Originally written by Chris Chellis.
The scope of Arriver is astounding. For an unknown band that, to my knowledge anyway, is unsigned and untouched by any major to devise something as massively mythological and textured as Vanlandingham and Zone takes a lot of faith. This first album of theirs is an example of what a diverse collection of musicians can do when impassioned and inspired by a singular vision. This is cohesive in the way that all concept albums should be; not unnecessarily knob-twistingly complex, but progressive enough to establish its own sound and earn its own accolades.
Speaking of sound, Vanlandingham and Zone traverses fairly diverse territory in such a short amount of time. This isn’t your typical 70-minute wankfest. It’s forceful rock that reaches eloquent peaks to plateau into an inescapable sludge. While the production is relatively clean and helmed in Steve Albini’s studio by Greg Norman, grit and grime envelop Arriver’s debut like a creeping threat and I like the fact that they so welcomingly attach that to their sound. The contrast between the epic powerfolk of Hammers of Misfortune and the sludge found on tracks like “Slaughtering of the People of the Zone” is stirring, challenging, and above all, refreshing.
Most tracks are under three minutes, meaning a tighter structure than most would expect from a progressive act. Keeping it short is always a recipe for success on any debut so long as the music delivers because it leaves listeners with the urge to hear more. After listening to Vanlandingham and Zone a few dozen times, I want to hear more. This is sludge, rock, hardcore, and folk in smooth morning shake form. In fact, as I sit here cross-legged drinking Frusion in an 8 AM stupor, I couldn’t think of a more delectable mix.
