IDYLLS - PRAYER FOR TERRENE (2014)

The ferociously engaging Brisbane, Australia outfit Idylls dropped their debut LP in March of last year, raising eyebrows worldwide with a mammoth aggression and infectiously body-shaking rhythm unlike anything heard before... except on every single Converge record after When Forever Comes Crashing.

Artwork: This is one of the weirdest album covers I have ever seen. After staring at it intently many times, I feel like there is supposed to be something happening here, but I just don't get it.

Structure: In a rather unorthodox fashion, Prayer For Terrene opens with a nearly 7-minute long opus of calculated chaos and emotion, and follows it with 9 short tracks that are 1/3 its length. Maybe they were trying to distance themselves from Converge, by structuring their album exactly opposite of Jane Doe.

I listen to the first few minutes of the first track about once a week. When I want to hear Idylls, that song scratches the itch perfectly. The track, and only that track, does drag on far too long, building into some unbelievably noisy passages that just don't add anything to the song. Each track that follows plays like an experiment with a random assortment of explosive chemicals, whose results were recorded in musical form. There isn't a lot of consistency, besides the trashcans-falling-down-stairs momentum of the band and the overwhelmingly loud production. Each song is different and worth checking out.

Sound: The fact that their name, album title and song names always appear in all-Caps is appropriate. I should start by saying that Idylls does have a unique take on some aspects of their sound, and those aspects make them worth listening to, repeatedly. Even if this record had not been mixed and mastered by Kurt Ballou (guitarist of Converge, owner/engineer of God City Studios) It would still be a killer record that really stands out as having its own voice worth listening to, if only for the insidiously catchy riffs and rhythms. However, with this record, Idylls had many listeners wondering exactly how many times they have listened to Converge's discography on repeat. About 30 seconds into the first track, an interesting 6/4 rhythm is presented that simultaneously made me want to buy this record and made me think "Is this a B-side from Jane Doe?" and when 1:30 hits, Idylls bares their unique stripe in full view. If you like Converge, you will like this band. If you don't like Converge... get out of my face.

Lyrics: I have no idea what he is saying and I can't find the lyrics. Sorry.

For Fans Of: The Chariot, Converge, kangaroos

Favorite Track: LIED TO

1. LIED TO
2. FAGGED OUT ON THE BEACH
3. SOW CONTROL
4. ANIMAL TEST
5. DENIGRATING IN THE TANKS
6. PCP CRAZY
7. PAY WITH YOUTH
8. CONCORD PRISON
9. CRASHING BOAR
10. TERRAFORM

Rating: 9 / 10 

Merch: Bandcamp
Listen: Bandcamp
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