Atheist's Cornea

by Envy

Overview

Atheist's Cornea is Japanese quintet Envy's shortest full-length since their beginnings as a hardcore band in the early '90s, and it's easily their most direct album since they began stretching out their sound toward resembling the type of cinematic post-rock that easily brought them to the attention of Temporary Residence and Mogwai's Rock Action label. The album's eight songs are typically hard, epic, and anthemic, alternating quiet, reflective moments with bright, melodic guitars and crashing drums. Similarly, vocalist Tetsuya Fukagawa switches between frenzied screaming, spoken poetry, and mournful crooning. Envy usually include English translations of their lyrics in their liner notes, and this one's elegiac verses are sorrowful yet ultimately uplifting. The album's first two tracks are more concise, pummeling post-hardcore numbers, but "Shining Finger" is where they begin to branch out and include softer, more chiming textures. The slow, crushing "Ticking Time and String" begins with a soft intro, giving way to intense, frightening screaming, ending with a funereal procession of strings. The album's most melodic cut, "Footsteps in the Distance," recalls Sunny Day Real Estate during its instrumental bridges and sung portions, although the song's lyrics are often delivered as furiously recited poetry. Album closer "Your Heart and My Hand" has a triumphant, victory-lap feeling, with its galloping drums and ringing guitar melodies punctuated by more spoken verse. Even with its relatively brief running time (44 minutes), Atheist's Cornea is an exhausting, exhilarating listen. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	09/04/2015
Label:	Temporary Residence
UPC:	0656605325910
Rank:	88381

Tracks

1. Blue Moonlight
2. Ignorant Rain and the End of the World
3. Shining Finger
4. Ticking Time and String
5. Footsteps in the Distance
6. An Insignificant Poem
7. Two Isolated Souls
8. Your Heart and My Hand

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Envy   Primary Artist
Mikiko Narui   Viola,Violin

Technical Credits

Tetsuya Fukagawa   Group Member
Ota Yoshiharu   Photography
Dairoku Seki   Group Member
Masahiro Tobita   Design,Group Member
Manabu Nakagawa   Group Member
Nobukata Kawai   Group Member
Takashi "Patch" Kitaguchi   Mixing,Engineer
Tucky   Mastering
Katsuya Kokubu   English Translations
Sunny   Arranger