YOB "Atma" 2011

Artist:  YOB
Album: Atma
Genre: Doom/Sludge

Facebook: YOB

Tracklist:

1. Prepare the Ground

2. Atma

3. Before We Dreamed of Two

4. Upon the Sight of the Other Shore

5. Adrift in the Ocean

Last.FM: Eugene, OR, USA (1996 – 2006, 2008 – present)

YOB was brought into being by vocalist / guitarist Mike Scheidt during the mid 90s. Previous to founding YOB, Scheidt had operated as a drummer with Hardcore acts chemikill and Dirty Sanchez and held down bass duties in H.C. MINDS. The original incarnation of YOB featured Scheidt alongside bassist Lowell Iles and drummer Greg Ocon. However, by the time of recording the 2001 album Elaborations of Carbon, YOB comprised Scheidt, bassist Isamu Satu, previously with death metal act Thrombus and former Lightweight drummer Gabe Morley. Satu also operates H.C. Minds whilst Morley divides his time with Fingertrap.

Hailing from the ever-gray skies of Eugene, OR, USA comes YOB, a band already well on their way to make their mark in the doom metal scene worldwide. Formed in 1996 by founding member Mike Scheidt, YOB started creating and destroying ideas that would become the foundation for one of doom metal’s most shining hopefuls.

The first three song self-titled demo was submitted to Stonerrock.com in 1999, sending shockwaves into the stoner rock/doom scene worldwide. This demo was a bold statement of intent: uncompromising heavy doom metal. Within YOB’s sound, which is equal parts Sleep, Burning Witch, Neurosis, High On Fire and Electric Wizard, YOB has accomplished song craft that is as much their own sound as it is paying homage to the doom metal greats of both times of yore and present.

In 2001 YOB recorded its first full-length record for 12th Records in Spokane, Washington titled Elaborations of Carbon.

Overall Sound:  YOB plays Doom metal, and are damn good at it. They have slight intricacies within their music many people miss which include the use of ethnic instruments and styling’s from different kinds of music from all over the world.  Even though I am a late follower of YOB, being that I only started listening to them when the album “The illusion of Motion” came out in 2004. Sadly I haven’t kept up with them since they split up in 2006, and what a dumb mistake that was (but there again, I figured they wouldn’t reform). Needless to say they play a crushingly heavy yet absolutely clear blend of Doom metal mixed with sludge and does it not deliver every time you listen to it.

Guitar:  the album opens with “prepare the ground” which is astonishingly heavy and I wasn’t expected, and it gives you a slight taste of the amount of guitar tone and feel that is available throughout the album. Although the tone is quite murky and down-trodden which most YOB records are, I was surprised and how easily you can hear all the notes being played.

Bass:  Corresponds with the guitar but as previously stated before, is absolutely clear most the time. The bass-guitar’s shining moment however is in the song “Adrift in the Ocean” at the 5:40 mark. However though to me personally during some songs I feel that the mixing could have had it slightly more up near the guitar but either way, still a tremendous effort.

Drums:  Crushing and able to provide a great back-drop for the guitar/bass/vocals, pretty much more of the YOB I have come to expect but still perfectly executed.

Vocals/Lyrics: astonishing to say the least, I don’t think I have a adjective big enough to describe it. But you’ll be happy to know that Scott Kelly does a guest appearance on this album(and for those of you who don’t know who Scott Kelly is, I would advise you to look over his extensive discography with Neurosis, and his present project “Shinebuilder”) but I think my favorite is in “Before we dreamed of two”. Either way it’s splendidly executed.

Overall Impression:  YOB’s “Atma” is an excellent, enjoyable, amazing piece of music to come out in the last five years. It makes me want to see this band more than ever, and seeing as their last show was on July 18^th with support from Dark Castle.  I’m slightly disappointed knowing they were just here in NC and I didn’t get to see them perform this album. Overall though I recommend this album more than their previous effort from 2009 “The Great Cessation” but that does not mean any album in the YOB category isn’t work checking out though.

Rating: 9.5/10

(Collectively almost 30 minutes in two songs)