Metridium Fields

Giant Squid

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 22, 2006)
• Original Release Date: August 22, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: The End Records
• ASIN: B000GW8PR2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #105,785 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

ectomag.com

Giant Squid pulls you beneath the waves with their new disc Metridium Fields.

Product Description

METRIDIUM FIELDS is an eight track release featuring "Megaptera in the Delta" and "Eating Machine"; two spacey 50 second tracks that really grease the wheel and set you up for what you're about to experience. "Eating Machine" is much more entertaining and speaks *maybe* of a megalodon. If "Eating Machine" doesn't speak of it, I'm pretty sure "Revolution in the Water" does. The album continually builds up and meets its climax with the 21 minute "Metridium Field". Mostly an instrumental, this song is impressively creative, maybe more so than the rest of the album.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 10th on my best of 2006 list, March 15, 2007

By	Miss N. Thrope (Leftcoastfogland) - See all my reviews

Every year or so a band shows up out of nowhere and surprises you. Giant Squid is a concept album/band based on mythological ocean creatures and scenarios. Formed by a husband and wife team (Aaron and Aurielle Gregory), the sound is rather 70's progressive rock with elements of doom metal and spaced out synth pop.

Other reviewers have compared lead singer Aaron Gregory's voice as sounding a lot like Serj Tankian of System of a Down. However there are many moments when he blends his voice with that of his wife, and the result is mellow, pleasing and quite reminiscent of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" days. The comparisons with "System" and "Floyd" can only stop at this point, since it seems that musically "Giant Squid" draws on so many sources that they could be only described as "unclassifiable". Confused reviewers are referencing bands like Isis, Neurosis, Pelican and Tool. I get this. This band could sound like a combo of all (and perhaps none) of these. In any case, Giant Squid have a very progressive vibe that cannot be ignored. The music incorporates very unusual instruments like Trumpet and Hammond Organs, Middle Eastern drums and other eastern horn sounds make their appearance here and there (very noticeable in track 2 "Neonate"). There are plenty of downtuned metal guitars for some good doom/stoner moments as well.

The band makes songs that never stay in one place for long. There are eight tracks on the album, two of which are "noise" tracks that are under a minute apiece ("Megaptera in the Delta" and the amusing "Eating Machine"). All the other tracks run over 5 minutes, and are rather unpredictable in their direction. Third track "Versus the Siren" begins with a soft vocal duet and evolves into a complex lament involving a muted trumpet. Track four, "Ampullae Of Lorenzini" really announces the fact that the producer on this album is Billy Anderson. The vocals are mixed with the instruments in a very Neurosis-like fashion, and the song is, to my mind, the most Neurosis-like tune on the album.

The dreamy ballad format returns in the fifth track "Summit" complete with mellotron sounds, acoustic instruments and vocal duets. It builds to a trippy electric lead guitar solo that reminds me a lot of the material found on the recent Boris album "Pink". Though evoking comparisons with other bands (i.e. bass driven seventh track "Revolution in the Water" equals band "Mouth of the Architect") the compositions all still feel fresh and new. The only place where the album bogs down a bit is on the final and title track "Metridium Field" where certain musical themes are repeated maybe a few too many times. Though pleasing in an ambient sort of way, the repetition can get a bit monotonous for those who do not wish to be hypnotized for over 20 minutes.

All be done, Giant Squid is certainly something new to try. I hear that they have already had to replace two of their original members, which makes me wonder if this will cause a new shift in their style. I am very interested to see how this band evolves.

Note: I recently saw this band as they passed though my city. Reduced down to a four piece, and wife mysteriously MIA, Aaron Gregory took the stage and proclaimed in a powerful voice that he is a frontman worthy of consideration. He offered up a "don't miss" live performance.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Holy Shit, February 1, 2007

By	B. sanchez "The Creature" (Phx. AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Apologies but this was one of the most original pieces of work that I listened to.
At times it would remind me of Isis or Red Sparowes, with strange but very audible and comprehensible male vocals. I don't know if this could be considered metal because its just so fused with other genres, so to speak.
Here is what makes this album a masterpiece, THE SONGWRITING. Amazing.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't believe how much I like this, October 8, 2006

By	High Y (Charleston, SC USA) - See all my reviews

Seriously, I bought this on a whim with no preconceived notions and have been unable to remove it from the player for nearly a month now. The overall structure is expansive, droning, and really pretty simple musically, but it creeps into your soul with an ocean of crashing/fading dynamics & doesn't let go. I've found other releases from The End Records to be overproduced, but that's not the case here-- there's a sludgy warmth that will appeal to fans of Isis, Jesu, Pelican, Neurosis, etc. The male vocals are incredible and remind me of System of a Down, only much less overproduced, much less pop-metal, never at all silly, and wonderfully sunk back into the mix more like Isis. The female vocals are more scant & remain elusive, swirling around behind the mix like an apparition. The vocalists' dynamics work as well the angel/maniac dynamics of the Pixies. The uplifting, building-to-climax darkness works as well as it does for Tool. There are really just 6 tracks on here (2 are intros), but it still feels like an epic. Tracks 1 & 7 are the best, so check those out first. If I have any complaint, it's of the length of the final track, which pounds on with its single (but cool) riff for over 20 minutes, probably about 10 minutes too long IMO. And the band name too, not really my favorite-- makes me expect something goofier and/or more prog. Fortunately not the case. If you like the other bands I reference in this, I don't see how you couldn't like this. 4.5 stars.