes are from Leeds. If you failed third grade, that's England, dude.

Iron Maiden is from there, too.

Get the album. Get it now and play it loud. Show your friends. Punch them in the balls if they mention Isis or Neurosis. If you are strapped for downloads or cash or need more than my genius pontifications to be convinced, the short course for this album is track four, "Nenhuns Deuses Nenhuns Mestres". This might pose a problem on most download sites, however. The six tracks on 'II' range from eight to thirteen minutes in length, this is usually "album only" territory. I implore you that the album is well worth every cent you end up forking over for it, and I would encourage you to do so through karma-positive legitimate means because I want these guys stateside in Seattle and blowing the fucking roof off of Neumo's as soon as Humanfly possible.