The Deal
Sumac · 2015
53 min · 6 tracks
A dense amalgamation of heavy riffs and avant-garde structures that challenge the boundaries of metal and experimental music.
Top tracks — play these first
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Thorn in the Lion's Paw — This track exemplifies Sumac's ability to merge crushing heaviness with intricate dynamics, creating a powerful sonic narrative that captivates listeners.
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Hollow King — With its lengthy build-up and sonic exploration, this track represents the band's willingness to push structural boundaries while maintaining emotional weight.
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The Deal — The title track encapsulates the album's themes of struggle and resolution, featuring complex rhythms that reflect an internal conflict within its soundscape.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's ambitious structures and heavy sound create a compelling experience that rewards deeper listening.
What we noticed
- The album features lengthy tracks, with the shortest being over six minutes, allowing for extended exploration of themes and motifs.
- Each track incorporates abrupt tempo shifts and dynamic contrasts, moving between crushing heaviness and quieter, more introspective passages.
- The use of unconventional song structures often eschews traditional verse-chorus formats in favor of sprawling, evolving compositions.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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8/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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The Deal
In a moment where the narrative shifts from despair to acceptance, the lyrics embrace a stark confrontation with reality.
This shift not only underscores the album's overarching themes of struggle but also highlights the band's lyrical depth through its raw honesty.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Spectral Gold 3:18
- 2 Thorn in the Lion's Paw 8:54
- 3 Hollow King 12:21
- 4 Blight's End Angel 10:16
- 5 The Deal 13:41
- 6 The Radiance of Being 5:15
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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