Band:	Yob
Album:	Clearing The Path To Ascend
Style:	Doom metal, Stoner metal
Release date:	September 01, 2014
A review by:	tea[m]ster

01. In Our Blood
02. Nothing To Win
03. Unmask The Spectre
04. Marrow

Ah yes, stoner/doom metal. Heavy and crushing, filthy and provocative. Not my favorite brand of vodka but when I want to lather my musical palate with some that's artistically and professionally done, I look no further than Eugene, Oregon's Yob. They have been a staple in the genre for over a decade now and not only have they delivered a fine effort with Clearing The Path To Ascend, they have escalated past their last critically acclaimed album, Atma.

I am always a sucker for lengthy, epic, monumental songs and Clearing The Path To Ascend dishes out its punishment in the form of 4 tracks totalling 60 minutes of music - just huge. The entire opus bases its sound on two principles: First, slower tempos arranged around down-tuned guitar tones that create a thick and dense sonic aura. Secondly, tactically placed ethereal and absorbing moments of audio gratification that are proximal to monolithic riffs and drums pounding away with slow, mammoth patterns. These two propositions complement each other effortlessly, combining to create one gigantic, resolute but satisfying outlook.

The "improvements" over their last record, Atma are substantial. The biggest change is the addition of more atmosphere and progression in the themes of the songs. Aside from the direct and simple riffage, there's a focus on structure and dynamics that can kick the music into overdrive before lulling the listener back into a state of auditory numbness, and dare I say there is a bit of melody contrived in these notes. Also, the production is a bit more smooth, and not so much the smoky and hazy firmaments that engulf most of stoner/doom music. It's a pleasant change, the fact that Yob did not suffocate their songs with a lumbering mass of blunt distortion. Finally, the vocals are still low in the mix but are more than just growled or screamed. Engaging, coherent, clean singing that's somewhat manipulated are perfectly synced to enhance the magnitude of the album.

Clearing The Path To Ascend is a high benchmark for other bands of this ilk to take on. I've tried other bands in this genre but I find that Yob have a unique way of creating music that's entirely sheltered in acute directness and yet still manages to deliver undiscovered subtleties on repeated listens. I love their startling ability to sink to new depths of desensitizing heaviness with song designs that are more or less uncomplicated but still can appease the layman's metal music listener.