Customer Reviews

Souls at Zero

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Granted, the journey that Souls At Zero beckons is not for everyone -- nonetheless for those that are open to feeling it's power, passion, and utter depths -- this recording is a blessing of emotional experience. I consider this CD a classic, and that it is very original, intense, and has the ability to make the listener really FEEL. I am a fan of Neurosis old and new, and this one is special indeed. It is before they found their new sound, but after their origins. Consider this release somewhere in the middle... I'm about to be 30 years old, and I haven't listened to Neurosis in about 6 years, and just the memory of Souls At Zero is bringing me back... In short, if you are, or could be into dark, heavy, contemplative, beautiful, deep, and sometimes desolate music. Give it a try. After a few listens, I don't think you will be disappointed.

I saw this band live twice during their hardcore punk days at Gilman's in the late 80s and again in 99 and they are a great live band. Anyhow maybe if they were not classified as a metal band in music stores they would get a better reception. They are more "expermental/industrial/gothic" than death metal or "hardcore" Agnostic Front and Bad Brains are hardcore!

It all strated, ended and began again here, in all senses. Compared with this fabulous disaster of a record, the thrash bands of the Eighties were merely playing Whoops! Apocalypse with all their talk of nuclear war and The Bomb. Neurosis, on the other hand, acted out an endtime drama that none have been able to eclipse since. 'Souls at Zero' was where the metal serpent ate its industrial-meets-crustcore tail, a musical ouroubourous to match the striking cover image. Little surprise, then , that the Oakland sextet's fourth album is still regarded to this day as an Alpha and omega of extreme music.

Souls At Zero(I've lagged to review this) was a big turning point to Neurosis, they began to leave behind the proto punk/thrash and bring a true visualization to thier music. A long time fan of Neurosis can easily tell you that Neurosis are something to experience and not simply to listen to and this experience isn't for everyone. In Sous At Zero you hear Neurosis at thier most "rock" style they had done, still though they began to use samples and learing effects to channel something much more cerebral and more vivid as an all over entity.
This all starts with "To Crawl Under Ones Skin" simply a masterpiece of a song that straight off lets you know you're in for something completely off the rocker. Then the album loses a few more degrees into its cold feel into "Souls At Zero" and you can see now that this style of music has not been done aside a lose interpretation (heavy metal/rock) perhaps.
Neurosis are my favorite band in the world along side Faith No More, Tool and Isis, so you can see my reviews as biased yes... but accurate... exact! HAH.

This was the first album where neurosis left behind their punk/hardcore origins and moved into the hard rock/metal/trance type music. Here they slowed down many of the melodies/tempos, blended it with areas of fast/loud punk inspired vocals, and a new sound for the rest of their next few albums are born. Songs like "To crawl under one's skin", "souls at zero", and "Sterile Vision" also start adding in samples and violins, where before neurosis hadn't even crossed this path.
Overall, there are not weak points in this album for me. That is why this is in my top 10 albums to have if stuck on a desert island, if not the number one album. Souls at Zero was the fist track I ever heard from this band in 1991, and it blew me away. I hope you will be amazed by this album as much as I still am. A must have for a neurosis fan.

This is a truely wonderful recording, no wonder neurosis have so much respect out there in the industry, The title track is esspecially great, This is one of those albums that sends you into anouther world!

First of all, I am completely familiar with Neurosis. I own all albums from this one to Sun that Never Sets. While Neurosis is far from my favorite band(I pull their CD's out for an occasional listen), I find myself captivated by the atmosphere they create. Yes, they can be very boring and they are overly repetitive. But they are extremely original. While I prefer my music with more speed and aggression(Immortal, At the Gates ) or acoustics(Opeth) or melodicism (Diabolical Masquerade, Dissection), I do enjoy their combination of quiet somber licks combined with apocalyptic drumming. While I prefer Enemy of the Sun or Through Silver in Blood, I do pull this one out every once in a while.

This record, as with practically all Neurosis records, is from another dimension man. This thing is really something else. Personally, I think its better than their next two (Enemy of the Sun and Through Silver...) despite them getting better critical reviews. This album is just....mesmerizing. Its absolutely captivating and is so emotionally powerful (not in a gay way) that you can't help but be ripped into an alternate reality if you so let it occur. One of my all time favorite records.

These guys might just be the worst band I've ever heard both live and recorded!!! Awful!!! And it's not like I haven't given them a chance. I've only returned one CD in my life because I hated it and was "Times of Grace" by these guys and this album is no better. Listen to some real hardcore/metal like V.O.D.