Released 10 years ago
What One Becomes
Sumac · 2016
58 min · 5 tracks
A dense tapestry of heavy riffs and intricate rhythms creates an overwhelming yet immersive auditory experience.
Top tracks — play these first
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Image of Control — The opening track sets a confrontational tone, intertwining aggressive instrumentation with reflective themes of power and autonomy, establishing the album's overarching narrative.
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Rigid Man — This track showcases the band's ability to balance chaos and structure, implementing dynamic shifts that highlight both technical prowess and emotional weight.
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Blackout — At nearly eighteen minutes, this sprawling piece explores disorientation through its relentless progression and shifting textures, embodying the essence of Sumac's experimental approach.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's complex compositions and heavy sound create an immersive experience, though it may not reach a wide audience.
What we noticed
- The album features extended track lengths, with four of the five songs exceeding six minutes, allowing for gradual build-ups and dynamic shifts.
- Vocals are often delivered in a harsh, guttural style, contrasting with the intricate instrumentation, which includes both heavy riffs and ambient passages.
- 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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7/10
- 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
Known within its scene. 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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Clutch of Oblivion
The lyrics confront existential dread directly, using stark imagery to evoke feelings of helplessness against an indifferent universe.
This direct engagement with bleakness stands out amidst the musical chaos, creating a moment of clarity that underscores the album’s thematic depth.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Image of Control 9:57
- 2 Rigid Man 10:35
- 3 Clutch of Oblivion 10:59
- 4 Blackout 17:25
- 5 Will to Reach 9:48
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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