After catching their last LP, Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun, One Starving Day remains on my radar; so, when their latest album, Atlas Coelestis was announced, an anxious period of waiting immediately followed. Even though the band was heavily indebted to bands like Neurosis, One Starving Day still brought a great deal of panache and style to the table; the big question, how well do they follow up their last album.
Not intent on staying in one place with their recordings, One Starving Day adds keyboards to their arsenal of instruments with which they further craft atmospheres and sonic textures to their music; even if they are not a major focal point of the song, the band certainly uses the instrument to their full advantage, whether it be creating space in the song like in "The Drift of Andromeda" (which also contains a great example of how to use strings well on a record) or it be the focus of "Meridians." "Black:Black" further shows the expansion of the tools put to use by One Starving Day as a saxophone makes a rather dramatic appearance that kicks the album into a real jazzy territory, which definitely adds a completely new dynamic to their oeuvre. The shocking sound of woodwinds and the organ parts appearing in "An Evil Light" continues to show proof of the band's stepping away from their previous limitations and moving into new sonic territories that in some way make the album all the more pleasing to the ears. There are moments in "Disclosure / Radiance" when the band shows that they can still drop the heavy hammer when they want to do so creating a dynamic listening experience.
One Starving Day may still be somewhat indebted to Neurosis in some respects (vocals and some of the compositional arrangements), but the band certainly creates an excellent album by breaking new ground with Atlas Coelestis (which more bands should attempt). The band undoubtedly outdid all of their previous efforts from a musical accomplishment perspective with this album to the point of putting this on people's releases to hear at some point lists. Track this down, as it is a satisfying listen from start to finish; a worthy successor if not a better album than their last one, One Starving Day definitely have a doozy of an album in Atlas Coelestis.
