Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra Kollaps Tradixionales
Title: Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra - Kollaps Tradixionales
Label: Constellation
Cataloge No: CST063
Type: Album
Reviewer: Freddy
Date: 14, February, 2010
Since forming Silver Mt. Zion (or whatever the hell there called now) Efrim Menuck has surpassed his previous band, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, in terms of number of records but it’s arguable that he’s never really surpassed them musically. Kollaps Tradixionales is their sixth album to date and it sees them ploughing the same bluesy post-rock that they’ve been playing for the last couple of albums.
In recent years Efrim’s vocals has become much more of a focal point for the act, and here is no different. Opening track There Is A Light begins with the reverberating pluck of guitar, while Menuck’s voice strains and pierces through the drums and violin. The middle of the track takes a more grandiose and upbeat tone, with all the instruments coming together to make a joyful, cataclysmic racket.
One thing to note is the addition of drummer David Payant, whose style is a lot more straightforward thrashy rock than has been previously seen on SMZ albums. This definitely gives some tracks a lot more of an edge and energy to them especially on I Built Myself A Metal Bird. The interplay of the guitar and violins (from Sophie Trudeau and Jessica Moss) has always been one of SMZ’s strengths, and they create an almighty racket on the almost punk-rock Kollaps Tradicional (Bury 3 Dynamos). Last track Piphany Rambler is a typical slow-burning, blues-drenched epic, with the clatter of every instrument coming together in harmony.
However, that’s the problem. This has all become typical fair for SMZ, there’s nothing amazingly new on this record and each subsequent album seems to lose its impact on the listener. This a solid album, there’s no doubt about that, but exciting? Not really.
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