Sunset In The 12th House - Mozaic review
| Band: | Sunset In The 12th House |
| Album: | Mozaic |
| Style: | Post-rock, Post-metal, Psychedelic rock |
| Release date: | June 05, 2015 |
| A review by: | Auntie Sahar |
01. Seven Insignia
02. Arctic Cascades
03. Paraphernalia Of Sublimation
04. Desert's Eschaton
05. Ethereal Consonance
06. Rejuvenation
There can be very little denying that Edmond Karban and Christian Popescu (of Negură Bunget note) have come a long way in developing and perfecting their sound. First masters of atmosphere in Negura, they have since departed, forming the equally (if not more) impressive Dordeduh in 2009. But the ball's not stopping its rolling there, folks. Get ready for Sunset In The 12th House.
This new band sees Mr. Karban and Mr. Popescu teaming up with Sergio Ponti (drums) and Mihai Moldoveanu (bass), who they've also been working with in Dordeduh, for more of a post rock, almost psychedelic approach. Mostly instrumental, with this fantastic Mozaic debut, Sunset In The 12th house crafts an absolutely mesmerizing sound that sees Karban and Popescu utilizing many of their usual tricks, but in slightly different ways. The music is thus mostly bright, atmospheric, and very ethereal in its approach, retaining much of the transcendental beauty that these guys brought to Negură Bunget and have been continuing on with in Dordeduh (just listen to "Arctic Cascades"... DAMN).
Mozaic, however, really is just that... a mozaic. There is an absolutely wonderful variation in genre influences and delivery all across this album, and it's definitely one of the types that feels as though it reveals more about itself over time. Though mostly instrumental and atmospheric, some moments in it actually get quite heavy, such as on "Seven Insignia" and "Rejuvenation," the latter actually containing some harsh vocals from Karban. The Eastern feel of "Desert's Eschaton" (personal favorite) is just tasty as all hell, and you can also find moments sprinkled throughout the tracks of some BM-style tremolo picking, showing that Karban and Popescu haven't by any means forgotten that side of their musical personalities either.
So, if you didn't get the message already, let me just say it bluntly: Mozaic is an absolute triumph. Relaxing, heavy, varied, and layered, it's a wonderful journey through various stylistic influences, all centered around an inherent sense of melody and atmosphere. Sunset In The 12th House displays the epic sound that Karban and Popescu are conjuring in Dordeduh, but also some of the heaviness that they had in Negură Bunget as well, and in that aspect, the band is definitely unique. I am now firmly convinced, if I wasn't already, that virtually anything these incredible musicians touch will turn out pretty damn good.
Become one with the majesty.
*Oh, and of course, this review wouldn't be at all complete without me pimping the name of brilliant Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu, who did the artwork here. Just look upon that thing in all its glory, goddamn it. The guy is a genius.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 10 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 9 |
Written by Auntie Sahar | 04.07.2015
Comments
| RaduP CertifiedHipster Staff Posts: 9132  |
I've been waiting for this 
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989  |
Written by RaduP on 05.07.2015 at 00:50 The album, or the review?  Either way, it's fantastic stuff indeed. Easy AOTY contender.
---- 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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| RaduP CertifiedHipster Staff Posts: 9132 |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 05.07.2015 at 00:55 The review, I heard the album the day it was released and I posted most of the related news and I got excited when I looked at the review queue and I saw that it's there. I wanted to request it but I hesitated because you were all having plenty to review already and I didn't want to be an annoying nationalistic prick. But here we are. Thanks a lot 
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62293  |
Is this metal enough, last time I checked it was not more rock band, pysho rock
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Bad English on 05.07.2015 at 01:33 It does have traces of metal in it, most specifically on the opening and closing tracks, but yeah, overall it's just instrumental psychedelic/post rock. As for... "is it metal enough to be here"? Well, that opens up the classic question of what "metal enough" really means, and I'd rather not get into that debate... at least not here 
---- 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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| psykometal A staff guy... Elite Posts: 6101  |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 05.07.2015 at 02:06 I would say the question is less about "Is it metal enough to be here?", but rather "Is it metal enough to be tagged Post-metal and be made visible?" I haven't listened to it (I'm not a post-person), but it seems to me that you are saying it is hardly metal. Regardless of it's metalness, or lack there of, I'd say that since we're taking a much more lax and "relatative to metalheads" stance these days, that the band deserves to be here due to it's connection to Negura Bunget and Dordeduh. So I'd be more interested to know if the Post-METAL tag and the band's visibility is justified...? Kinda sounds more to me like they're not.
---- ~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~ 
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by psykometal on 05.07.2015 at 02:24 I'm not really a post guy either, but just because of the Negura and Dordeduh connections, I was pretty much obligated to check this album out. Even so, I dunno if I'd call it post metal actually... there's just too much going on in it to easily classify it. There is some post, but it's also psychedelic at points, kind of folky on that fourth track, and then there are the actual heavy points where it does actually get quite metal-ish. If you were to make these guys visible, I'm not sure what it'd be good to tag them as entirely, but I don't believe a simple "post metal" would be sufficient. Basically: There IS metal here, I'm just not sure whether you could say it forms the core of the sound. At the moment, I'd say it doesn't.
---- 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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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62293 |
Written by psykometal on 05.07.2015 at 02:24 when I was listening it , it was soft to me, I didn't do all album, but few tracks , it was kind a soft to me
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by [user id=142921] on 05.07.2015 at 04:44 I wouldn't have minded them as much if they were just a bit more developed. That last track is good, but the fact that it's the only one that sees that technique being used also makes it feel somewhat out of place. The album could've done a wee bit better with just ending with that fifth track imo.
---- 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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| PocketMetal Posts: 750 |
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| LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4123  |
I think you meant "Desert's Eschaton" has an "Eastern" feel, not "Paraphernalia of Sublimation".
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| RaduP CertifiedHipster Staff Posts: 9132 |
Also "Rejuvenation", not "Seven Insignia" contains vocals
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by LeKiwi on 05.07.2015 at 23:55 I think the tracks on the DL I got are just all fucked up. Because I'm looking at... 1. Arctic Cascades 2. Desert's Eschaton 3. Ethereal Consonance 4. Paraphernalia Of Sublimation 5. Rejuvenation 6. Seven Insignia Which is apparently wrong, because everywhere else I'm looking now it's different. Goddamit, now I'm gonna have to edit both the review and the info in my music library  Thanks for calling me on this, at least!
---- 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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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by RaduP on 06.07.2015 at 00:46 You're right, see my reply to LeKiwi
---- 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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| LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4123 |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 06.07.2015 at 01:37 No worries and good luck 
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| tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal Contributor Posts: 5266  |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 05.07.2015 at 03:15 I will be the judge of that... Sounds interesting Che, will check this out.
---- rekt
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| Enemy of Reality Account deleted |
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| tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal Contributor Posts: 5266 |
Che, this IS post rock/metal. Finally got around to listening. Some psychedelic moments too. I am not shocked to find this on Prophecy records; what a fine release and thanks for the review.
---- rekt
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