Silence the phone, draw the blinds and zone out to some experimental rock delights.
Far less politically overt than their name suggests, USA Out Of Vietnam’s debut album Crashing Diseases and Incurable Airplanes rides a stream of beautiful, sludgy post-rock candy, not exactly breaking new ground but working around a popular game plan set out by modern-day peers like Neurosis, Torche and Isis.
Instead of layering their tunes in thick crusts of decayed darkness, the band explore brighter angles with chorus chants and elongated jams on ‘Asphodell/1322?, like a happier version of their contemporaries who seek emotional resonance in post-rock’s grandeur as opposed to metal’s grimy abyss.
On the gloriously fun ‘You Are A Comet, You Are On Fire’, we’re taken on a roller coaster of exuberant, boldly brash guitar playing that’s like an extended version of a Baroness instrumental. Captivating throughout the seven-plus minutes, it closes with a victory lap of dramatic trumpets and a not-too-serious monologue on self-discovery.
In an homage to their influences, ‘Tonight The Dead Walk’ lumbers on a classic drum-and-riff-locked combo that contains more traditional moments of heavy metal indulgence, as vocals soar where they previously growled in an apparent attempt to incite throngs of metal purists in head banging congress.
For those wanting to edge their way into heavier realms of music — specifically post-metal, perhaps intrigued by the more crushing moments of Mogwai discography — you can’t go wrong with USA Out Of Vietnam’s promising first offering; just be ready for a mixed bag of vocal deliveries.
