Another left-of-center offering from Profound Lore, San Francisco’s Worm Ouroboros unveil a brand of soothing spa-treatment metal that is simply awe-inspiring. As soft and tender as this debut is, it’s also capable of striking that emotional balance that the masters of moody metal/rock (i.e. the Katatonias, Anathemas, and My Dying Brides of the world) do at the drop of a hat. And for that, we’ll always jump.
Light on the distortion, but heavy on the atmospheres, Worm Ouroboros (who are bassist/vocalist Lorraine Rath, guitarist Jessica Way and drummer Justin Green) make little waste with hushed dynamics, quiet passages, and dreary sonics through the duration of this 9-song effort. Rath borders on ethereal on several occasions, most notably the opening strands of “Goldeneye,” which ranks as one of the more spell-binding moments on the record. To her credit, Rath chooses her spots wisely, allowing for the select moments when she opts to sing all the more effective.
Elsewhere, “A Birth, A Death” takes hold with memorable, melodic riffing; the same for applies for the winding “Winter” and staunch “Riverbed.” Free-form, almost experimental angles are pursued during the shimmering “Falling Moon” (another song
where Rath shines) and the closing strands of “Pearls” and “A Death, A Birth.”
A late 2009/early 2010 must-have, Worm Ourboros emerge as one of those rare bands that can exist on the boundaries of the metal scene, fully capable of roping any and all in. This is highly recommended stuff; the type of album whose worth will probably still be evident five or ten years down the road.
(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)