Magus is sludge/doom metal group
Thou's first proper full-length since 2014's colossal
Heathen, although it follows collaborations with
the Body and the HIRS Collective, as well as three EPs that explored different facets of the group's sound (noise/drone, acoustic folk, and grunge/alt-metal). The album is their most sonically focused statement yet, primarily consisting of lengthy dirges with up-front growled lyrics that challenge concepts of ego and identity. Writing ten-minute songs is nothing new for the group, but instead of lengthy, atmospheric buildups or multi-movement choral suites, they generally get straight to the point and launch into gigantic, lumbering rhythms that serve as a platform for Bryan Funck's intensely critical thoughts. His words encourage the listener to look beyond systematic modes of oppressive thought, particularly misogyny, and ultimately encourage persistence rather than self-destruction through negativity. On "The Changeling Prince," he spits venom against "suppressive personalities" over dizzying riffs and slapping, forceful drums.
Thou effortlessly merge their doom and grunge influences on songs like "Sovereign Self" and "In the Kingdom of Meaning," delivering monstrous, relentless riffs that are nevertheless accessible. While the album seems more consistent than other
Thou albums, the band still experiments, particularly in the shorter, interlude-like tracks. "My Brother Caliban" is a minute of skittering electronic beats, battering drum rolls, and submerged shrieking. "Divine Will" consists of sparse, pounding drums and angelic vocals by Emily McWilliams, who makes a few other significant appearances throughout the album. Following the atmospheric noise piece "The Law Which Compels," the album culminates with the epic "Supremacy," which blends quieter, more melodic guitars with dive-bombing feedback, ending with a slowly decaying sequence of drum crashes and an all-consuming pool of static. ~ Paul Simpson