Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the quiet opening of “Cenotaph” — or better yet, do. Go ahead and let the dreamy drift of the first 40 seconds or so carry you along at a comfortable pace, minimal, contemplative, maybe just a little foreboding. All the better to let the slam into full weight tonality that follows catch you off balance, Seattle trio Giza launching their third outing, Migration, softly enough but soon giving way to a lumbering groove drawn in part from the post-Neurosis school, but given just a touch of YOB-style kosmiche, the lead line that emerges in the midsection calling to mind some of the fellow Pacific Northwesterners’ mystical ways.

It’s a steady diet of rumble that Migration feeds the listener, the subsequent “Hashteroid” fleshing out trades between airy acoustics and further crushing atmospheric sludge, a chug underlying a dense mix of layers that almost fools you into thinking it’s done before finally deconstructing itself in a momentary freneticism of guitar that nods at some of Russian Circles‘ payoffs while retaining its own identity as well, drummer Justin Rodda stepping forward from Richard Burkett‘s guitar and Steve Becker‘s bass to finish the track with a vicious flurry of snare. Impressively, “Strawberry Caviar” changes methods, building up from a hypnotic, soft guitar line to a more ambient wash, feedback only helping to set the mood.

That feedback ends “Strawberry Caviar” cold to make way for the opening bells of 13-minute closer “March of the High Priests,” which is the only non-instrumental piece of the four included on the 32-minute full-length. Vocalist Irene Barber tops the building rollout and instead of ultimately fading behind the wall of riffing that Giza construct, as one might expect, remains for the duration, giving the song a spacious presence somewhere between Ides of Gemini and Pallbearer, but again, not wholly indebted to anyone over the concoction of their own making from the various stylistic ingredients, huge-sounding crashes finishing out by giving way to a last, sustained rumble cut short. Clearly, Giza‘s work here is done.

Giza release Migration on Aug. 1 as the follow-up to last year’s I am the Ocean, I am the Sea, and I’m pleased today to be able to host the premiere of “Cenotaph” for your streaming pleasure. Please find it on the player below, and enjoy:

GIZA’s newest effort finds the band in its most creative/heavy/mild-melting/amp-worshiping effort to date. It’s also the bands first foray into added musicians. “Migration” boasts two guest appearances by Bryce Shoemaker (Bronze Fawn, Jules, Vermillion) on guitar on “Hashteroid” and Irene Barber on vocals (Dust Moth, XVIII Individual Eyes) on “March of the High Priests.”

* Album art by Ryan Frederiksen

“Migration” Track List:
1. Cenotaph
2. Hashteroid
3. Strawberry Caviar
4. March Of The High Priests

US live appearances coming soon.

Giza on Bandcamp

Giza on Thee Facebooks

Giza on Twitter

Seattle instrumental trio Giza will issue their third album, Migration, at the start of next month. Quite a title. I can’t help but wonder if the three-piece were thinking purposely of Buried at Sea when they chose the name or if the Chicago outfit’s 2003 offering of the same name — one of the heaviest records ever released, flat out — was unknown to them, but either way, they’ve set a significant standard for themselves. It’s not quite like calling it Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, but you know what I mean.

With production by Matt Bayles (Isis, Mastodon, etc.), Migration will be out Aug. 1. The PR wire brings art and details:

GIZA Announces New Album “Migration” Out August 1st

Upcoming LP Produced by Matt Bayles, Special Guest Vocals by Irene Barber of Dust Moth and More

GIZA was formed in early 2012 by Richard Burkett, Steve Becker, and Trent McIntyre, with the idea of creating immensely heavy instrumental music. The first record, “Future Ruins”, was recorded/mixed by Matt Bayles and released not long after their formation in 2012, with high praise in the Doom/Sludge scene. Following the departure of their first drummer, Trent McIntyre, and the acquisition of their current drummer, Justin Rodda, a second record (also recorded/mixed by Matt Bayles) was released in April of 2014, entitled, “I Am The Ocean, I Am The Sea.” The record was a significant mechanism in the evolution of the group. While not a departure from “Future Ruins”, “I am the Ocean, I am the Sea” showed steady progress towards a more psychedelic amalgam rather than a pure metallic trudging. “I am the Ocean, I am the Sea” can be thought of as the stepping stone to their third release “Migration”, again recorded/mixed by Matt Bayles.

GIZA’s newest effort finds the band in it’s most creative/heavy/mild-melting/amp-worshiping effort to date. It’s also the bands first foray into added musicians. “Migration” boasts two guest appearances by Bryce Shoemaker (Bronze Fawn, Jules, Vermillion) on guitar on “Hashteroid” and Irene Barber on vocals (Dust Moth, XVIII Individual Eyes) on “March of the High Priests.”

* Album art by Ryan Frederiksen

“Migration” Track List:
1. Cenotaph
2. Hashteroid
3. Strawberry Caviar
4. March Of The High Priests

US live appearances coming soon.

For more information, visit:
Facebook.com/GIZAMUSIC
http://giza.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/gizamusic

Giza, I am the Ocean, I am the Sea (2014)