Gridfailure — I Shall Not Survive Another Winter
From the very outset, “Cabal”, begins like a disturbed version of a Nightmare on Elmstreet theme as the music crackles and bursts into life. The distortion drones through a maniacally almost off temp drum with vocals and static weaving through this. Immediately you are thrown into some squalid little room with a fly banging against the dirty window whilst the other occupants take to them selves among themselves.
Next up is “Sew Nothing, Reap Nothingness”. This is a slow walk into an abyss, each step taking you further from safety and closer to Gridfailures idea of hell. Mixing elements of dark ambient, jazz and hardcore and gamalan this makes for an odd but incredibly enjoyable release. You aren’t aware what to expect, but when it arrives it takes you by surprise.
“It’s Too Late for you, It’s Too Late For Me” is almost Gridfailures attempt at Pink Floyd, it’s spacial and distant, before it speeds towards and envelopes you. The drones under the guitar are only matched in intensity by the increasing volume of the bass as it takes on a life of its own beside the whistling and wind noise.
This is music to shut yourself away with, it’s both claustrophobic an incredibly airy. There is an aspect of filth in this music, but other peoples filth, so you don’t have to touch it, you can just look instead. I’d almost say this is Nine Inch Nails before industrialisation: the cottage industry version if you will.
As the album progresses it becomes somewhat more contemplative and moody. There’s still the far off voices and distortion, but the jazz element is taking a slightly higher priority in the mix. I don’t think this altogether works, especially on “Never Was” which for my money would sound better without the keyboard over the top.
However, this is an album that will certainly hold you, it’s brittle and flawed in places, but work with it and you will be listening to it for a long time. This is like a great movie you watch over and over: you’ll notice the continuity errors but these won’t detract from the pleasure of watching the film. Excellent.