Local Review: Glacial – Self-titled

Glacial
Self-titled

Exigent
Street: 2006
Glacial = Red Sparowes + Black Sabbath + Dixie Witch

The unmistakable finesse of Drew Smith, Glacial’s late drummer, shines through the recordings on this album, bringing an intricate Pelican feel to Glacial’s material. Andy Patterson’s heavier-than-hell chunk-drumming, in recent live settings, points Glacial in an almost Goatsnake/Isis direction. Pick your poison; both are awesome. Glacial’s epic chord progressions and slow Southern breakdowns sound like an interesting conglomeration of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Failure and any number of Neurot bands. One of the most underrated aspects of Glacial are their terse, political lyrics. Check it: “Her face is so serene up onscreen. It’s unsettling. …They’re thick as thieves. Rotting together like the autumn leaves,” (“Thick as Thieves”) and “The bombs are falling outside. The bombs are falling inside. America beams with pride as we watch the fight from ringside.” (“Testify”). “With These Eyes,” one of my two favorite tracks of the album (the other’s “Testify”), has an old, freeform-flow, Americana spiritual feel. Glacial is single-handedly ushering in the angel militia of the apocalypse.