Wavering Radiant
Encyclopedia
Wavering Radiant is the fifth and final full-length album by American post-metal
group Isis
, released by Ipecac Recordings
in 2009 and produced by Joe Barresi
. It stands as Isis' last full-length album, as the band split just over a year after its release. The album continues Isis' history of lengthy songwriting, yet presents a slight departure from the soft-loud dynamics and post-metal aesthetic which characterized previous releases.
Reviewers noted a continued increase in melody from previous releases, and many were quick to note an increased prominence of keyboardist Bryant Clifford Meyer
's work, using a Hammond B3 organ. In keeping with Isis' retinue of concept albums, a thematic strand runs throughout, dealing with dreams and Jungian psychology. Critical appraisal was largely positive, with some critics deeming it Isis' finest album; it also appeared on a handful of best-of lists at the close of the year. Commercially, it was Isis' most successful release ever, breaching the Billboard 200
for the first time and gaining international chart presence. It was ranked in the year-end lists by a number of reputed publications. To promote the album, Isis embarked on a world tour and shot a music video.
estimates that the creation and execution of Wavering Radiant took about two and a half years. During the writing of the record, all of Isis' members were residing permanently within Los Angeles
; a situation in contrast to their previous full-length, 2006's In the Absence of Truth
; band members were divided between New York
and Los Angeles
throughout that album's inception and creation. The entire band felt a degree of dissatisfaction with In the Absence of Truth, and Harris felt that the logistical change was beneficial to the writing process, allowing for more time: "rather than feeling like we had limited time to capture something, I felt like we could take our time with the songs, and come back the next day to work on things rather than in a few weeks". The resulting sound was described by guitarist Michael Gallagher
as "more live [...] a little bit dirtier – almost, for lack of a better word, sloppy. But in a good way. We spent a lot of time getting all of our takes as close to perfect as we could on previous records. On this one, we went more with the vibe of the particular take in question."
During the composition phase, Harris multitrack
recorded the rehearsals, allowing the band to listen to the material and re-examine it, allowing them greater room to jam while writing "without the worry of forgetting something or not fully understanding what [they were] doing". This, coupled with the lack of a deadline, meant that the process was more open-ended for the band, allowing more freedom to abandon failed avenues and giving ideas time to evolve. This attitude was extended to the manner in which the vocals were tracked – until Wavering Radiant, the vocals had normally been recorded last. Instead, more time was spent recording them; this allowed Turner, who had steadily grown in confidence as a vocalist, to relax and enjoy the process.
The recording process for the album began in November 2008 and lasted around three months, helmed by Joe Barresi
. Isis' previous full-lengths since Celestial had been produced by Matt Bayles
, but for this record, it was decided that a change was needed. Although the professional parting of ways was peaceable, working with Bayles had become, in the words of Harris, "routine" and "old hat". Barresi was selected thanks to his work with bands such as Tool
, Queens of the Stone Age
and Melvins, and upon the album's completion, Harris felt that Barresi "brought out some aspects of the band that even we didn't fully understand." Harris' drums and keyboardist Bryant Clifford Meyer
's Hammond B3 lines were tracked over three and a half days at Sound City in Van Nuys; the same studio in which the seminal Nirvana
record Nevermind
was tracked. This marked the first time a specialist drum tech was utilised by the band; Jerry Johnson, a veteran of projects with Def Leppard
and Linkin Park
, was recruited.
The involvement of Tool
's Adam Jones
as a guest musician was revealed at the same time as the album's official announcement. Jones contributes additional guitar on "Hall of the Dead" and keyboards on "Wavering Radiant", whereas Tool member Justin Chancellor
had contributed to Isis' 2004 album, Panopticon
, and Isis supported Tool during a 2006 tour.
Two additional tracks were recorded during the Wavering Radiant sessions, but failed to make it onto the final cut of the album. "The Pliable Foe" was selected for the Metal Swim compilation released by Adult Swim
, as well as Isis' split with the Melvins
, both released in 2010. "Way Through Woven Branches" saw release as an addition to the Japanese edition as a bonus track.
Although reluctant to give any specifics, he has expressed snippets of conceptual background at times; this, however, doesn't extend to the reasoning behind the album's title, which he declined to elaborate upon. When asked to describe the album in three words, he stated that it was a "path of exploration". Bassist Jeff Caxide
has revealed that Turner noted Carl Jung
as a major influence on the concept and lyrics. Jung's 1961 work, Memories, Dreams, Reflections
, served as a specific source of inspiration for Turner, as he noted on his blog in a post preceding the album's release. Beyond Jung, he has spoken of how the album is closely related to dreams, and that he had been keeping a dream journal during the album's compositional phase. He gave up smoking marijuana in 2008, which he says enabled him to remember his dreams more clearly and, according to J. Bennett, "tap into an internal consciousness". All of the album's official lyrics, deemed almost entirely indecipherable, were revealed in celebration of the album's first anniversary.
