Sludge. It does the body good. Bison does the sludge real good. Therefore, it reasons that listening to this new album by Bison will do you some good.
This is a deceptively simple album. First time through, you might think it’s a fine little album. But, each spin, it will take you a little deeper. This album has a gravity in its sound and in it’s lyrical content that will make it hard for the listener to escape. And it just has one of the weirdest album titles I’ve come across. I can’t tell you how long I’ve pondered what the hell they were getting at. What do you mean I’m not the ocean? Why am I the patient? I don’t understand. Well, I stumbled across the following passage from the band that helps explain where their heads were at during the creation of this album. Spoiler: it’s bleak as fuck.
“You are not the ocean. You do not orchestrate a beautiful cacophony of life and death, struggle and destruction, creation and dependence. You are not the sole reason for the existence of a nation of creatures to live and abide your stark and simple rules. You are not married to the moon. You do not allow the constellations to be your map. You do not destroy cities and drown their citizens. You do not embrace land’s golden hem as your child, with calm and tenderness. You do not crash and spray craggy shores with fury and passion. You are not unstoppable. You are not powerful. You are not necessary.
You are the patient. You are controlled. You are cared for, out of duty. You are maintained with medicines and examinations. You are met with cold hands and protocol. Your most intimate self is put on a form. You are questioned about pains and thoughts. You are dependent on those with knowledge. You are helpless. You are tired and bed ridden. You do no harm and you do not help. You are monitored and caged. You are kept away from others. You are contaminated. You are sick. You are keeping yourself sick. You do not know how to recover. You do not want to recover. You do not know what recovery is.”
Release date: 7/7/2017
Personnel: James Farwell-guitar/vocals, Dan And-guitar/vocals, Shane Clark-bass, Matt Wood-drums
Origin-Vancouver, Canada
Rating: 5 flip flops out of 5
The list so far:
6. Bison-You Are Not the Ocean, You Are the Patient
7. Mastodon-Emperor of Sand/Cold Dark Place
8. Wolves in the Throne Room-Thrice Woven
9. Quicksand-Interiors
10. Alluvial-The Deep Longing For Annihilation
11. Byzantine-The Cicada Tree
12. Sorcerer-The Crowning of the Fire King
13. Zaius-Of Adoration
14. Royal Thunder-Wick
15. Steven Wilson-To the Bone
16. Pallbearer-Heartless
17. Spotlights-Seismic
18. Cavalera Conspiracy-Psychosis
19. Ancient Ascendant-Raise the Torch
20. Galactic Cowboys-Long Way Back to the Moon
DISPATCHES FROM THE VOID 