Honor Found In Decay

Even though it barely eclipses the 60-minute mark, Neurosis’ 10th LP feels like it takes hours to unfold, as if it’s the molten-metal equivalent of watching and/or reading something as epic as Cloud Atlas or the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy. This is a good thing. Like Neurosis' last masterpiece, 2007’s Given to the Rising, the band’s long-awaited return is an immersive listen that rewards repeat visits to the valley of death Neurosis personally dug. And what a bleak but strangely beautiful valley it is, populated by rich imagery; there are uplifting lines like “Bleed the pig of its life,” “Death was my first companion," and “Smoke from a gaping wound, spirit already flown." The music brings new meaning to the phrase sturm und drang. It’s enough to make a longtime fan forget all the side projects and solo albums that dropped in the interim and hope for another group effort before the iconic Bay Area band turns 30. (Which is much sooner than you think.)