Milton Savage tussled with the challenge of defining Isis' sound: "If it's not heavy – 'dense' is better description – and the band's purer metal roots have grown into a towering trunk from which sprout the most tangled of branches, both sturdy and incredibly delicate, then how does one take in the full picture and condense twelve years of unfaltering advancement to a single adjective?" Roque Strew, of Pitchfork Media
, struggles in the same vein: "pin a single label, style, adjective on Isis and it slips right off."
While reviewers were troubled with categorizing the band, much time was spent deliberating upon the album's sound when held in comparison with other Isis material. Robin Jahdi, writing for FACT Magazine, holds that the album presents a shift in dynamic. "It takes a while to realise, but [Wavering Radiant] is pretty different to what's come before from Aaron Turner and co. The last time this happened was 2002, when they transformed from brutal sludge metal to something altogether more delicate." Here, he references the transition brokered when Isis released Oceanic
, a critically acclaimed departure from the sound of 2000's Celestial. Other differences from some of Isis' previous material have been noted; on a broad scale, the album was deemed "less punishing than Panopticon
, from 2004, and less ponderous than In the Absence of Truth
, from 2006", but closer examination also led Slants Matthew Cole to suggest differences. "On past releases, Isis employed loud/soft dynamics to stunning effect, and while that element remains central to their sound, the best parts of Wavering Radiant suggest a more sophisticated integration. Rather than playing on the line between pretty and heavy, tracks like 'Stone to Wake a Serpent' and '20 Minutes / 40 Years' dissolve it." Not all reviews held the album to be such a departure – for instance, Andrew Hartwig feels that "Wavering Radiant continues in the direction that Isis have been travelling since their inception, with an increasing prominence of melody and a greater focus on placid sections to balance out their signature crushing heaviness".
Although Turner's lyrics are found to be "far from wholly discernable", his vocals have "mellowed". Robin Jahdi writes that "Turner's vocals are growing as well, sounding eerily like Steve Brodsky, from Isis' peers Cave In
. These journeys into melody are so successful (vocal harmonies, no less) that you wonder why Turner still bothers with the pseudo-death metal vocals at all. They add little to the music and must serve to turn off more potential fans than they attract." Nate Chinen, however, sees this variety as a vital component of the album's success, attesting that "Aaron Turner expertly alternates between a death-metal roar and a more human wail, using whichever better suits the needs of a song".
According to William Ruhlmann, "a big difference is provided by keyboardist Clifford Meyer, who provides texture, filling up the overall sound and also adding ethereal touches that sometimes make Isis reminiscent of Pink Floyd
." This view is shared by Roque Strew, who argues that "equally vital to the record's dense, hypnotic shape is Clifford Meyer's command of the keyboard [...] His blissful, knotty phrases, played on a dusty Hammond B3 or Rhodes, often recreate moments from the psychedelic and prog-rock past." However, Chris Norton of Tiny Mix Tapes
contends that "the prominent keyboard tones sound pretty hokey on this album." Praise was spared for drummer Aaron Harris
also; on this release, "everyone is playing off Harris and following his lead dynamically. His sense of moment is perfect; knowing exactly when and where to jump in or cut back, and just how much."
The influence of several contemporary bands was deemed apparent upon the sound of the album. Robin Jahdi writes that "the Isis sound, debuted proper on the 2002 album
, is still present and correct, but there's more subtle shifts in mood here, most interestingly when they take influence from outside (Tool's Adam Jones
plays on two songs). The basslines bounce and jolt with that familiar elasticity, but the seismic six-string shifts on songs like 'Hand of the Host' and '20 Minutes / 40 Years' are the sort not heard from this band in years. It is no coincidence that these are highlights." The rhythms of "20 Minutes / 40 Years" are described as "Pelican
-like" by NME
reviewer Ben Patashnik, and No Ripcord
s Sean Caldwell compares the album to Mastodon
's Blood Mountain
, citing its potential for "crossover" appeal.
page, and a week before the album's release, made the entire record available for streaming. To promote the album in the build-up to its release, Isis released a series of teaser videos, consisting of footage of the band recording, but no musical content. A limited edition run of signed CD booklets were made available to those pre-ordering the album, as well as album-related merchandise.
The album was released by Ipecac Recordings
on limited vinyl on April 21, 2009, and in CD format on May 5. European distribution was undertaken by Conspiracy Records, while a special Japanese edition was handled by Daymare Recordings.
Following the album's release, Isis embarked on a tour of North America, supported by Pelican
and Tombs
. They then went on to tour the UK and Europe through late 2009, supported variously by bands including Keelhaul, Dälek
and Circle
. They toured Australia, New Zealand and Japan with Baroness
before returning to the United States to tour with Melvins, Jakob
and Cave In
from May to June. This American leg of the tour included an appearance at 2010's Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tennessee
, while the Pacific portion took in the Soundwave Festival
in Australia.
