Boston four-piece Junius are not your typical hard rock/metal act. One would think this at first due to the fact that they have signed a deal with the mainly metal label Prosthetic Records for the release of their sophomore effort Reports From The Threshold Of Death. Their first full length album The Martyrdom Of A Catastrophist was released by the well known post-rock label The Mylene Sheath and was inspired by theorist Immanuel Velikovsky. The Martyrdom Of A Catastrophist was more of a goth-infused, indie, post-rock album, while Reports From The Threshold Of Death is more of a heavy hitter but still maintains that dark, goth sound that is very reminiscent of pioneers such as Depeche Mode and Joy Division. One thing is certain, and this is that Junius is very ambitious when it comes to concept albums. Although Reports From The Threshold Of Death doesn't necessarily focus on one person (Immanuel Velikovsky, The Martyrdom Of A Catastrophist), it still retains that concept album approach, focusing on exploring the soul's journey after death and overcoming your fear because death is not the end. The album is inspired by numerous stories of near death experiences and although death is a tough theme to grasp, Junius go about it with a very spiritual and optimistic sense. Although the overall sound of the album may have a dark tint to it, the main focus is on light, as well as ascension, judgement, and floating. Junius chose to record the album at Will Benoit's (Constants) Radar Studios, which is powered entirely by solar energy. It is very neat that the album's main focus is on light, because the album would not exist without light present (literally).
While their previous album The Martyrdom Of A Catastrophist focused on the life, theories, and death of philosophical scholar Immanuel Velikovsky, their latest effort Reports From The Threshold Of Death focuses on life after death. Frontman Joseph E. Martinez focuses on near-death experiences and describes the album as "a sort of guide for beyond the grave". Reports From The Threshold Of Death begins with the track "Betray The Grave", which opens with a choir effect that most likely represents Immanuel Velikovsky's death and his soul leaving the body to float on upward to heaven. The song begins as an opener piece but then the pulsating guitars come in and turn the entire track into a four minute epic adventure into the void of space. Tracks like 'All Shall Float" and "Transcend The Ghost" have very gentle melodies with guitar work reminiscent of earlier Radiohead (just in a sense of tones), while "Dance On Blood" and "A Reflection On Fire" show a new edge for the band, complete with massive, heavy hitting riffs that resemble the gigantic tones of Isis.
One of the most impressive parts of the record however, is Joseph E. Martinez's singing. While previous recordings showed Martinez all too comfortable with his vocal range (Robert Smith-esque), his vocal delivery on Reports From The Threshold Of Death feels much more natural, subtle, and emotional. The main aspects that make this album such a good one are the vocals, songwriting, and the overall concept. Reports From The Threshold Of Death may not appeal to everyone, but it will appeal to many. This album definitely has potential and fans of shoegaze and post-rock will enjoy it, as well as fans of metal that are looking for a more relaxed sense of tones. To me, it is one of the best albums that I have heard all year and is easily Junius's best work to date. Junius keeps getting better and better progressively and I eagerly look forward to what they come up with next.
Check out the track "Betray The Grave" off of Junius's Reports From The Threshold Of Death:
