Steve Von Till

As the Crow Flies (Neurot)
by Paul Lee

If you’ve experienced the might of Neurosis, you’re familiar with their thunderous musical force and many sublime moments of melodic peace. Tapping into that subtle vibe, Neurosis’ guitarist Steve Von Till draws from his melancholic side and lets his pain and sadness emerge for an entire album. He performs seven songs of somber anguish on As The Crow Flies that utilize simple, repetitive chords played on acoustic guitar. Von Till sings in a husky baritone that’s reminiscent of Swans’ Michael Gira, and he’s about as dead pan and despairing. Kris Force, from the depressingly-gorgeous Amber Asylum, contributes cello on a few of the songs. Though this is a terrific CD, I can only spin it during depressions or on rainy days.
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