This isn't the first review I've read that claims this to be some kind of heavy, psychedelic metal album, when in my eyes that couldn't be further from an accurate description. This album is quite relaxing, I'll give you that, but on the whole it sounds like a fairly plain, laidback acoustic alt-rock album. "Chapter VI" is the closest thing to "heavy" on this album, and even that barely qualifies.

Am I not listening to the same thing as everyone else? This is the same album, right?

Top 3 worst cover ever

I disagree, the cover is nice. The subject is not beautiful itself, but it's very well rendered.
I'm intrigued, this either sounds like it's going to bore me to death or go very well with breakfast. I'll play a couple of tracks tomorrow and see how that goes.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 22.08.2014 at 21:35

This isn't the first review I've read that claims this to be some kind of heavy, psychedelic metal album, when in my eyes that couldn't be further from an accurate description. This album is quite relaxing, I'll give you that, but on the whole it sounds like a fairly plain, laidback acoustic alt-rock album. "Chapter VI" is the closest thing to "heavy" on this album, and even that barely qualifies.

Am I not listening to the same thing as everyone else? This is the same album, right?

I suppose the heaviness to it depends upon the perspective from which you look at it. In terms of slowcore or a laidback acoustic-rock album, as you describe it there, it's heavy enough to be considered metal. In terms of metal though it's actually fairly light, definitely fitting at the lighter end of the metal spectrum.

I think it sits pretty comfortably in between metal and a slowcore sound, any "heaviness" to it comes from the metal elements. It's also psychedelic to me, in a lackadaisical, whimsical or laidback sort of way, not the overtly trippy kind.

Also, I think it's interesting that an album this light on the metal side made it past the armed guards at MetalArchives: http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Last_Minute_to_Jaffna/3540323501 The style they've got it tagged as is way off to me though.

Written by R'Vannith on 23.08.2014 at 07:42
I suppose the heaviness to it depends upon the perspective from which you look at it. In terms of slowcore or a laidback acoustic-rock album, as you describe it there, it's heavy enough to be considered metal. In terms of metal though it's actually fairly light, definitely fitting at the lighter end of the metal spectrum.

I think it sits pretty comfortably in between metal and a slowcore sound, any "heaviness" to it comes from the metal elements. It's also psychedelic to me, in a lackadaisical, whimsical or laidback sort of way, not the overtly trippy kind.

Also, I think it's interesting that an album this light on the metal side made it past the armed guards at MetalArchives: http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Last_Minute_to_Jaffna/3540323501 The style they've got it tagged as is way off to me though.

I think we have a very different distinction of what is metal in that case. This album is an acoustic reworking of previously released material, so I'm not quite sure what's metal about it, aside from the style of the original songs. Not that the genre is my primary concern, but it seems strange to me seeing people call this heavy when it's about as crushing as Agalloch's White EP. Regardless of what people call it, it's still fairly uninteresting and samey.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 23.08.2014 at 07:50

I think we have a very different distinction of what is metal in that case. This album is an acoustic reworking of previously released material, so I'm not quite sure what's metal about it, aside from the style of the original songs. Not that the genre is my primary concern, but it seems strange to me seeing people call this heavy when it's about as crushing as Agalloch's White EP. Regardless of what people call it, it's still fairly uninteresting and samey.

This one isn't completely divorced from what the band had already written for earlier recordings, but I understand what you mean. There's certainly less metal to it than what you'd expect with all the descriptions of "heavy" being put to it, heavy being a key characteristic of... well "heavy metal." The metal style of the band continues here I think, albeit in a lighter state, similar to what a lot of post-metal bands do if they incorporate more of a rock, less of a metal edge to their style for a recording.
I suppose you could consider it as a transitional sort of album, from metal further into that alternative acoustic rock or slowcore, if you like.