The Bay Area throb 'n' crunch maestros peaked artistically with 1996's epic Through Silver in Blood. Their combination of Laibach-like tribal percussion and Sabbath-worthy guitar was overwhelming but still inviting. Times of Grace, three years later, bore the thumbprint of indie-rock kingmaker Steve Albini and roughed up their sound; where Through Silver in Blood had been polished and occasionally proggy, Times of Grace was raw as a fresh wound. Neurosis fell off somewhat, though, with the mopey, semiacoustic A Sun That Never Sets, and The Eye of Every Storm has to be seen as an attempted comeback from the brink.
It's a pretty successful one at that. The bulldozer-in-low-gear Neurosis of old is back, with vocals buried under a wall of clanging guitars and a cathedral-sized drum sound. Many songs start off quietly, lulling the listener before unleashing another beating. The Eye of Every Storm won't inspire a mosh-pit frenzy, but lying down for a long, focused listen is definitely recommended.
