The final two Isis records are often overlooked, but perhaps a little unfairly; though they lack the heft of their predecessors, on In the Absence of Truth Isis feel more comfortable in their skin, flirting with additional textures and balancing the instrumentation a little more. This re-adjustment shifts their attention from rubbing against the edges of their form somewhat; they’re a better band for these tweaks but less feral, less edgy, lessening their potential for grand failure or ecstatic triumph.
The record is calmer and more percussive, characterised by some busier tomwork. Having drifted, perhaps self-consciously, from the Neurosis comparison, they now return; the drums lack some of the more overt tribal influence but the percussive textures do have something of the tension that Neurosis are so adept at. Elsewhere, the record showcases Isis working as a unit; the balances are shaken up but the familiar splits of light/ dark and tension/ release remain, alongside the bellowing, the dense synth layers and textures and the feral metallic riffs. The record is balanced generally, though perhaps the first Isis record where the listener doesn’t have to do so much work; dropping the intellectual pomp of Panopticon, the satisfying melodies, both vocal and instrumental, come a lot quicker.
Wrist of Kings opens with a single ghostly note before the drums kick in, sparking new textures and sounds and establishing the percussive tensions that will underscore the record. Not in Rivers, But in Drops showcases Aaron Turner’s mantra-like chanting which leads to an explosion of atonal guitars that offset the melody at the midway point. These coalesce into a classic driving Isis riff, hitting the track home for the last section. Dulcinea, an album stand-out, is perhaps the best example of their new textures, featuring a fantastic interplay between guitar work and the delicate drum patterns, building to an artful crescendo. These opening three songs are complex and a little less disciplined than Panopticon, branching off with new ideas; whilst they never push too hard, the band expand their individual musicianship.
Over Root and Thorn starts with an ambient wash before kicking into a languid dirge, recalling some of the looser material of Oceanic and even some of the angrier moments of Celestial before melting away. 1000 Shards is much more active, Turner taking his vocal style to longer, more drawn-out approaches. All Out of Time, all Into Space is another dip into instrumental territory, again watery and vague. This instrumental offering warbles chaotically, straining against itself like ships slowly colliding – another clear link to Oceanic.
Holy Tears meanders around Turner’s low voice, the pattern now firmly established. The evolution of the clean vocals here is stark; this is the best his voice has ever sounded, and his roar has the timbre and warmth that he carries to this day, present in Sumac and his frequent guest appearances. Tears slowly develops along a snaky passage, gradually building up to a complexly woven crescendo. The track later chills out considerably, drawing some comparisons to Om’s technique of dropping out to busier percussive sections. Firdous E Bareen opens with a foundation of percussion before the traditional rock drums start up, again allowing the drums to set the tension; the track washes over the listener like ocean waves. The record concludes with Garden of Light, a track that cycles through sections with some pretty wild drum fills cascading over one another. Following on from it’s predecessor, the track explodes into violent life, finishing things with the unrestrained fury reminiscent of their earlier releases.
Listening to the final Isis records is bittersweet; we know how it ended, with the band being quietly confident with their output and splitting so as not to tarnish their legacy. This was a wise move, but it’s hard to listen to the beginning of a band stepping back from hacking at the far reaches of their sound. Nonetheless, if a little overcrowded, Absence is a magnificently-crafted record, showcasing the very best of Isis functioning as a coherent unit.