Having shot videos for tracks from their previous two albums, Isis went on to record another for "20 Minutes / 40 Years". Described as a "seven and a half minute epic", the video, directed by Matt Santoro and released in November 2009, opens with ferromagnetic fluid moving through an ambiguous, dark setting. A masked figure, trapped inside a translucent box, watches its interplay. The fluid enters the box, where it is subsumed by the figure. As the song reaches its crescendo, the box rises through the earth and breaks out of the surface into the sunlight, and its captive is freed. It received airplay on MTV2
's Headbanger's Ball.
attests to decent reception. Regarding its place in Isis' catalog, it has been described as their "most accomplished and complete album to date" by Ali Maloney of The Skinny, as their "smartest and richest record" and as "the toughest and catchiest Isis record" since their debut full-length, Celestial." Beyond the band's own repertoire, it was described as "metal played at its arresting best", and Andrew Rennie of NOW went as far as declaring it "close to perfect". Not all reviews were so glowing, as the NME
characterized it as "45 minutes of awesomeness stretched out to a slightly bloated hour [...] the unsettling Toolisms
of 'Ghost Key' meander just too long and 'Hand of the Host' spends half of its 11 minutes repeating itself without really juddering into the granite riff golem it threatens to be." Similarly, Chris Norton of Tiny Mix Tapes
feels that the album "isn't the band's best by a really long shot, even if it ain't bad." Accessibility was a similarly divisive issue, with the album being characterized as "perhaps their most rewarding yet, but simultaneously their hardest to immediately access given its prioritising of subtle nuances over senses-numbing assaults" and "a slow-burning success". Conversely, it has also been declared to be "easily the band's most accessible effort". Allmusic's William Ruhlmann felt that with regards to structure, "Wavering Radiant works as a single piece of music rather than a series of songs", as Milton Savage of Drowned in Sound
concurred that Isis have "construct[ed] their latest so that it's best experienced as a whole".
The success of the album was deemed contingent upon balance. The Guardian
s Jamie Thomson posits that "the Isis of old gave the impression they were enjoying their meandering jams just a little too much, leaving the listener a tad lost. Here, they rein them in perfectly, and reward you with a colossal chorus for staying the distance", while Nate Chinen, of The New York Times
, feels that the release "upholds a deliberative truce between brute physicality and moody rumination".
Critical selection of album highlights has provided multiple standout tracks: Milton Savage unequivocally declares that "'Stone to Wake a Serpent' is an obvious selection: its ominous, horror-movie keyboard tones duel with Turner's most ferocious performance in some years", a pick Andrew Rennie of NOW shared. Other selections include "20 Minutes / 40 Years" and "Hall of the Dead", which Roque Strew argues "may be the lushest, most astutely crafted opener in the Isis discography
".
Turner himself had this to say of the album, fully cognizant that it would be the band's last: "I don't know if looking back many years from now if Wavering Radiant will be my favorite Isis record or not, but I certainly feel like it's the best record we were capable of making at the time, and I also feel like we didn't compromise in any really significant way the spirit or ideology behind the band in making it. And sonically speaking, I think it sounds really good, so that makes me happy, too."
at number 98 and the Top Independent Albums chart in tenth spot, representing the band's highest placing to date. In the United States, the album sold 5,800 copies in the first week of its release. It entered the BBC Radio 1
Top 40 Rock Albums chart
at number 17, the Norwegian National Chart
at number 37, and the German charts
at number 96, providing Isis with their first chart exposure outside the United States and United Kingdom.
Other personnel
Post-metal
Post-metal is a music genre, a mixture between the genres of post-rock and heavy metal.Hydra Head Records owner and Isis frontman Aaron Turner originally termed the genre "thinking man's metal", demonstrating that his band was trying to move away from common metal conventions...
group Isis
Isis (band)
Isis was a Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band, founded in Boston, Massachusetts, with a career spanning from 1997 to 2010...
, released by Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles,...
in 2009 and produced by Joe Barresi
Joe Barresi
Joe Barresi is an American record engineer and producer who has worked with bands such as Kyuss, The Melvins, Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Coheed and Cambria, Tomahawk, L7, The Jesus Lizard, Parkway Drive and Bad Religion.-Biography:...
. It stands as Isis' last full-length album, as the band split just over a year after its release. The album continues Isis' history of lengthy songwriting, yet presents a slight departure from the soft-loud dynamics and post-metal aesthetic which characterized previous releases.
Reviewers noted a continued increase in melody from previous releases, and many were quick to note an increased prominence of keyboardist Bryant Clifford Meyer
Bryant Clifford Meyer
Bryant Clifford Meyer is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist, best known for his tenure with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band since its debut full-length, Celestial, in 2000. Previously, he was a formative member of Boston-based rock band The Gersch...
's work, using a Hammond B3 organ. In keeping with Isis' retinue of concept albums, a thematic strand runs throughout, dealing with dreams and Jungian psychology. Critical appraisal was largely positive, with some critics deeming it Isis' finest album; it also appeared on a handful of best-of lists at the close of the year. Commercially, it was Isis' most successful release ever, breaching the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
for the first time and gaining international chart presence. It was ranked in the year-end lists by a number of reputed publications. To promote the album, Isis embarked on a world tour and shot a music video.
