The government said that aliens are real, so we are here with a space-infused psychedelic collaborative opus.  In the spirit of collaboration, your favorite 9C power couple is here to co-author this expedition.  Cross-continental confreres REZN and Vinnum Sabbathi reach for the stars on the massive group effort that is Silent Future.  This cohort of ten musicians have created seven cosmic sci-fi sludge doom tracks in one uniquely stellar package.  Both bands contribute doom laden riffs and atmospheric interludes with Vinnum Sabbathi adding their sci-fi flare and REZN adding their signature stoner sludginess.  There are more intricacies that are found upon each listen and while the music is not overly complex, it is a masterwork of talented artists and is certainly something exceptional.

Chicago legends REZN have not been around for a very long time but they have been making a name for themselves with their proprietary blend of doom, sludge, and weird esoteric psychedelia, provided most notably by Spencer Ouellette’s modular synth setup and his dabbling in wind instruments.  Vinnum Sabbathi hails from Mexico City and has an impressive growing discography of hypnotic doom-infused galactic soundscapes with traditional instrumentation as well as FX sounds, synths, and spoken word resulting in dynamic and almost cinematic music.  The blending of the two is something truly monumental, swiftly weaving in and out of light, airy ambience and nasty, crushing riffs, interspersed with cinematic storytelling and a little bit of electronic flair to boot.  It’s also important to note that Silent Future is the next in the PostWax series of limited edition, exclusive records, featuring the likes of Elder, Dopelord, Mammoth, Acid King, the Otolith and many others.  To be a part of something so cool and unique means that REZN and Vinnum Sabbathi had to raise the stakes, and raise them they certainly did.

Silent Future is not a split, but a true collaboration in the style of The Body, Thou and Bell Witch, to name just a few acts that have, amoeba-like, absorbed others to greater effect.  Between the two bands, ten distinct musicians (two drummers, two bassists, four guitarists, two vocalists, samples, keyboards and more) each feed off each other and work together to create something unique but still recognizable as the product of each act.  Ian’s favorite track on the album oscillates between “The Culligen” and “Hypersurreal.”  The former is a groovy, ambient bliss-out that features prominent bass melodies and Ouellete’s subtle flute work (“Is flute in metal the new saxophone in metal?”), while the latter turns up the volume with a truly gut-nasty riff that plods through a mid-tempo exploration of dynamics.  Angela’s favorite track on the album is “Morphing” which is also the longest here spanning just under seven minutes—no surprise there.  This track is a little more ethereal with dreamy beats and echoing vocals before picking up the tempo and moving into a more drum heavy, passionate flow.  

Listening to these two bands separately and then experiencing Silent Future, it is a bit surprising that they hadn’t joined forces until now.  REZN and Vinnum Sabbathi seem like they were written in the stars, destined to come together.  They carry similar but distinct vibes that align perfectly.  The only thing that could elevate this listening experience to infinity and beyond would be a sampling of a mind altering substance of your choice.  If you have the means, we recommend picking up this album on vinyl to support the PostWax series.  It is also a very cool hand drawn album cover.  Silent Future is definitely an album to experience, not just listen to.  So settle in with a substance (or not) and blast off.  

— Angela and Ian

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Silent Future is available now on Blues Funeral Recordings.  For more information on REZN visit their official website.  For more information on Vinnum Sabbathi visit their Facebook page.