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The Habit of Fire

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The Habit of Fire is a 2007 album by the Canadian/Indonesian avant-garde metal band Kekal. Released on May 15 in North America, Japan & Australia and March 15 in Europe & South America, it is their 6th full-length album.[5] The album was constructed during Jeff's move to Canada, and was the last album recorded in his home studio in Indonesia. There is an official music video for the song "Isolated I". [1]

Concept

In an interview with Ultimate Metal.com, Jeff said that "The Habit of Fire is a concept album about the living energy in a human being that has become our archetype of survival... ...The fire itself represents an energy or spirit that can never be taken down by outside forces. The lyrical themes are based around a 12-million people metropolis within a post-dictatorship country, heading down into chaos due to the people's inability to adapt with the global winds of change."[6]

Recording

In the same interview, Jeff said that the recording process was only the second album that the band did not have a single problem in the recording process. About 75% of the music was written during pre-production. Jeff would collect samples and create MIDI information, and manipulate the sounds to create the 'skeleton'. Then riffs, MIDI instruments, synthesizers, and melodies would be added and the structure re-arranged. Once the song structure was set, the guitars would be re-recorded, then bass and drum tracks would be put on top, then vocals. Overall, it took over 7 months to complete.[6]

Reception and style

Kekal "Our Urban Industry Runs Monotonously" (2007)
One of the more popular songs from the album, which received high praise from Sound on Sound magazine for its production quality.[4]
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The Habit of Fire met with a mixed reception by critics. It was praised for its diverse style and instrumentation as well as its quality musicianship, but was considered repetitive and over-indulgent at times, as well as somewhat inaccessible and difficult to digest.[3][2][1] The album was nominated for The Best Avantgarde Metal Album award by the popular metal website Metal Storm,[7] and on November, 2007, the album was chosen as the CD of The Month by UK's music technology magazine Sound on Sound.[4]

On this release, the band reduced its black metal sound to make room for atmospheric soundscapes and industrial textures.[1][3] The music is varied, combining the band's metal roots with styles such as progressive rock, electronica, psychedelic ambient, and jazz fusion, giving the album a "breathless, almost ADD" feel.[4][1][3][2] The experimental aspects of the album were likened to Tool, while the progressive elements were compared to Marillion and the heavier passages to Mortal.[1][2]

Track listing

  1. "Prelude: Worldhate Chronicle" - 0:21
  2. "The Gathering of Ants" - 5:50
  3. "Isolated I" - 5:49
  4. "Manipulator Generals (Part I of Dictatorship)" - 10:47
I. Failure is The System
II. The Precaution of Aftermath
III. Decadence and Excess
  2. "Our Urban Industry Runs Monotonously" - 4:45
  3. "To Whom It May Concern" - 6:01
  4. "Free Association" - 4:48
  5. "Historicity and State of Mind (Part II of Dictatorship)" - 5:52
I. Repeated Patterns
II. Aftermath
  2. "Postlude: Saat Kemarau" - 3:55
  3. "A Real Life to Fear About" - 7:47
  4. "Escapism" - 14:39
I. What on Earth Am I Here For?
II. The Habit of Fire
III. Subterranean Passageways
IV. A Road Above, A Road Ahead
V. Finding A Way to Stand Up Again

Line-up

Guest musicians:

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Swank, Jonathan (2007). "HM Review - Kekal: The Habit of Fire". HM Magazine July/August Issue (#126). HM Magazine. Retrieved 2011-1-6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d Webber, Ian (2009-1-3). "Kekal - The Habit of Fire". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved 2011-1-6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d Bower, Chad. "Kekal - The Habit of Fire". About.com. Retrieved 2011-1-6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d Inglis, Sam (November 2007). "Playback: November 2007". Sound on Sound. Open Publishing. Retrieved August 26, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  5. ^ Blabbermouth.net (Jan. 31, 2007). "KEKAL Announces Release Of 'The Habit Of Fire'". News Archive. Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 2011-1-6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b Garwood, Russell. "Kekal - Urban Experimentation". Ultimate Metal Forum. Ultimate Metal. Retrieved 2011-1-6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ^ "The Best Avantgarde Metal Album". Metal Storm. Open Publishing. 2008. Retrieved 2011-1-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
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