Writing and recording
From conception to final release in 2009, drummer Aaron HarrisAaron Harris (Isis drummer)
Aaron Harris is an American drummer, best known for his career with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band from its inception in 1997 to its dissolution in 2010...
estimates that the creation and execution of Wavering Radiant took about two and a half years. During the writing of the record, all of Isis' members were residing permanently within Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
; a situation in contrast to their previous full-length, 2006's In the Absence of Truth
In the Absence of Truth
In the Absence of Truth is the fourth full-length studio album by Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis, released by Ipecac Recordings on October 31, 2006...
; band members were divided between New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
throughout that album's inception and creation. The entire band felt a degree of dissatisfaction with In the Absence of Truth, and Harris felt that the logistical change was beneficial to the writing process, allowing for more time: "rather than feeling like we had limited time to capture something, I felt like we could take our time with the songs, and come back the next day to work on things rather than in a few weeks". The resulting sound was described by guitarist Michael Gallagher
Michael Gallagher (Isis guitarist)
Michael Gallagher is an American guitarist, best known for his work with post-metal band Isis. He joined them in 1999 for their debut LP Celestial, having previously been a member of Cast Iron Hike...
as "more live [...] a little bit dirtier – almost, for lack of a better word, sloppy. But in a good way. We spent a lot of time getting all of our takes as close to perfect as we could on previous records. On this one, we went more with the vibe of the particular take in question."
During the composition phase, Harris multitrack
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
recorded the rehearsals, allowing the band to listen to the material and re-examine it, allowing them greater room to jam while writing "without the worry of forgetting something or not fully understanding what [they were] doing". This, coupled with the lack of a deadline, meant that the process was more open-ended for the band, allowing more freedom to abandon failed avenues and giving ideas time to evolve. This attitude was extended to the manner in which the vocals were tracked – until Wavering Radiant, the vocals had normally been recorded last. Instead, more time was spent recording them; this allowed Turner, who had steadily grown in confidence as a vocalist, to relax and enjoy the process.
The recording process for the album began in November 2008 and lasted around three months, helmed by Joe Barresi
Joe Barresi
Joe Barresi is an American record engineer and producer who has worked with bands such as Kyuss, The Melvins, Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Coheed and Cambria, Tomahawk, L7, The Jesus Lizard, Parkway Drive and Bad Religion.-Biography:...
. Isis' previous full-lengths since Celestial had been produced by Matt Bayles
Matt Bayles
-Information:Bayles is known for his work with bands such as Isis, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Botch, Mastodon, The Fall of Troy, Minus The Bear, Burnt by the Sun and Norma Jean....
, but for this record, it was decided that a change was needed. Although the professional parting of ways was peaceable, working with Bayles had become, in the words of Harris, "routine" and "old hat". Barresi was selected thanks to his work with bands such as Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
, Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
and Melvins, and upon the album's completion, Harris felt that Barresi "brought out some aspects of the band that even we didn't fully understand." Harris' drums and keyboardist Bryant Clifford Meyer
Bryant Clifford Meyer
Bryant Clifford Meyer is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist, best known for his tenure with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band since its debut full-length, Celestial, in 2000. Previously, he was a formative member of Boston-based rock band The Gersch...
's Hammond B3 lines were tracked over three and a half days at Sound City in Van Nuys; the same studio in which the seminal Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
record Nevermind
Nevermind
Nevermind is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Butch Vig, Nevermind was the group's first release on DGC Records...
was tracked. This marked the first time a specialist drum tech was utilised by the band; Jerry Johnson, a veteran of projects with Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
and Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
, was recruited.
The involvement of Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
's Adam Jones
Adam Jones (musician)
Adam Thomas Jones is a three time Grammy Award-winning Welsh-American musician and visual artist, best known for his position as the guitarist for Grammy-Award winning band Tool. Jones has been rated the 75th Greatest Guitarist of all time by the Rolling Stone and placed 9th in Guitar World's Top...
as a guest musician was revealed at the same time as the album's official announcement. Jones contributes additional guitar on "Hall of the Dead" and keyboards on "Wavering Radiant", whereas Tool member Justin Chancellor
Justin Chancellor
Justin Gunnar Walter Chancellor is an English musician formerly in the band Peach but best known as the bass player for Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool. Chancellor is of Norwegian and English descent...
had contributed to Isis' 2004 album, Panopticon
Panopticon (album)
Panopticon is the third full-length album by Los Angeles, California based post-metal band Isis, released by Ipecac Recordings in 2004. The album's title is derived from philosopher Jeremy Bentham's panopticon prison ideal and philosopher/historian Michel Foucault's later allegorical appropriation...
, and Isis supported Tool during a 2006 tour.
Two additional tracks were recorded during the Wavering Radiant sessions, but failed to make it onto the final cut of the album. "The Pliable Foe" was selected for the Metal Swim compilation released by Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
, as well as Isis' split with the Melvins
Melvins / Isis
The Melvins and Isis released a split EP on Hydra Head Records in 2010, with each band contributing two tracks. Isis' "Way Through Woven Branches" had previously only been available as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their last full-length, Wavering Radiant, whilst "Pliable Foe" was...
