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Caïna - Setter Of Unseen Snares review




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Reviewer:
8.4

19 users:
6.68
Band: Caïna
Album: Setter Of Unseen Snares
Release date: January 2015


01. Introduction
02. I Am The Flail Of The Lord
03. Setter Of Unseen Snares
04. Vowbound
05. Applicant Supplicant
06. Orphan

"Matthew McConaughey is a busta", would say a certain MetalStormer.

But mister McConaughey's Detective Rusty Cohle has become metal's first source of samples since 2014 - whether you like it or not, Mattybu. The now famous tirade on humans failing as a species serves as introduction to Caïna's return to black metal and sets the tone for the whole record. The album unravels the story of the last inhabitants of Earth facing the imminent extinction of their breed as an asteroid is about to blow the planet to Oblivion.

Leaving behind the experiments of Litanies Of Abjection and the very contemplative nature of Hands That Pluck, the straightforwardness of Setter Of Unseen Snares comes as a welcome surprise. Curtis-Brignell's releases are usually intricate enough without being impenetrable, and as expected, this latest effort of the more-or-less one-man-band is full of hidden nuances - which mandatory subsequent spins will reveal. What appears to be uncut black metal actually displays subtle changes in style and structures. For example, "I Am The Flail Of The Lord" seems to be constructed on a post-punk base that Caïna took, dipped in tar and rolled in dirt, in order to make the catchiest and most addictive black metal song I have heard in a good while. I couldn't help but remember a similar case in the last Nachtmystium album, in which "On The Other Side" made me wish there were more bands that exploited this delicious vein of blackened post-punk.

In a little over thirty minutes, the British act manages to take us from the unusual second track I have just described, to almost Leviathan-esque haunting and densely layered tracks like "Vowbound", to a post-metal-inspired 16 minutes-long closer titled "Orphan". One would think such drastic changes would disrupt the progression and cohesion of the album. But they would be wrong: there is more than just a concept that ties these tracks together. Every song - no matter how long - develops atmosphere, a sort of ominous feeling, that seamlessly joins the different passages together; until eventually, as per post-rock traditions, the build-up in the closing track explodes in a grandiose uplifting finale.

It's a relief to find albums like these once in a while, albums so well-written and finely-produced I don't have to embarrass myself in technical criticism. Setter Of Unseen Snares is a short experience, a passing storm of conflicting feelings, rather than just a succession of blast-beats. I'm pretty sure Rusty would have worded a conclusion better that I did, so I'll just leave you with this gem, and bonus one:


- Detective Martin Hart: Well, I don't use ten dollar words as much as you, but for a guy who sees no point in existence, you sure fret about it an awful lot; and you still sound panicked.
- Detective Rust Cohle: At least I'm not racing to a red light.







Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 7
Production: 10

Written by Ilham | 19.01.2015




Comments

Comments: 13   Visited by: 212 users
19.01.2015 - 00:18
Zap
Guest
Seems like Matthew McConaughey is the cherry on top of both this album and this review. Both are great, btw.
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19.01.2015 - 00:24
Rating: 8
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Zap on 19.01.2015 at 00:18

Seems like Matthew McConaughey is the cherry on top of both this album and this review. Both are great, btw.

You're so smooth, thanks .
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19.01.2015 - 11:02
Frudd
Account deleted
Stop sanctifying every piece of music that goes through your two waxy ears.

Good review tho, will listen :3
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19.01.2015 - 11:54
Rating: 8
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Guest on 19.01.2015 at 11:02

Stop sanctifying every piece of music that goes through your two waxy ears.

Good review tho, will listen :3

I don't kno what you're trying to say, but thanks . You should listen, I don't see you disliking it at all.
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19.01.2015 - 14:54
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
You sold me with the reference to that one Nachtmystium track, I'll definitely be checking this out
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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19.01.2015 - 17:03
Mattybu

In all seriousness this is a well written review, but not something I would be interested in musically... Also, I'm honoured you included my stance on one of the worst actors ever to (dis)grace mankind. Straight busta.
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19.01.2015 - 17:08
Rating: 8
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Mattybu on 19.01.2015 at 17:03

In all seriousness this is a well written review, but not something I would be interested in musically... Also, I'm honoured you included my stance on one of the worst actors ever to (dis)grace mankind. Straight busta.

Yeah that was just a wink at you, I knew you wouldn't be interested .
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19.01.2015 - 17:13
Mattybu

Written by Ilham on 19.01.2015 at 17:08

Yeah that was just a wink at you, I knew you wouldn't be interested .


Even if it was a genre I liked samples of He Who Shall Remain Called A Busta 24/7 would probably be enough to ruin it.



SO METAL!!!!
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19.01.2015 - 17:20
Zap
Guest
I like Matthew McConaughey but I can easily see why people would hate him
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19.01.2015 - 18:56
3rdWorld
China was a neat
Written by Zap on 19.01.2015 at 17:20

I like Matthew McConaughey but I can easily see why people would hate him

And why would that be?
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19.01.2015 - 19:12
Zap
Guest
Written by 3rdWorld on 19.01.2015 at 18:56

And why would that be?

Because he played in a shit-ton of crappy rom coms and stuff like Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
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19.01.2015 - 19:25
MetalDoomMaster

Written by Zap on 19.01.2015 at 19:12

Because he played in a shit-ton of crappy rom coms and stuff like Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Well, he has certainly been making up for that lately.
Good review, checking this out soon.
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07.03.2015 - 18:00
Susan
Smeghead
I'm with Zaphod: he's good but he DID do a ton of shit films. A ton.

This has been a fun album to hear. I waited until the end to read the review. I just loathe when records start with a move clip or any spoken word. So Caina instantly had some work to do in winning me over.

I'd say they accomplished it. It's not my album of the year but it's certainly interesting, and I agree with Ms Ilham about their atmosphere. I'm sure it'll be a new experience with each listen. As of now I say it's pretty good, but see a huge possibility for more love in the future.
----
"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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