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Virus - Memento Collider review




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Reviewer:
9.0

54 users:
7.43
Band: Virus
Album: Memento Collider
Release date: June 2016


01. Afield
02. Rogue Fossil
03. Dripping Into Orbit
04. Steamer
05. Gravity Seeker
06. Phantom Oil Slick

What is the nature of a virus, exactly? It attacks stable, living cells and replicates itself, to spread to other locations and keep gaining in power. So the music of Norway's Virus follows suit, as it attacks your fragile, stable body, gaining power as it makes it bounce, backflip, and behave in other delusional ways it ordinarily wouldn't. Is your body having a party? Is it being stricken by disease? It could be both. It could be neither. That's just part of the beauty of the Virus.

Memento Collider, the fourth full length from these wacky Norwegians, sees them back in full force with their signature, Avantgardish sound. How do we describe this sound exactly? Rarely do Avantgarde metal bands create music that is so strange and out there... yet also so damn catchy and memorable. Virus don't employ the Avantgarde of say, a randomized, Unexpect type nature, or the dark, chaotic kind of bands such as Terra Tenebrosa or Cloak Of Altering. No, with Virus things are a bit more low key and mellow than that. The immediately recognizable, dissonant guitar tone of frontman Czral and the rumbling, funky bass lines of the highly talented Petter Berntsen dominate the mix, while drummer Einar Sjursø lurks in the background weaving jazzy-type rhythms all around them. Between the groovy melodies Czral carves out and the bouncy bass that Bernsten lays down underneath him, the music is downright danceable at many points, especially on "Rogue Fossil" (check out the video for it with Costin Chioreanu's animation... the two go wonderfully together).

The lack of a significantly dark, chaotic atmosphere with Virus does not mean that their music isn't still strange as hell, however. How would you label Virus exactly, and on what grounds? Would you call them prog metal, on the basis of the jazz-like drumming and off beat rhythms found on tracks like "Dripping Into Orbit"? It's possible. You could perhaps, just as easily, call them psychedelic, going off of the more relaxed, trippy style of guitar found later in the same track. But wait, what about those pounding, throbbing, bass lines throughout Memento Collider? Are we dealing with some sort of off-the-wall funk band here? Could be. And further still, what about when that more lo fi, dissonant type guitar tone from Czral pops up, especially on "Steamer"? Is there a potential black metal influence here? All of these labels could be accurate. None of them could be accurate. And that's the beauty of this band's mystery.

As mentioned above, what makes Virus truly special is the fact that they manage to employ a type of Avantgarde approach that is inexplicable and nearly impossible to fully wrap your head around, while still managing to be bouncy, memorable, and catchy as all hell. Memento Collider is Avantgarde, sure, but the composition isn't rapidly crazy to the point where you're going to leave it with a feeling of "damn, that was good, but I wish I could remember what parts I liked most." No, with this Virus album you'll most definitely remember. This music right here sticks, and it sticks hard. Most ironic of all, this is a virus that you actually want to catch, as the grooves, the silly, Lewis Carroll-ish lyrics, and multifaceted songwriting take command of your body, ultimately healing it for the better.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 10





Written on 30.05.2016 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013.


Comments

Comments: 11   Visited by: 275 users
30.05.2016 - 18:08
Rating: 9
mz

The most underrated band I've ever known, really.
Looking forwards to hearing this.
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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30.05.2016 - 18:15
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by mz on 30.05.2016 at 18:08

The most underrated band I've ever known, really.

One of them, for sure. I had barely started listening to them when Rod and I saw them at Roadburn last year, but whewwww boy... to say that set blew us away would be a massive understatement. I've been in love ever since
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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30.05.2016 - 18:27
BloodTears
ANA-thema
This is a good kind of virus Didn't hear the entire album yet but it's sounding pretty good.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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30.05.2016 - 20:12
Maco
Pvt Funderground
Well, I didn't listen to the album but I know Virus and I can tell that with one album they can make a whole year worth it.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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31.05.2016 - 01:17
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Maco on 30.05.2016 at 20:12

Well, I didn't listen to the album but I know Virus and I can tell that with one album they can make a whole year worth it.

Amen to that, I can already tell that this one is going to be topping my 2016 AOTY list
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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31.05.2016 - 08:47
PocketMetal

Excited to hear this, even though this is the first time I learn about Virus. Also, I don't think Unexpect's music is "randomized". There is a lot of shit going on, but it's more like a huge puzzle ... everything fits. It's not just-pulled-this-out-of-my-ass-because-why-not music. It's a "tumult". ^_^
Anyway, let's see what Virus can do.
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31.05.2016 - 13:50
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by PocketMetal on 31.05.2016 at 08:47

I don't think Unexpect's music is "randomized". There is a lot of shit going on, but it's more like a huge puzzle ... everything fits. It's not just-pulled-this-out-of-my-ass-because-why-not music. It's a "tumult". ^_^

Disagree, I've always found them to be one of the more schizophrenic Avantgarde bands out there, that is, one that rapidly juxtaposes sounds the most. And that's not a problem, but it can only work if you know how to bridge from one style into the next very well and make it sound completely natural. With Unexpect I've just never felt the transitions being all that smooth, personally. If we're talking about Avantgarde metal in which a shit ton of styles are strung together in a way that sounds tight and neat, I'd opt for something like Sigh or The Meads Of Asphodel. But that's just me, to each their own
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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31.05.2016 - 15:39
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
I'm with PocketMetal on that one, Unexpect are pretty great in mixing genres. I haven't heard their lasta lbum but In "A Flesh Aquarium" and "We, Invaders" (specially the later) are amazing album that just need extra listenings to wrap your head around.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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31.05.2016 - 19:25
PocketMetal

Written by Auntie Sahar on 31.05.2016 at 13:50

Disagree, I've always found them to be one of the more schizophrenic Avantgarde bands out there, that is, one that rapidly juxtaposes sounds the most. And that's not a problem, but it can only work if you know how to bridge from one style into the next very well and make it sound completely natural. With Unexpect I've just never felt the transitions being all that smooth, personally. If we're talking about Avantgarde metal in which a shit ton of styles are strung together in a way that sounds tight and neat, I'd opt for something like Sigh or The Meads Of Asphodel. But that's just me, to each their own


I don't mean to turn this into an Unexpect thread, so this will be my last post about them. I just thought you should check this video where their bassists plays a whole song on his monster instrument. When you take one part of it out like this, it becomes apparent that the song just has a complex order and is not random. Regardless, the guy plays so awesome than I think you'll enjoy it anyway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLeXaxlSbc8
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01.06.2016 - 17:09
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by X-Ray Rod on 31.05.2016 at 15:39

I'm with PocketMetal on that one, Unexpect are pretty great in mixing genres. I haven't heard their lasta lbum but In "A Flesh Aquarium" and "We, Invaders" (specially the later) are amazing album that just need extra listenings to wrap your head around.

I guess I'm partly (read: extremely) biased in favor of Avantgarde of a more Sigh/Meads Of Asphodel type nature. You saying that though definitely makes me want to check them out a little more
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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21.07.2016 - 21:46
RockSplendid

Very nice and accurate review! Thanks, man!

Virus is awesome in a very weird way that I can't even call it Avant-garde, as you said! The thing I like about them is that they compose these unique melodies without using crazy dark or heavy sounds!
Mind blowing album!
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