, both released in 2010. "Way Through Woven Branches" saw release as an addition to the Japanese edition as a bonus track.
Theme
Reviewers have discussed the presence of a theme, with Milton Savage deducing that "track titles would imply an underlying conceptual framework to Wavering Radiant, with 'Hall of the Dead' preceding 'Ghost Key', and 'Threshold of Transformation' closing the album in epic circumstances – Turner, it seems, has left our world behind for exploration of another beyond the lives led by mortal men." Isis releases have always had a thematic basis; as Andrew Rennie dissects, "Isis's four previous full-lengths have clear story arcs, but Wavering Radiants themes are open to interpretation, giving it added appeal." Over time, Turner has become reluctant to divulge the thematic particulars of any given album and on Wavering Radiant he has been equivocal. The act of explaining the thematic basis of an album erodes Turner's "connection" with the music, and he has spoken of how that relationship is something he "wishes to preserve". He also asserts that retaining this synergy with the music allows him to commit more to the album's live performances. Similarly, he has also spoken of how "[p]eople have a tendency to focus on one narrow aspect of the overall concept or misinterpret it."Although reluctant to give any specifics, he has expressed snippets of conceptual background at times; this, however, doesn't extend to the reasoning behind the album's title, which he declined to elaborate upon. When asked to describe the album in three words, he stated that it was a "path of exploration". Bassist Jeff Caxide
Jeff Caxide
Jeff Caxide is an American bassist, best known for his time with post-metal band Isis, of which he was a founding member and present until its dissolution in 2010. He was also a founding member of Red Sparowes, but left after the release of their first full-length. He also contributed to...
has revealed that Turner noted Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
as a major influence on the concept and lyrics. Jung's 1961 work, Memories, Dreams, Reflections
Memories, Dreams, Reflections
Memories, Dreams, Reflections is a partially autobiographical book by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung and associate Aniela Jaffé...
, served as a specific source of inspiration for Turner, as he noted on his blog in a post preceding the album's release. Beyond Jung, he has spoken of how the album is closely related to dreams, and that he had been keeping a dream journal during the album's compositional phase. He gave up smoking marijuana in 2008, which he says enabled him to remember his dreams more clearly and, according to J. Bennett, "tap into an internal consciousness". All of the album's official lyrics, deemed almost entirely indecipherable, were revealed in celebration of the album's first anniversary.
Music
Wavering Radiant, at 54 minutes, is Isis' shortest release since their 2000 studio début Celestial. The standard release contains seven tracks, ranging from from less than two minutes to more than ten. It continues Isis' use of non-standard time signatures, opening in 5/4 time with "Hall of the Dead".Milton Savage tussled with the challenge of defining Isis' sound: "If it's not heavy – 'dense' is better description – and the band's purer metal roots have grown into a towering trunk from which sprout the most tangled of branches, both sturdy and incredibly delicate, then how does one take in the full picture and condense twelve years of unfaltering advancement to a single adjective?" Roque Strew, of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
, struggles in the same vein: "pin a single label, style, adjective on Isis and it slips right off."
While reviewers were troubled with categorizing the band, much time was spent deliberating upon the album's sound when held in comparison with other Isis material. Robin Jahdi, writing for FACT Magazine, holds that the album presents a shift in dynamic. "It takes a while to realise, but [Wavering Radiant] is pretty different to what's come before from Aaron Turner and co. The last time this happened was 2002, when they transformed from brutal sludge metal to something altogether more delicate." Here, he references the transition brokered when Isis released Oceanic
Oceanic (Isis album)
Oceanic is the second full-length album by American post-metal band Isis, released on September 16, 2002 by Ipecac Recordings.On July 23, 2006, Isis performed Oceanic in its entirety at KOKO, Camden Town, London as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties curated Don't Look Back series. This performance...
, a critically acclaimed departure from the sound of 2000's Celestial. Other differences from some of Isis' previous material have been noted; on a broad scale, the album was deemed "less punishing than Panopticon
Panopticon (album)
Panopticon is the third full-length album by Los Angeles, California based post-metal band Isis, released by Ipecac Recordings in 2004. The album's title is derived from philosopher Jeremy Bentham's panopticon prison ideal and philosopher/historian Michel Foucault's later allegorical appropriation...
, from 2004, and less ponderous than In the Absence of Truth
In the Absence of Truth
In the Absence of Truth is the fourth full-length studio album by Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis, released by Ipecac Recordings on October 31, 2006...
, from 2006", but closer examination also led Slants Matthew Cole to suggest differences. "On past releases, Isis employed loud/soft dynamics to stunning effect, and while that element remains central to their sound, the best parts of Wavering Radiant suggest a more sophisticated integration. Rather than playing on the line between pretty and heavy, tracks like 'Stone to Wake a Serpent' and '20 Minutes / 40 Years' dissolve it." Not all reviews held the album to be such a departure – for instance, Andrew Hartwig feels that "Wavering Radiant continues in the direction that Isis have been travelling since their inception, with an increasing prominence of melody and a greater focus on placid sections to balance out their signature crushing heaviness".
