Isis
 

I've seen these guys mentioned here and there on the forums but I can't really find a proper thread devoted to them.

My main question is... should I bother to invest more money in their albums? I constantly see them being mentioned as nothing but a NEUROSIS rip-off. Being influenced by them is one thing, but ripping them off is another story.

I've heard that the bands started to differ as ISIS evolved. Nevertheless if I want to listen to NEUROSIS I'll just listen to NEUROSIS and won't bother with a knock-off band. Unfortunately this is the same reason why I can't appreciate early BLONDE REDHEAD. If I want to listen to SONIC YOUTH, I'll just listen to SONIC YOUTH. I do love BR's last 3 albums though.

Anyways, what's your ISIS verdict? Talented musicians? Cheap knock-off artists?

I really used to dig Isis but after hearing their latest album and seeing them live I've really gone off them. It was one of the most boring shows I've ever seen.

EDIT: Their first two albums, Celestial and Ocenaic are still sound pretty good.

i love Isis.

In The Absence of Truth is one of the best recent records i've heard.

i've also got Panopticon and The Red Sea EP. Panopticon is pretty good and i'm still unsure about The Red Sea (i just got it last week). i've heard that Oceanic is amazing, but i don't presently have the funds to acquire it (Frriidaayy).

i saw them live a few months ago and, while they weren't the most electrifying live band i've ever seen, they were far from boring.

i never thought they were neurosis ripoffs. that's like saying neurosis is a swans ripoff or something...

isis are great! celetstial is good. celestial. i can't spell. uhh... i didn't like in the absence of truth too much. it's like "hey we own a bunch of effects pedals now whoooooooooa!" but yeah. everything else is good.

Neurosis are Swans ripoffs... they even tried to become Swans at one point by suckering Jarboe in. :D

Yeah, obviously they were influenced by the Swans... but ripoffs? No. If one of your requirements in listening to amazing music is to make sure it doesn't contain elements of other bands, you're SEVERELY limiting to yourself to shitloads of good music. Hey, why listen to any music? "They're playing power chords! Fucking ripoffs, they didn't invent the power chord!!!" "Alternate tunings? They didn't invent that!!!!!!!!!!!"Obviously, I'm being ridiculous, but do you see what I'm saying? Isis are fucking great! And they hardly sound like a Neurosis ripoff. But either way, I'd probably rather listen to Harry Partch. He didn't rip off anybody!!!

I love their first 2 records but on in absence of truth they sound like shit.
And by they sound like shit i mean they sound like tool.

my2cents

I don't like Neurosis and I love Isis. They're a great band, especially on Panopticon which is a really great album

their early stuff, they were very influenced by neurosis and talked about them on interviews non stop, aaron turner saying he wanted to sign them to hydrahead all the time. but, at the same time, they also recognized earth and godflesh as influences too.

still, i think oceanic has more in common with godspeed you black emperor, slint and mogwai than it does with neurosis. in the absence of truth, i loved the arrangements, i thought they lacked on panopticon and i was glad they got them right this time.

oceanic is like the best album of the '00s.

and neurosis are fantastic, they are way more metal than swans ever were, i mean, i can see someone say khanate are a swans rip off but neurosis? add celtic frost, discharge and king crimson and you start to get close to neurosis' sound.

even godflesh sound more like a swans knock-offs.

too (2) brilliant bands.

I dig Isis. Their early stuff is definitely better, as everyone has said. Go for it, they are worth the investment.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sgnl05

Oceanic is a ... classic.

Haha, I was just joking about Neurosis ripping off Swans. Like I said, being influenced by another band is one thing and to be expected. But to completely mimic another artist is unjustifiable IMO, and that's what I've been hearing about Isis in regard to their style.

Thanks for the input everybody :)

ohh okay, sometimes sarcasm/kidding is hard to detect on the internet.

anyway, every band mentioned on this thread is awesome.

Where's the love for the new record?

I don't think it's getting as much praise as it should.

Either people have been listening to too much Isis lately and have gotten sick of them, or there's some kind of "it's not cool to listen to Isis anymore, I've moved on like, months ago, man..." thing going on.

If any other band put out that record, it'd be all over the fucking place as the "great new shit".

OH, I love "in the absence...", I really love it, even if it has a more melodic appeal the distortions still DESTROY (like at the end of "over root and thorn")... I love much post rock things, that's why the "minor heaviness" does not bother me, but I have to admit that oceanic and panopticon had something "greater" going on, like those really meant something more for the listener and the music scene in general. They give a different feeling, more massive and concrete probably. But still, as I said, I love "in the absence.." and I listen to it frequently.

i did say i love it.

ohh, you lucky you!!

Neurosis are by far the better band to me, as they seem to operate on a much deeper level than Isis, and have more of an apporach of ruthless experimentalism and high concept. I love Isis though, but at a more superficial level. Isis' last few albums (oceanic onwards) have definitely moved away from their Neurosis-y roots and have very successfully carved out their own niche. They are certainly the more palatable of the two bands.