Celestial (Isis album)
Celestial is the debut album by American post-metal band Isis, released in 2000 by Escape Artist and Hydra Head Records. It is their third solo release and first full length.
Celestial | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 3, 2000 | |||
Recorded | January–February 2000 | |||
Genre | Post-metal,[1] sludge metal[2] | |||
Length | 51:58 | |||
Label | Escape Artist (EA07.0) Hydra Head (HH666-59) Ipecac (reissue) (IPC-145) | |||
Producer | Isis, Matt Bayles | |||
Isis chronology | ||||
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Re-release cover | ||||
The cover of Ipecac Recordings' 2013 re-release |
A year later, Isis released SGNL>05, an EP designed to act as an extension to Celestial; its tracks were all directly culled from the Celestial recording sessions.[3] Frontman Aaron Turner describes them as being “part of the same whole”, separated from each other because releasing a double album for the group's first full-length may have been overbearing for listeners.[4]
In addition to the regular CD and vinyl LP editions, Celestial is available in a double release, coupled with its sister EP, SGNL>05. On June 5, 2013, it was announced that Celestial would be re-issued by Ipecac Recordings with new artwork from Turner, as well as the audio having been recently remastered by James Plotkin.[5]
Themes
Turner has acknowledged that the album deals with the erosion of privacy as technology advances, in a similar vein to 2004's Panopticon; however, he states that the theme is dealt with in a “more primitive way” on Celestial.[6] Towers are described as ‘thematic’ material by Decibel's Joe Gross.[7]
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [8] |
Exclaim! | 8/10[9] |
The Line of Best Fit | 8.5/10[10] |
Louder Sound | [11] |
Mondo Sonoro | 9/10[12] |
OndaRock | 6.5/10[13] |
PopMatters | 7/10[14] |
Stylus | A[15] |
Celestial was named the 53rd-finest metal record of the decade by Decibel, stating that "it's seen as a transitional record between the band's early work and the post-metal benchmarks such as Oceanic, but Celestial holds up in ways different from their later work [...] the elements of the greatness are present, but rawer, more direct."[7] Rock Sound placed it at #3 in their rundown of their top albums of 2001.[16] William York, writing for Allmusic, described the album as Isis' best, and argues that the record needs to be “given time” – that it eventually develops an “almost epic feel”.[8]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Isis.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "SGNL>01" | 0:55 |
2. | "Celestial (The Tower)" | 9:42 |
3. | "Glisten" | 6:35 |
4. | "Swarm Reigns (Down)" | 6:02 |
5. | "SGNL>02" | 0:51 |
6. | "Deconstructing Towers" | 7:30 |
7. | "SGNL>03" | 0:35 |
8. | "Collapse and Crush" | 5:55 |
9. | "C.F.T. (New Circuitry and Continued Evolution)" | 5:43 |
10. | "Gentle Time" | 7:02 |
11. | "SGNL>04 (End Transmission)" | 1:07 |
Personnel
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References
- Jahdi, Robin (June 24, 2015). "The 40 best post-metal records ever made". Fact. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- Slessor, Dan (June 16, 2020). "The 13 Most Essential Sludge Records". Kerrang!. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
- Slevin, Patrick (May 26, 2009). "Interview with Aaron Turner of Isis: Radiating Energy". The Aquarian. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
- "PRIMER: Aaron Turner Revisits Isis' Entire Catalog". Self-Titled. Pop Mart Media. June 4, 2010. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
- "ISIS Reissuing 'Celestial' – Remastered and New Artwork". Nefarious Realm. June 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- Rauf, Adam (June 18, 2010). "The Isis Interview: Exclusive". Blow the Scene. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
- Gross, Joe (November 2009). "53: Isis – Celestial". Decibel (The Top 100 Greatest Metal Albums of the Decade): 21.
- York, William. "Celestial – Isis". Allmusic. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- Pratt, Greg (July 5, 2013). "Isis Celestial". exclaim.ca. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
- Copus, Mike (July 3, 2013). "Isis – Celestial (reissue)". thelineofbestfit.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
- July 2013, Ben Myers 23. "Isis: Celestial". Metal Hammer Magazine.
- "ISIS - Noticias, discos, entrevistas y conciertos".
- "Isis - biografia, recensioni, streaming, discografia, foto :". OndaRock.
- Fiander, Matthew (July 10, 2013). "Isis Celestial". popmatters.com. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
- Jarvis, Clay (September 1, 2003). "Isis – Celestial". Stylus. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
- "Rock Sound: Critics' Poll 2001". Rocklist.net. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
- Celestial (Media notes). Isis. Escape Artist Records. 1999. EA7.0.CS1 maint: others (link)