the interview show: Isis
Isis has been described as “the thinking man’s metal band.” Others say the band has a Tool-lite, post-metal sound. This is a pretty easy comparison—since the band are friends with Tool— and I am not sure if I would agree. However, Isis does have a sound that is hard to pin down, and their music easily defies genre conventions. The band also draws praise because it draws from literary influences like Don Quixote and philosopher Jeremy Bentham.
When I asked Clifford Meyer and Aaron Harris from the band how something in their recent life did not live up to their expectations—alluding to Quixote—both of them deftly sidestepped any personal answers and talked about music. Meyer was disappointed in the Jay-Z American Gangster record. And Harris didn’t feel that Radiohead ’s In Rainbows lived up to the hype. There is just something great thinking about the guys from Isis listening to art rock and hip hop. (Note, more true to expectations, Meyer was reading the dark 90s indie comic book The Maxx.)
Isis is celebrating 10 years in the game. Not many post-metal bands make it that far, and both of the guys were happy to share pieces of their journey.
Next week, we return with Swedish indie-electronic act Lo-Fi-Fnk!
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ok, for those that wanna know, here are the songs edited into the interview…
1) Isis “Dulcinea”
2) Isis “Garden of Light” (snippet)”
3) Isis “Holy Tears”
Isis is the most overrated metal band of all time. Going from loud to not-loud or slow to fast doesn’t constitute a ‘diverse sound’. There are so many more innovated post-whatever sludge-ish metal bands out there that get no credit while people dickride Isis, Pelican, Neurosis, and Jesu (all of whom are okay at best) like there’s no tomorrow.
Listen to a Moss record or a some Khanate or something, I know their fanbases aren’t as trendy but it’s more innovative I promise.
*innovative
no, tell me what you really think. heh.
Isis may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but their fan base is certainly devoted. although, I wouldn’t call Isis “trendy” by any means… but I digress.
I will check out Moss. if they roll thru vancity, I may even have them on the show. I have interviewed Genghis Tron twice… but they maybe be trendy now… ;) the other band I am trying to get is 3 Inches of Blood.
this interview was me expanding past the hipster bands we normally interview… feel free to recommend some more heavy bands that are doing something really interesting.
peace.