Although Turner's lyrics are found to be "far from wholly discernable", his vocals have "mellowed". Robin Jahdi writes that "Turner's vocals are growing as well, sounding eerily like Steve Brodsky, from Isis' peers Cave In
Cave In
Cave In is an American rock band that formed in 1995, in Methuen, Massachusetts. After several members changes in the late 90's, their lineup solidified with the 1998 release of Until Your Heart Stops through Hydra Head Records. Their early albums were prominent releases in the independent...
. These journeys into melody are so successful (vocal harmonies, no less) that you wonder why Turner still bothers with the pseudo-death metal vocals at all. They add little to the music and must serve to turn off more potential fans than they attract." Nate Chinen, however, sees this variety as a vital component of the album's success, attesting that "Aaron Turner expertly alternates between a death-metal roar and a more human wail, using whichever better suits the needs of a song".
According to William Ruhlmann, "a big difference is provided by keyboardist Clifford Meyer, who provides texture, filling up the overall sound and also adding ethereal touches that sometimes make Isis reminiscent of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
." This view is shared by Roque Strew, who argues that "equally vital to the record's dense, hypnotic shape is Clifford Meyer's command of the keyboard [...] His blissful, knotty phrases, played on a dusty Hammond B3 or Rhodes, often recreate moments from the psychedelic and prog-rock past." However, Chris Norton of Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, as well as its mix tapes generator.-History:Originally called Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven and...
contends that "the prominent keyboard tones sound pretty hokey on this album." Praise was spared for drummer Aaron Harris
Aaron Harris (Isis drummer)
Aaron Harris is an American drummer, best known for his career with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band from its inception in 1997 to its dissolution in 2010...
also; on this release, "everyone is playing off Harris and following his lead dynamically. His sense of moment is perfect; knowing exactly when and where to jump in or cut back, and just how much."
The influence of several contemporary bands was deemed apparent upon the sound of the album. Robin Jahdi writes that "the Isis sound, debuted proper on the 2002 album
Oceanic (Isis album)
Oceanic is the second full-length album by American post-metal band Isis, released on September 16, 2002 by Ipecac Recordings.On July 23, 2006, Isis performed Oceanic in its entirety at KOKO, Camden Town, London as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties curated Don't Look Back series. This performance...
, is still present and correct, but there's more subtle shifts in mood here, most interestingly when they take influence from outside (Tool's Adam Jones
Adam Jones (musician)
Adam Thomas Jones is a three time Grammy Award-winning Welsh-American musician and visual artist, best known for his position as the guitarist for Grammy-Award winning band Tool. Jones has been rated the 75th Greatest Guitarist of all time by the Rolling Stone and placed 9th in Guitar World's Top...
plays on two songs). The basslines bounce and jolt with that familiar elasticity, but the seismic six-string shifts on songs like 'Hand of the Host' and '20 Minutes / 40 Years' are the sort not heard from this band in years. It is no coincidence that these are highlights." The rhythms of "20 Minutes / 40 Years" are described as "Pelican
Pelican (band)
Pelican is a post-metal quartet from Chicago, Illinois.-Biography and description:The band is known for its dense combinations of different melodies and extended track lengths. Its distinctive sound draws from stoner rock, doom metal, post-rock, and other influences...
-like" by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
reviewer Ben Patashnik, and No Ripcord
No Ripcord
No Ripcord is an online music and film magazine based in Sheffield, England.-History:The website was originally created in April 1999 by editor-in-chief David Coleman and A.M. Booth...
s Sean Caldwell compares the album to Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
's Blood Mountain
Blood Mountain (album)
-Story notes:* The main character is in search of the Crystal Skull which he hopes to place at the top of Blood Mountain. In the making of DVD, the Crystal Skull is supposed to remove "the reptile brain" causing its owner the ability to achieve the next step of human evolution.* In an interview...
, citing its potential for "crossover" appeal.
Promotion and release
In late December 2008, Isis began to introduce a previously unheard track into their live setlists, prompting speculation from fans and critics as video versions circulated on the Internet. Turner went on to announce the track's title as "20 Minutes / 40 Years" on December 30. The album was officially announced on January 22, 2009, and its title a week later. The album artwork and tracklist were published shortly afterwards, in early February. On March 24, Isis added the song "20 Minutes / 40 Years" to their MySpaceMySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page, and a week before the album's release, made the entire record available for streaming. To promote the album in the build-up to its release, Isis released a series of teaser videos, consisting of footage of the band recording, but no musical content. A limited edition run of signed CD booklets were made available to those pre-ordering the album, as well as album-related merchandise.
The album was released by Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles,...
on limited vinyl on April 21, 2009, and in CD format on May 5. European distribution was undertaken by Conspiracy Records, while a special Japanese edition was handled by Daymare Recordings.
Following the album's release, Isis embarked on a tour of North America, supported by Pelican
Pelican (band)
Pelican is a post-metal quartet from Chicago, Illinois.-Biography and description:The band is known for its dense combinations of different melodies and extended track lengths. Its distinctive sound draws from stoner rock, doom metal, post-rock, and other influences...
and Tombs
Tombs (band)
Tombs is an experimental band from Brooklyn, USA. They have released albums under Relapse Records and Level Plane Records. Formed out of band Anodyne, Tombs combines an mix of multiple metal styles including sludge metal and black metal.-Albums:...
