Posted on: November 29, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

I know that Revelation released “A Comprehensive Retrospective” a year or two ago, but these re-releases of Shai Hulud discs contribute a lot more to the corpus of the band than does a “everything’s here”, 24 track version of the band’s history. I’m assuming what Revelation is doing here with these discs is re-releasing what was an EP (such as “A Profound Hatred of Man”) and trying to find any extra tracks or songs left on the cutting room floor and placing them on the end of the disc. This way of creating new content is mirrored in Sire’s re-releasing of all the early Ramones discs with other material, and provides individuals with the most possible bang for their buck.

For this EP, there are quite a few additions. Perhaps one of my favorites in terms of additions has to be Shai Hulud’s version of Bad Religion’s classic “Anesthesia”. The added heaviness during the track adds something that was missing on the original. It also works well when it is tied to tracks like “For The World”, a complex metal-linked sound that does not let listeners go for the entirety of its’ three minute runtime. By far, the best track on this disc has to be “The Bonds of those Who Have No Understanding of Consequence”. The track allows Shai Hulud to go forth and graft together the sound of bands like At The Drive In with the furious thrash metal and emo influences that made the band so famous in the first place. Even with the inclusion of the bonus tracks, “A Profound Hatred of Man” only clocks in at thirty-seven minutes. Individuals will be happy to know that the band has put enough in the way of layers onto each track that the replay value of the disc (at least the originals) is perhaps the highest of any metal/emo/indie recording from the period.

While the vocals on songs like “Love Is The Fall of Every Man” are very emotional, it is actually the instruments on this track that show the most dynamism when it comes to emotions. Individuals might have the original EP, but the added few tracks on the disc are enough to show what truly influenced the band and give listeners a greater appreciation for what would ultimately come out in Shai Hulud’s music. The disc may be about a decade old but the emotions and arrangements are as fresh as when they were first committed to disc.

Top Tracks: Love Is The Fall of Every Man, Anesthesia

Rating: 7.4/10

Shai Hulud – A Profound Hatred of Man / 2006 Revelation / 13 Tracks / http://www.hulud.com / http://www.revelationrecords.com / Reviewed 19 August 2006

[JMcQ]

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