Aaron Turner has always been at the vanguard of experimental metal with acts like Isis and Old Man Gloom.  In Sumac, Turner, along with Brian Cook of Botch and Russian Circles and Nick Yacyshyn of Baptists, is pushing those boundaries even further.

After journeys into improvisational noise with Japanese musician Keiji Haino, Sumac began to morph into a slightly different beast. On their two previous albums, Love In Shadow and May You Be Held, the improv elements really ramped up, often to the detriment of any discernible groove. With The Healer, Sumac has managed to bridge the gap. Never before have they been heavier or tighter.

Often their riffs would be short lived and interrupted by veering off onto some other path, but every moment has purpose here. Minutes of wrangling a sea of feedback and Turner’s anguished howlings butt up against some of the biggest riffs that any respective member have been involved with before. There are moments that remind me of Botch in “Yellow Dawn,” with driving bass and delay-drenched guitars; how delightful!

While the 4 tracks’ 76-minute runtime may scare off most music fans, if you’re looking to challenge yourself, this might be a great place to start.  I’ve always been a fan of Turner’s artistic output, whether it was the bands he’s been in, his time as fearless leader of Hydrahead Records, or his legendary album cover artwork, but this may be his finest moment.  Strong consideration for my favorite album of this year.