. They then went on to tour the UK and Europe through late 2009, supported variously by bands including Keelhaul, Dälek
Dälek
dälek is an American experimental hip hop duo from Newark, New Jersey. The group is composed of MC dälek and the Oktopus...
and Circle
Circle (band)
Circle is an experimental rock band, founded in Pori, Finland in 1991. Their eclectic style is "ever changing, ever Circular", classified into genres such as progressive, Krautrock, ambient, heavy metal, speed-kraut, and avant-rock, among others...
. They toured Australia, New Zealand and Japan with Baroness
Baroness (band)
Baroness is a band from Savannah, Georgia whose members grew up together in Lexington, Virginia.-Formative years:Baroness formed in mid-2003, founded by former members of the punk/metal band Johnny Welfare and the Paychecks...
before returning to the United States to tour with Melvins, Jakob
Jakob (band)
Jakob is a New Zealand post-rock band, based in the Hawkes Bay city of Napier. The band consists of guitarist Jeff Boyle; bassist Maurice Beckett; and drummer Jason Johnston...
and Cave In
Cave In
Cave In is an American rock band that formed in 1995, in Methuen, Massachusetts. After several members changes in the late 90's, their lineup solidified with the 1998 release of Until Your Heart Stops through Hydra Head Records. Their early albums were prominent releases in the independent...
from May to June. This American leg of the tour included an appearance at 2010's Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tennessee
Manchester, Tennessee
Manchester is a city in Coffee County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 10,102 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Coffee County...
, while the Pacific portion took in the Soundwave Festival
Soundwave Festival
Soundwave Festival, held every year at the Scarborough Spa Ocean Room, Scarborough, UK, is a music and arts festival created by the DIY Collective, a group of young people from around the Scarborough area. It was first held in 1999 on South Bay Beach, Scarborough and was moved to the Spa Complex...
in Australia.
Having shot videos for tracks from their previous two albums, Isis went on to record another for "20 Minutes / 40 Years". Described as a "seven and a half minute epic", the video, directed by Matt Santoro and released in November 2009, opens with ferromagnetic fluid moving through an ambiguous, dark setting. A masked figure, trapped inside a translucent box, watches its interplay. The fluid enters the box, where it is subsumed by the figure. As the song reaches its crescendo, the box rises through the earth and breaks out of the surface into the sunlight, and its captive is freed. It received airplay on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
's Headbanger's Ball.
Reception
Critical reception
Critical response to the album was, overall, fairly laudatory. Its score of 79 out of 100 – or 'generally favorable' – on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
attests to decent reception. Regarding its place in Isis' catalog, it has been described as their "most accomplished and complete album to date" by Ali Maloney of The Skinny, as their "smartest and richest record" and as "the toughest and catchiest Isis record" since their debut full-length, Celestial." Beyond the band's own repertoire, it was described as "metal played at its arresting best", and Andrew Rennie of NOW went as far as declaring it "close to perfect". Not all reviews were so glowing, as the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
characterized it as "45 minutes of awesomeness stretched out to a slightly bloated hour [...] the unsettling Toolisms
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
of 'Ghost Key' meander just too long and 'Hand of the Host' spends half of its 11 minutes repeating itself without really juddering into the granite riff golem it threatens to be." Similarly, Chris Norton of Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, as well as its mix tapes generator.-History:Originally called Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven and...
feels that the album "isn't the band's best by a really long shot, even if it ain't bad." Accessibility was a similarly divisive issue, with the album being characterized as "perhaps their most rewarding yet, but simultaneously their hardest to immediately access given its prioritising of subtle nuances over senses-numbing assaults" and "a slow-burning success". Conversely, it has also been declared to be "easily the band's most accessible effort". Allmusic's William Ruhlmann felt that with regards to structure, "Wavering Radiant works as a single piece of music rather than a series of songs", as Milton Savage of Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
concurred that Isis have "construct[ed] their latest so that it's best experienced as a whole".
The success of the album was deemed contingent upon balance. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
s Jamie Thomson posits that "the Isis of old gave the impression they were enjoying their meandering jams just a little too much, leaving the listener a tad lost. Here, they rein them in perfectly, and reward you with a colossal chorus for staying the distance", while Nate Chinen, of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, feels that the release "upholds a deliberative truce between brute physicality and moody rumination".
Critical selection of album highlights has provided multiple standout tracks: Milton Savage unequivocally declares that "'Stone to Wake a Serpent' is an obvious selection: its ominous, horror-movie keyboard tones duel with Turner's most ferocious performance in some years", a pick Andrew Rennie of NOW shared. Other selections include "20 Minutes / 40 Years" and "Hall of the Dead", which Roque Strew argues "may be the lushest, most astutely crafted opener in the Isis discography
Isis discography
Isis was an American post-metal band, active from 1997 active until their disbandment in 2010. They released five full-length albums, five extended plays , five live albums, two singles and have collaborated with other artists on numerous other projects....
