Band:	A Storm Of Light
Album:	As The Valley Of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade
Style:	Post-metal
Release date:	May 2011

01. Missing [feat. Kim Thayil and Nerissa Campbell]
02. Collapse [feat. Jarboe]
03. Black Wolves [feat. Kim Thayil and Nerissa Campbell]
04. Destroyer [feat. Carla Kihlstedt]
05. Wretched Valley
06. Silver
07. Leave No Wounds
08. Death's Head [feat. Jarboe]
09. Wasteland [feat. Kris Force, Matthias Bossi and Nerissa Campbell]

As The Valley Of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade is A Storm Of Light's follow-up to 2009's Forgive Us Our Trespasses. The last release from these men with ties to Neurosis and Tombs was good, it just never seemed cohesive enough to totally click with me. Their latest, henceforth referred to as the Alphabet Soup to save on word count (and to help me stave off carpal tunnel syndrome), sure did click.

The band's genre is one of those square pegs that won't be rammed into a round hole, as far as genre goes. They straddle that whole post-rock/doom/stoner thing.

Alphabet Soup, which sounds like the title of a Minsk album also has the sound of a Minsk album? amazing production that makes the whole thing feel huge and sprawling. Everything just sounds awesome.

Musically the band's tracks grow and swell, incorporating Mellow Moments ? with pounding tribal drums and thundering riffs. The band seamlessly meshes the style, shifting and sliding between moods. Josh Graham's vocals fit in really well, being more sung than shouted, they add to the almost foggy/hazy environment. With all of this fluidity and shifting, it still seems to remain grounded in somewhat traditional structures, which I think might be a factor in my increased enjoyment.

The album also features almost as many special guest appearances as a season of The Simpsons, including Kim Thayil ( Soundgarden), Jarboe ( Swans), Nerissa Campbell, Kris Force (Amber Asylum) as well as Carla Kihlstedt and Matthias Bossi, both with Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and The Book Of Knots) ? the cavalcade of characters provide some nice little touches, from wah-drenched leads to backing female vocals to further enhance the almost post-apocalyptic mood.

There are two kinds of "Very Good" albums? those like Slayer's Seasons In the Abyss, with a couple awesome tracks that floor the listener mixed in with some skip worthy sub-par tracks. Then there is the second type, which is where Alphabet Soup fits in. There aren't any jaw-dropping tracks that stand head and shoulders above the rest, nor any horribly "meh" songs that make you reach for the next button. Instead you get nine straight really solid tracks, one after another. This album is best enjoyed top to bottom.

The label, Black Label Support recommends this album for fans of classic Metallica, early Pink Floyd, Tombs, Tool, Neurosis, Swans, and Voivod.

I'm going to skip the namedropping and just plain recommend it. Check it out. Now.