I will gladly admit when I am blatantly wrong about something and I was wrong when I said that “Patagonia”, the first single off of Palms’ self titled debut, was lacking. In the context of Palms, “Patagonia” makes perfect sense. I still don’t find it to be a particularly interesting song and it’s definitely not a song I would’ve released first but it works within the six-song opus that makes up the debut from the marriage of deftones’ Chino Moreno and three-fifths of Isis.
Songs like the expansive “Patagonia” and “Tropics” undoubtedly bear the most resemblance to Isis with the soundscapes that are set forth but it’s songs like “Future Warrior” and “Mission Sunset” that truly propel this album into the stratosphere. Is it a perfect symmetry of Isis and deftones? No. You can tell at some points that this was not an album that was recorded in the same spot but still, it works.
Aaron Harris was always the undisputed backbone of Isis and one of the finest drummers in modern heavy rock/post-metal so it should come as no surprise that his subtle pummeling is not only the most recognizable here but also the driving force. Elsewhere, Moreno gives a subdued performance that works for an album that is neither heavy nor quiet and Caxide and Meyer provide a foundation that truly stands out here.
Palms is out on June 25th through Ipecac recordings. You should maybe consider picking up a copy here.
Grade: A