Communic - Waves of Visual Decay

Norwegians Communic started as a project in 2003. The founders were guitarist/vocalist Oddleif Stensland and drummer Tor Atle Andersen (ex-Scariot), who were joined soon by bassist Erik Mortensen, a former bandmate of Stensland's from the experimental metal act Ingermanland. The trio saw they were onto something special and became a full-time operation, releasing a demo in 2004. Stensland and Andersen then quit Scariot and secured a deal with Nuclear Blast. Communic recorded their debut full-length, Conspiracy In Mind, in 2005 with producer Jacob Hansen. Joining them was Danish keyboardist Peter Jensen (ex-Sinphonia). It was a power/thrash masterpiece, an incredible first effort by the band. For all the clones in metal, there are few bands that internalize the grace and wisdom of Nevermore. Communic is certainly one. Now the band returns with producer Hansen for its second album, Waves of Visual Decay. This one was certainly on my “Highly Anticipated” list for 2006.

The first song is “Under a Luminous Sky,” a track about “the violence that is caused by religious fanatics and the way all this is exploited by the media to create even more fear.” Right off the bat, this stuff is s*** hot—some electronica, great grooves, nasty riffs, and top-notch production. Stensland has his Warrel thing going, but he also has a sick upper register, a Halford/David Wayne-type voice. There are so many twists here—the music is entirely organic, with no ABACAB pretensions whatsoever. Technical Power Metal? Call it what you want—it’s phenomenal. “Frozen Asleep in the Park” is about a drug addict who is abandoned by her family to die alone, cruelly. Stensland mourns the loss in a way that is clearly honest, and the music is angry. Heavy as death guitar work here; virtuoso musicians cutting heads in long jams. I’m reminded of both Into Eternity and Disillusioned—this is elite music. The lyrics have taken on a decidedly more mature tone on Waves of Visual Decay and Stensland is unconscious on vocals—approaching King Diamond on this track with both screams and moans. The band brings things down a bit on “Watching It All Disappear,” winding through softer, balladic sections. But don’t worry, it’s still crushingly heavy, and there is some snarling guitar work by Stenslad that is just awesome. Next we are “Fooled By The Serpent,” a relentless thrasher with plenty of double bass by Andersen. The title track calms things again, Stensland turning pensive in between stormy outbursts. I am not sure who he is speaking to here, but his repeated entreaties to “COME BACK TO LIFE” are haunting. “Waves of Visual Decay” slowly builds and has unbelievable, winding technical jams that totally blow me away. Sick scream by Stensland at the end—HAIL! Check out the nifty synth work by Endre Kirkesola on “My Bleeding Victim.” Stensland even contributes a rare solo. Love these melodic sections to open the closer, “At Dewy Prime.” I’m not crazy about Communic habitually going into softer verses, but there is always so much to chew on here, and things quickly revert back to chaos and wickedness. This one builds until Stensland comes back on lead guitar, this time with alarming passion. “At dewy prime bring back the souls of the dead.” By the closing notes, I almost feel like they have.

Conspiracy In Mind was a huge album, but Waves of Visual Decay is even better. Communic has found their own sound and it is a thing of beauty. Nevermore fans, are you awake? I would certainly hope so, because this band has almost attained the level of your idols. Open-minded metallists, do yourself a favor and check this band out like now.