ok, so I think I've got a much better handle on Tyranny is Tyranny now. I think the best way to describe the aesthetic is in terms of minimalism. Not that they are playing strictly minimalist music- Steve Reich this isn't. However, there is the phase shift, voice leading elements of minimalism-like IDM, Doom Metal, and certain forms of math rock. Think about Steve Albini- Especially in Shellac, he'll repeat a phrase with minor adjustments until the adjustments aren't so minor. The phase shift in Tyranny is Tyranny seems designed to keep the listener ever so slightly off balance. So, unlike, say, an EDM track, it doesn't lull, or relax- this is tense music, even if the tempos aren't fast. That might sound torturous, but, like a good thriller, the tension has a payoff- the resolutions are deeply harmonic. That tension sets it apart from either metal, or punk rock- it's not easily digested as a format. The closest comparison really seems like Boris where the show of adopting a format is there mostly to show the boundaries of that format.
But this might seem really abstract, and dry logic games-this is still music made by human beings- it's not just designed to make you think. I'm not saying this is party or dance music but it does have a heart as well as a brain.
Ultimately, I wouldn't second-guess either myself or the band. It's rock-based music, still fairly angular and challenging, but far less so than some other permutations. It will kick your ass while subverting your assumptions about your ass.
Wow. Thank you for your eloquent and thoughtful consideration of our music. We have actually discussed our compositions in this light, but it's nice when someone outside the band really "gets" it. love and respect.
ReplyDelete