Release Date: 11th
March 2015
Label: Digital release
At
War With Self is a project led/conceived by Glenn Snelwar, a
multi-instrumentalist, best known, although not by this reviewer, as one of the
guitarists on the Giordian Knot debut which featured members of King Crimson,
Cynic, Watchtower and Dream Theater.
At War With Self has previously released three albums, Torn Between Dimensions (2005), Acts of God (2007) and A Familiar Path (2009), and now, album
No 4 has landed on The Ancient Ones’ desk for review. The title of the newest
release is Circadian Rhythm Disorder.
To quote the press release that accompanies this album
release, “Circadian Rhythm Disorder
is the culmination of four years of writing, recording, re-writing, analysis,
re-analysis, discarding, rebuilding, e-evaluation and final culmination of
compositions based on the framework of a 51 minute drum solo performed in a
single take by Marco Minneman (drummer, composer, multi-instrumentalist with
Steven Wilson Band and Joe Satriani Band).”
I will admit at the outset of this review that the
thought of a 51 minute drum solo filled me full of foreboding, but I was
interested to hear how Glenn built Circadian
Rhythm Disorder around this base point.
The musicians involved on this release are Glenn, who
plays guitars, fretless bass, mandolin and keyboards, with Marco Minneman,
providing the drumming and percussion.
Circadian
Rhythm Disorder is a 24 track album with a total paying time
of around 51 minutes. Fifteen of the tracks last for under the 2 minute mark,
with “Slate Wiper Pt 2,” the shortest at only 53 seconds and the longest track
on offer on Circadian Rhythm Disorder
is “Seeds Of Doubt” which plays for 4:19 minutes.
The opening track on Circadian
Rhythm Disorder, “Slate Wiper” (3:26) is an interesting piece of music
based on the first section of the drum track. There is a fair amount of metal
guitar riffing, interspersed with mandolin which draws the listener in,
although the sudden change from acoustic to metal guitar can be a little
jarring. This is a positive start to the album with a track that certainly
hangs together very well.
“Seeds Of Doubt” (4:19) has a very atmospheric build-up
to around the 2 minute point before the metal guitar appears in the background
and takes over with bursts of machine gun like riffing, which unfortunately
isn’t a style that keeps the interest of this listener.
“Seeds Of Love” (3:47) changes tack with piano and
acoustic guitar setting the scene before the keyboards fill in the background.
A good track, and indeed, I think the best of these early tracks without a
doubt.
“Shards Pt 1” (3:21), “Shards Pt 2” (2:17) and “Shards Pt
3” (0:55) are based around the less metallic side of the music, with “Pt 1”
using acoustic guitar and keyboards to provide a gentle, almost laid back,
flowing piece of music, which does have a few tempo changes, but it is always
satisfying. “Pt 2” has a superb piano to start and is again, in the gentler of
the musical styles across this release. There are some excellent acoustic
guitar themes on offer over the length of this track. “Pt 3” again highlights
the piano, but at under a minute in length, is too soon gone.
Having listened to this album several times over the last
few weeks, I am still not convinced that I like or dislike it. Overall I’m very
happy with the gentler, more atmospheric tracks, but a little put off by the
harsh metal thrashing. This is an album I may well dip into from time to time,
but only some of the tracks.
As usual, this is a very personal view of Circadian Rhythm Disorder, and I would
always advocate that people have a few listens before making their mind up.
4/5
Stars
Key
Tracks: Slate Wiper, Seeds of Love, Shards Pt 1-3
Tracks:
Slate Wiper
Seeds of Doubt
Seeds of Love
The Mirror
Mirage
Stumbling To Sleep
Daydream
This Is Not My Reflection
Smash The Mirror
Shards Pt 1
Shards Pt 2
Shards Pt 3
Nightmare
Running From The Dream
N.D.E.
Tunnel Of Light
Re-Birth
First Breath
New Life Pt 1
New Life Pt 2
Slate Wiper Pt 2
A Day’s Death
Completion Of The Cycle
One And All
Tracks:
Slate Wiper
Seeds of Doubt
Seeds of Love
The Mirror
Mirage
Stumbling To Sleep
Daydream
This Is Not My Reflection
Smash The Mirror
Shards Pt 1
Shards Pt 2
Shards Pt 3
Nightmare
Running From The Dream
N.D.E.
Tunnel Of Light
Re-Birth
First Breath
New Life Pt 1
New Life Pt 2
Slate Wiper Pt 2
A Day’s Death
Completion Of The Cycle
One And All
May 21, 2015
Review
Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk
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