THE TIES THAT BLIND

As a Dayton area native myself, I have a good deal of connection with this band (I met them at a show in a city park in July 2006 before this album "broke them"), but that doesn't bias my opinion of them or of this album. I feel that MOTA are not just the typical "Neur- Isis" metal band, playing straight-up hero worship of Scott Kelly and Aaron Turner. These guys have something new to offer the scene.

MOTA have more in common with classic prog like King Crimson and Yes than any of their contemporaries, and proudly say so in interviews. Passages like the lengthy interlude of "No One Wished to Settle Here" directly recall SELLING ENGLAND-era Genesis and the like, and the band's epic approach to songcraft has classic prog written all over it.

Sure, the drone-y yelled vocals and syrupy riffs might distract someone that isn't a very big fan of metal, but if overlooked (and even if not overlooked), the music on this album makes for some of the most depressing and powerful throwback prog recorded in recent history.

If more people had the chance to hear THE TIES THAT BLIND, the world would undoubtedly be a better place.

Addendum: Brent Hinds from Mastodon has a guest vocal part on "At Arms Length" that will make you smile, guaranteed!