Stinking Lizaveta - Sacrifice and Bliss

by Andrew Carver

published: 26 / 3 / 2009

Label: Monotreme Records
Format: CD

Blistering entirely instrumental metal on sixth album from prog-influenced Philadephia-based trio, Sinking Lizaveta

Review

Instrumental metal seems like a fairly recent innovation. Sure, Black Sabbath occasionally threw out blissful workouts like ‘Laguna Sunrise’ and Metallica used to regularly fulfil a one-per-album quota, but until folks like Gore in the 1980s and the F**king Champs in the 1990s you’d be hard-pressed to find much of anything. But sometime in the not-too-distant past someone figured out you could knock out a killer riff without mentioning Satan, or dragons, or Viking warriors, or just drinking a lot and having a good time. Now you’ve got your Pelicans and Red Sparrowes popping up in towns all over as cerebral young tattooed men combine their love of loud volume with a steadfast refusal to admit they ever played Dungeons and Dragons as spotty teenagers. Who to blame for this outpouring of instro-metal? Stinking Lizaveta isn’t a bad start - the Philadelphia trio has been strutting their ferocious instrumental chops far and wide, and also have a recorded history dating back to 1996’s ‘... Hopelessness and Shame’ and a live show widely acclaimed by the cognoscenti as second-to-none. Some have been beguiled by the presence of a standup bassist in the band’s line-up to claim a jazz influence; the prog of King Crimson or John McLaughlin circa ‘Devotion’ is closer to the mark. Their latest album, ‘Sacrifice and Bliss’, is their sixth, and continues in the tradition of blistering metallic excess, with some whammy, wah and tremolo abuse added in for the more psychedelic fans. Between the chunky riffage, sharp drumming and frenzied undulation of overdriven guitar there’s really no way a fan of instrumental metal can go wrong. Fans of instrumental outfits like Tortoise should also appreciate the band’s prowess.

Track Listing:-

1 Autochthony! Autochthony!
2 A Day Without A Murder
3 Zeitgeist The Movie
4 When I Love You
5 Sacrifice And Bliss
6 We Will See
7 A Man Without A Country
8 Superluxation
9 Trouble Mountain
10 The Man Needs Your Pain