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The Unnatural World
by
The Unnatural World Image
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 23 Ratings

  • Summary: The second release for the Connecticut doom duo of Dan Barett and Tim Macuga is its first release in six years.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. Absolute Punk (Staff reviews)
    Feb 14, 2014
    93
    The album represents a triumph for Have a Nice Life after six years of mostly silence, and is a more-than-worthy follow-up to Deathconsciousness.
  2. Sputnikmusic
    Feb 14, 2014
    82
    Like the album it constitutes, ["Emptiness Will Eat the Witches"] rarely illuminated, yet beautifully moving and unquestionably engrossing.
  3. The Quietus
    Feb 14, 2014
    80
    For scope alone, Deathconsciousness feels important, but it also makes the band's new music sound contented and unfussy.
  4. Pitchfork
    Feb 14, 2014
    78
    Sinuous instead of rigid, bloody instead of embalmed, the album refuses to be frozen in time or place. Instead it moves, and moves others with it.
  5. Sputnikmusic
    Feb 14, 2014
    70
    The Unnatural World is the punk rock ethos of Deathconsciousness coming into its own and it feels really good to hear. New comers to the underground darlings will find quite a lot to love here.
  6. Pretty Much Amazing
    Feb 14, 2014
    50
    Ultimately, The Unnatural World is a frustrating album.

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Daniel_B
    Jul 7, 2014
    9
    A really cool, hard to classify album. Part ambient, part rock, part metal, part noise, but surprisingly accessible. The opener, GugenheimA really cool, hard to classify album. Part ambient, part rock, part metal, part noise, but surprisingly accessible. The opener, Gugenheim Wax Museum, Defenestration Song, and Music Will Untune the Sky are particular high points.
    If you like experimental rock, give it a listen.    … Expand
  2. mynoseknows
    Nov 1, 2014
    8
    To start off, I like to mention that if you’re not mentally stable, or prepared to surrender to this record, don’t dig it! When listening toTo start off, I like to mention that if you’re not mentally stable, or prepared to surrender to this record, don’t dig it! When listening to this record, one word came to mind, and that is dark. This record has absolutely no positive energy, little to none major chords and just pure overwhelming soundscapes and sonic highlights. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, given that some of the darker non-grunting records happen to be on my list of favourites.
    Have a Nice Life is that band, which after dropping their debut album Deathconsciousness, sort of disappeared to the background with both of the band members focussing more on side and solo projects. The expectations, going into this record weren’t particularly low though, since all of their associated projects more or less satisfied me, some of them being similar to Have a Nice Life’s work, some not.
    To me, Have a Nice Life quite fulfilled these moderate to high expectations for their new record called The Unnatural World. The record, is basically divided in two parts, meaning that there is the more drone-like side of this record with tracks such as Music Will Untune the Sky and Emptiness Will Eat the Witch. Besides that, there’s the clearer and more structured side of the record with tracks such as Cropsey and the Unholy Life. I think, Have a Nice Life well managed to form a whole of eight tracks with both of these sides of this record strangled into each other. This also brings me to the disappointing side of this record. Disappointing, meaning that this record is only eight tracks or not even fifty minutes of music, which half of the length of predecessor Deathconsciousness. Although this record has fitting intro- and outro-tracks to me, the record just seems unfinished. With one or two additional tracks, I feel like the duo could have highlighted more sides of their music.
    Besides that, I think this record lives up to the expectations. Have a Nice Life produced a record that is one of extremes. Compared to Deathconsciousness, they blended some more experimental compositions with some more straight forward post-rock and sludge metal song writing. The Unnatural World lived up to the expectations, is a long awaited but worthy follow up to their debut, and if you’re prepared and ready to devote to this record, It could end high up you’re final albums of the year list, a thing that accidentally but certainly happened to me.    … Expand
  4. Scooter4849
    Apr 23, 2014
    7
    Overall, a pretty solid debut release. Elements of punk, shoe-gaze, noise, drone and low-fi all blend here. To be poetic, the album has someOverall, a pretty solid debut release. Elements of punk, shoe-gaze, noise, drone and low-fi all blend here. To be poetic, the album has some real heart and edge to it, albeit a few tracks are lackluster. Particularly the track Unholy Life. Overall though, pretty solid, and a few bands could look up to it in awe.… Expand

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