Antimatter – Planetary Confinement
The End Records – TE059 – July 26th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Those of us lucky enough to be accustomed to The End’s catalog know what we’re getting into with each subsequent release. As a matter of fact, groups such as
Agalloch and
Antimatter don’t
just lace their material with moroseness, they seem to thrive on it.
Planetary Confinement, as any conjecture will tell you, is no different, and this excursion is a glorious look into beautiful, enticing despondency.
The
Antimatter tag-team is no more, since Duncan Patterson (
Ion, ex-
Anathema) bowed out following this release. However, lamenters will be consoled upon learning that Mick Moss is in for the long haul. At any rate, individuals who favor continuity above all will be irked by
Planetary Confinement’s structure. Patterson and Moss alternate, and there are idiosyncratic traits to be grouped with each. On the one hand, Patterson’s opuses are littered with female vox while the scaffolding consists of keyboards and inconspicuous, acoustic guitars. On the other, Moss’s compositions feature prominent, acoustic guitars melded with Moss’s vocals, which make for enjoyable, somber numbers. Overall, I prefer Moss to Patterson; “Legions,” a downloadable track, is so sullen and
brilliant that it’s overwhelming. Tissue anyone? Besides that, though,
Antimatter really surpassed my expectations with this one.
To be fair, it’d be a lie if I claimed that
Planetary Confinement weren’t my introduction to the band. If the remainder of their discography is as alluring as this latest piece, then I’m sure to seek it out.
Agalloch fans will certainly been pacified during the aforementioned’s full-length, dry spell. And – come to think of it – quite a few records from The End emanate majestic, sulky overtones; do they ever have an off year?
8.5/10
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