Intronaut

The Challenger

Translation Loss 2007

Intronaut is a band that generated a lot of well deserved buzz for their post hardcore take on intricate death metal.  With its massive break downs and characteristic guitar squeals they have breathed new life into a neglected niche of the underground and bridged two distinct styles and mindsets.  I have a problem with a release like the Challenger which is three new tunes and seven live tracks.  I am not too fond of live material and see this as either a three song EP or a full length live album.  I am not fond of the mixing of both.  I guess really though that is a matter of taste.  The title track pummels with collapsing angles and washed out sludge on probably the most straightforward of the tracks.  Meanwhile Whittler of of Fortune blows my mind with its late evening melodies that sort of warp into one another building and twisting tighter and then fusing into muscular chugging riffs.  Deep Architecture starts of dreamily with it humming and grumbling bassline and then kicks some acidic death metal through the front of your skull before awkwardly stumbling forward to odd beats.  The six live tracks work themselves seemingly in a reverse order working towards the seventh live track which is really their introduction.  The live material has a great sound and consists of three tracks from the Void album (Gleamer, Fault Lines, and Rise to the Midden) and three tracks form the Null EP (Sores will Weep, They (As in Them), and Burning these days).  Intronaut is a great band that will only grow larger in the future due to their massive sound and uniquely skewed vision on death metal.  When I listen to Intronaut I always feel like I am hearing something profound and intelligent.  Sort of a nerd's vision on post-death metal.