as a package this has high and low points, and this kind of music borrows heavily from itself, but the problem with recycling the epicness of such a well known riff as the coast explodes it's that it's probably the most epic piece of music that the late 00s produced due to the specific nature of it's angularity. that is, the riff stands out and generates it's power because it's unique in the genre - so trying to recycle it instantly draws your mind back to it. there's some stuff that you just can't appropriate within the same genre without sounding like you're stealing it. i mean, it's one thing to rearrange a string section for guitar, but it's another to go so far as to emulate the same guitar tone. and, unfortunately, it's by far the best riff on the disc.

i saw them in detroit last night and it was enjoyable. heavy music recs aside, it kind of reminded me more of a perfect circle, with (a little bit over-simplified) dashes of swans and gybe. however, the mammatus riff was also the best riff of the show.

it would be one thing if they were some kids starting off and i could say "well, maybe they'll put it together on their next disc", but this is a veteran and moderately successful act that is in the process of pivoting their sound. will most people hear it? probably not. but, for anybody that does, the level of pastiche is really heavy-handed and very difficult to put aside to put focus back on the tunes. i mean, i'll never be able to listen to "the usher" without hearing "the coast explodes", so they've kind of shot themselves in the foot with that.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w7lkQoJmqY