".
Turner himself had this to say of the album, fully cognizant that it would be the band's last: "I don't know if looking back many years from now if Wavering Radiant will be my favorite Isis record or not, but I certainly feel like it's the best record we were capable of making at the time, and I also feel like we didn't compromise in any really significant way the spirit or ideology behind the band in making it. And sonically speaking, I think it sounds really good, so that makes me happy, too."
Commercial reception
On May 13 the album entered the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
at number 98 and the Top Independent Albums chart in tenth spot, representing the band's highest placing to date. In the United States, the album sold 5,800 copies in the first week of its release. It entered the BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Top 40 Rock Albums chart
The Radio 1 Chart Show
The Radio 1 Chart Show is a music radio programme broadcast by BBC Radio 1 on Sunday afternoons. It is Radio 1's long-running chart show and airs between 4:00pm and 7:00pm...
at number 17, the Norwegian National Chart
VG-lista
VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by...
at number 37, and the German charts
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
at number 96, providing Isis with their first chart exposure outside the United States and United Kingdom.
Accolades
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allmusic | US | Allmusic's Favorite Metal Albums of 2009 | 2009 | — |
| Decibel | US | Top 40 Albums of 2009 | 2009 | 10 |
| Delusions of Adequacy | US | Best Albums of 2009 | 2009 | 21 |
| PopMatters PopMatters PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,... |
US | The Best Metal Albums of 2009 | 2009 | 9 |
| Rock Sound Rock Sound Rock Sound is a British magazine which champions rock music. The magazine aims at being more "underground" and less commercial, whilst also giving coverage to more well known acts.-History:... |
UK | Top 75 Albums of 2009 | 2009 | 20 |
Track listing
Personnel
Band members- Jeff CaxideJeff CaxideJeff Caxide is an American bassist, best known for his time with post-metal band Isis, of which he was a founding member and present until its dissolution in 2010. He was also a founding member of Red Sparowes, but left after the release of their first full-length. He also contributed to...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Aaron HarrisAaron Harris (Isis drummer)Aaron Harris is an American drummer, best known for his career with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band from its inception in 1997 to its dissolution in 2010...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Michael GallagherMichael Gallagher (Isis guitarist)Michael Gallagher is an American guitarist, best known for his work with post-metal band Isis. He joined them in 1999 for their debut LP Celestial, having previously been a member of Cast Iron Hike...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Bryant Clifford MeyerBryant Clifford MeyerBryant Clifford Meyer is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist, best known for his tenure with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band since its debut full-length, Celestial, in 2000. Previously, he was a formative member of Boston-based rock band The Gersch...
– electronics and guitar - Aaron TurnerAaron TurnerAaron Turner is a musician, singer, graphic artist, and founder of label Hydra Head Records. He is most widely known for his role as guitarist and vocalist for the post-metal band Isis, while also participating in several other bands and projects such as Old Man Gloom and Lotus Eaters.Though raised...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitar and artwork
Other personnel
- Joe BarresiJoe BarresiJoe Barresi is an American record engineer and producer who has worked with bands such as Kyuss, The Melvins, Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Coheed and Cambria, Tomahawk, L7, The Jesus Lizard, Parkway Drive and Bad Religion.-Biography:...
– recording, audio mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
and productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Faith Coloccia – photography and background colouring
- Adam Fuller – recording assistance
- Brian Gardner – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Jonathan Gardner – live sound
- Jerry Johnson – drum tech
- Adam JonesAdam Jones (musician)Adam Thomas Jones is a three time Grammy Award-winning Welsh-American musician and visual artist, best known for his position as the guitarist for Grammy-Award winning band Tool. Jones has been rated the 75th Greatest Guitarist of all time by the Rolling Stone and placed 9th in Guitar World's Top...
– additional guitar on "Hall of the Dead" and keyboards on "Wavering Radiant" - Greg Moss – live sound
- Jun Murakawa – recording assistance
Chart positions
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Germany Album Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
96 |
| Norway Album Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
37 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
190 |
| UK Rock Chart UK Rock Chart The UK Rock Chart usually refers to the Top 40 Rock Singles and the Top 40 Rock Albums Chart compiled by the Official Charts Company from physical record sales in British retail outlets with larger than average genrespecific sales.... |
17 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
98 |
| US Billboard Independent Albums Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
10 |
| US Billboard Hard Rock Albums | 14 |
| US Billboard Tastemaker Albums | 7 |
Release history
| Date | Label | Region | Catalogue number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 21, 2009 | Ipecac Recordings | United States | IPC-113LP Ipecac Recordings discography Ipecac Recordings is an American independent record label founded in 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton. The label was established to release Patton's band Fantômas' self-titled début, allowing retention of "all the creative control"... |
2×LP |
| May 5, 2009 | IPC-113 | CD | ||
| Conspiracy Records | Europe | CORE078 | CD/2×LP | |
| Daymare Recordings | Japan | DYMV-090 | CD/2×LP |