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In The Absence Of Truth
by Isis

Isis reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 70 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.8 out of 10
based on 18 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 20 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

This fourth LP for the metal band follow's 2004's acclaimed 'Panopticon' as well as an opening slot on Tool's latest tour.

LABEL: Ipecac
RELEASE DATE: 31 October 2006
DISCS: 1 disc
GENRE(S): Rock, Metal, Alternative

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90
All Music Guide
In the Absence of Truth is as solidly explosive and as adventuresome as Panopticon, but their elemental control over the music is greater, therefore creating a more even production.
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83
Pitchfork
Despite a couple brief dull spots, the ingredients are so carefully selected and masterfully performed that the collection creates a pretty endlessness, existing at its best as one long take of dark-n-stormy post-rock.
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80
PopMatters
It’s the sound of a band knowing how to execute the formula to near-perfection, each lengthy song teasing us, ebbing and flowing hypnotically, tantalizingly hinting at a huge crescendo of sonic pyrotechnics that doesn’t quite arrive in full. In other words, a comfortable tension.
Read Full Review
80
Dusted Magazine
They remain a fantastic band, constructing their own cities of sound, a strange architecture with wine-dark interiors.
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80
Alternative Press
It's certainly a leap further into the ethereal weirdness that defined 2004's shoegaze- and electronics-inspired Panopticon. [Nov 2006, p.192]
80
Billboard
The dynamics and musicianship of songs like "Not in Rivers, but in Drops," "1000 Shards" and "Holy Tears" reveal a band at the top of its game. [4 Nov 2006]
80
Blender
Even if the high-minded concepts prove elusive, no worries. [Nov 2006, p.138]
80
Drowned In Sound
They’ve pushed themselves on this album, striving to achieve something honestly different to what was released before it. Occasionally they’ve fallen short of perfection, but for the most part this album is a certifiable success.
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75
Prefix Magazine
Theirs is music brimming over with passion first explored, then exploded.
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75
Stylus Magazine
The songs are still long, the rhythms are still organic, and in general Isis still sounds like Isis.
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70
The New York Times
It’s still unclear where this band is going. [23 Oct 2006]
65
cokemachineglow
Underwhelming.
Read Full Review
60
Tiny Mix Tapes
Every strong point is matched by a weaker one, but there is never an extremity of either.
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50
Village Voice
In the process of adding new facets to their sound, Truth winds up reinforcing self-imposed limitations.
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50
Spin
Truth subverts metal's natural will to power with dreamy, ambient passages that are never as sublime as the band clearly thinks they are. [Dec 2006, p.98]
40
Uncut
The lurch towards conventionality has exposed Isis' limitations: their paucity of melodic ideas, the pompous drumming, the lack of wit or soul. [Jan 2007, p.100]
40
Q Magazine
It's a powerful formula, but one the band perfected with their 2002 album Oceanic. [Dec 2006, p.141]
40
Delusions of Adequacy
Alas, it feels like In the Absence of Truth finds the band both spinning its wheels and running out of ideas.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this album is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 20 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Adam gave it a10:
astonishing from start to finish my favorite band since radiohead and sigur ros words do no justice with this release my best album of 2006 and maybe since 2004s panopticon.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
In the Absence of Truth is in my shortlist for favourite albums (this shortlist includes Tool, Opeth, Pink Floyd, Russian Circles and The Mars Volta). I prefer more melodic music than that given by Oceanic; the tuneless vocals put me off a little. This album beautifully illustrates the concepts it presents with its ever-evolving song structures. The beautiful melodies and the crushing metal balance each other out and provide a wonderful listening experience. Garden of Light is such an amazing track, and the entire album is very well produced and recorded. However, I'm still not a fan of the tuneless growling present in all their songs (except for the two instrumental ones), and I do hope Aaron Turner expands on his melodic vocal ability in the future. Thumbs up from me, keep up the beautiful work Isis!

Devyn gave it a9:
this album has a great mellow vibe to it and a amazing climax effect in almost every song. This is one of their best albums in my opinion.

John gave it an8:
I actually prefer this over "oceanic". "in the absence of truth" is more atmospheric; the soundscapes are deeper and darker and the songs seem to shift at appropriate timings instead of repeating the same things over and over again like their earlier stuff (not that they don't still, but less so). i found "panopticon" to be rather boring by the end. with this go i feel energetic all the way through. i could easily listen from start to finish, and it feels alot more ambient if you're more into the post-rock aspect of isis than their status as a metal outfit like i am.

[Anonymous] gave it a5:
This album is weak, and anyone who believes otherwise is fooling themselves. Isis lack direction and focus on this album, the riffs are lazy and they just sound plain bored. Some new ideas are needed for their next release, there is only so much tribal drumming i can take. Best Track 'Holy Tears'

Sommy gave it a4:
I've never read Q Magazine, but if the simple clarity illustrated by its review of this album is more than just a mere fluke, color me hooked. Isis was once a band with great creative promise, and since their magnum opus, Oceanic, they have squandered that creative promise for with the hopes of recreating that album. Newsflash -- Oceanic was great when it was called Oceanic, less so when it was called Panopticon, and redundant by the time it was rereleased as In the Absence of Truth. If you're looking for more of the same from Isis, you won't be disappointed, but if you are easily frustrated by creative stasis, steer clear -- you've heard this one already.

Todd W gave it a7:
This album sounds like a cross between Interpol and Mastodon played at 16. Aaron Turner's guitar is gorgeous in spots, as are some of his vocals, but his angry, demonic caterwauling sometimes gets in the way of his playing, to say nothing of Aaron Harris's melodic drumming. As a result, the music wears thin in spots. Still, with all this band has going for it, including their striking soundscapes, they aren't too far from discovering the truth that they have a masterpiece in their near future.

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