Neurosis - The Word as Law

A diversified and confusing work all at once, The Word As Law was the most transitional album in Neurosis' evolution from hardcore merchants to avant-garde metal experimentalists, clearly displaying the pubescent band as it searched for its mature identity. As such, the short, angry bursts ("Double-Edged Sword," "The Choice") which hearken to their past already seem somewhat lacking in conviction; while more elaborate numbers such as "Obsequious Obsolescence," "Blisters," and especially the multifaceted "To What EndNULL" fare slightly better for pointing towards the complex arrangements and adventurous soundscapes yet to come. Read More