Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder - review
Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder - review
Tracklist
01. Solar Benediction02. Pyramid Of The Moon
03. Blind For All To See
04. The Architect
05. Science Of Anger
A review by
BitterCOld November 17, 2009
Shrinebuilder, comprised of Al Cisneros (Om, formerly with Sleep) on bass, Dale Crover (Melvins) on drums, Scott Kelly (Neurosis) and Scott "Wino" Weinrich (Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan, The Obsessed and others) sharing guitar duties certainly qualify as an All-Star band. Each of these men has played integral roles in groundbreaking, trailblazing acts.
Fortunately, with Shrinebuilder, or WiNeurOmsis, as I have jokingly taken to calling them, all the pieces come together. Each of the musicians brings their own signature style to the table for this sonic feast. Scott Kelly's earthquake-inducing riffs, Wino's doomy stylings, leads and melodies, Al's tripped out lyrics and roving bass lines, all backed by Dale's fluid and fitting drum work. Additionally, Wino's soulful vocals, Scott's bestial roar, and Al's chanting style vocals all make appearances as well.
It's a giant stoner-doom-sludge gumbo.
While Cisneros might have been the lyrical contributor, most of the song structure and creation fell to the guitar wielding, riff generating Scotts. The interplay is enjoyable - egos were checked at the door and when one takes lead the other is content to play within their framework. You can pretty much instantly pick apart who contributed what. But it all works out, as songs do shift between the distinctive styles of the members.
For example, the first half of "The Architect" is clearly Wino's riff, and he takes vocal duties? then suddenly at roughly the halfway point of the track, Scott Kelly comes crashing in with a pummeling riff and his powerful vocals, before culminating with Wino playing a fantastic sounding lead over Kelly's crushing work, followed be a cessation of riffing/guitar allowing Cisneros to take center stage with a really trippy bass riff that is alien to the song, yet somehow fits.
Each of the songs shares similar ebbs and flows between styles, quiet mellow moments, crushing riffs, soulful leads, you can't really listen to one entire track and not pick out the elements of all those involved at various points. Perhaps the coolest sound bit in the album is the last couple minutes of "Pyramid of the Moon" which features Cisneros chanted vocals, with Scott Kelly and Wino playing a great riff which brings a lot of muscle that is not found in Al's drum and bass Om.
Finally Dale Crover, whose name has not come up much prior to now, deserves accolades for his performance - shifting to match the style of the riff creator, adding a little extra oomph when Kelly's gargantuan riffs are played to finding a way to just groove during the spacier Cisneros inspired passages. There was not a lot of "look at me" going on, but a great job to augment what was being played.
While it's not altogether groundbreaking in and of itself, and once you've heard the first couple songs of the five track, nearly 40 minute album you won't be surprised by any huge left turns, the truth is it's four guys with their own distinct styles who found a way to make it all work. And work well. If you are a fan of one or more of their full-time bands, it's definitely worth checking out.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 9 |
Written on 17.11.2009 by
Written on 17.11.2009 by
BitterCOld has been officially reviewing albums for MetalStorm since 2009. Comments
 Posts: 40071 |
Posts: 40071
Once again brilliant cover artwork by JOsh Graham
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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Posts: 352 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 17.11.2009 at 21:47 Wow...You can say that again...it's almost...awe-inspiring...
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Posts: 4920 Written by Metal Maiden on 18.11.2009 at 08:47 Yeah, I actually clicked on the review cause the artwork inspired me and now I want to hear the album too!
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I also clicked on the review just because the artwork was so beautiful. And damn... Just knowing that some members are from Neurosis and Melvins is enough to make me check out this stuff. Pyramid Of The Moon sounds very nice.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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"It's a giant stoner-doom-sludge gumbo." Yes it is, and a very tasty one at that. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this one.
---- You can't fight evil with a macaroni duck!
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Posts: 40071 Written by Ag Fox on 18.11.2009 at 20:18 Thanks, that looks so immensely cool. I really do have to order the vinyl version of the albu because of the artwork.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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Posts: 4774 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 18.11.2009 at 20:23 no worries. the review and the artwork makes me really looking forward to gearing the music 
---- loves 小巫
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Yeah.. the artwork is the reason why im checking this out after all, since im not all into this genre. Remember kids, always judge by the cover 
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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Music turns out to be as promising as the cover 
---- loves 小巫
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Posts: 9126 Written by Jeff on 18.11.2009 at 12:12 You know what to do now, right?
---- My Author's Blog (in French)  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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This album is pretty good. Funny thing is that despite all their bands can be lumped up under "sludge/stoner doom", every one has a pretty distinct style and yet it all comes out nicely in the end. I hope they continue this project. If they can further develop their interplay, the next album will be quite promising.
---- "It's not funny, my ass is on fire..."
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Best live show EVARRR
---- There is no God but the one that dies with me. I have no life but the one I take with me to the grave. We come into this world alone. And we will die on our own. I live. I die. Ain Elohim.
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Posts: 40071 Written by Thought. on 27.03.2010 at 23:37 Will be seeing them live in about two weeks time.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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Posts: 18619 Written by [user id=4365] on 12.11.2012 at 21:13 The only one I actually like is for Neurosis' Given To The Rising because he toned it down and kept it simple.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Posts: 18619 Written by [user id=4365] on 12.11.2012 at 21:41 I really like the rest of it though. EDIT: Actually... you can just see the whole thing here.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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