Albums•November 29, 2011•11,556 views

Mouth Of The Architect The Violence Beneath

01. The Violence Beneath 02. Buried Hopes 03. Restore (live) 04. In Your Eyes

2010 Translation Loss Records

Our score 7

4/24/2010

After roughly a year and a half since Mouth of the Architect's last record, the band has returned with a four song EP titled The Violence Beneath. At face value, it's a slightly discontinuous collection of recordings; two new studio recordings, an unreleased live track, and a cover song comprise the thirty minute disc. It's heavy, melodic, and massive -- just as one would expect from these dudes. Here's the deal: The lead-off title track and "Buried Hopes" make up the pair of newly recorded originals on the record. "The Violence Beneath" is the instant stand-out on the EP thanks to its noticeable shift in songwriting. Faster tempos and quick moving riffs give it a Baroness feel, though it isn't quite as clean and rock-ish as the material found on Red Album or Blue Record. In fact, the best comparison is probably the mix of sludge and post-metal found on Supercontinent's Vaalbara from a few years back. 2008's Quietly was a good record, but this song is far more commanding and satisfying than most of that album. If it's any indicator as to what we can expect from the band in the future, we're in luck. "Restore" is a live cut coming from the band's stint on a tour with Mastodon roughly three years ago. The instrumentation is just as tight as one would except from a studio recording, and with the small exception of the amp's hissing noise floor during a mid-song break, the sound quality is very respectable. Fun fact: this was snagged when Greg Lahm was still a part of the group, so those still clinging to The Ties That Blind as MOTA's best-to-date -- and yes, I put myself in that category -- will take added interest in the track. Closing the EP is the disc's most debatable content and a definite catalyst for (potentially heated) discussion amongst listeners. You'll recognize the smooth melodies and calm feel of "In Your Eyes" as originally from pop music icon Peter Gabriel, only this time it's loaded down with a healthy dose of distortion and a tasteful spread of backing screams. With an almost shoegazy feel to it and slightly washed out singing, it's a bit more easy going than most of MOTA's previous material, though surprisingly fitting. Personally, I'm still torn over it. On one hand, it's well-executed with a clever spin and rather memorable. But on the other hand, covering pop classics brings the band a small step toward being the Evergreen Terrace of post-metal -- and we all know how difficult it is to take that band seriously. Oh well, you decide. Bottom Line: Thanks to its variety, The Violence Beneath is an interesting listen for Mouth of the Architect fans. Over the course of thirty minutes it delivers a stellar, Baroness-esque track, an older live recording from their The Ties That Blind days, and a cover track that's sure to pique interest. It's not a masterpiece, but it'll work until the next full-length comes along.

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zack_ 4/24/2010 4:33:34 PM

Good release. Personally I like the cover song.

Mouth Of The Architect The Violence Beneath

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