The Summary Judgment Review:
Title: The Illusion of Motion
Artist: YOB
Label: Metal Blade Records
Release Date: 10/19/04

Rating: 4 Skulls
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    • Reviewed by Requiem (2/4/05):
    Well it's good to see that Yob have finally gotten themselves on a reputable metal label. With their 2003 release on Abstract Sounds, it was evident that we had a future doom legend on our hands. Not only did they fit the genre of doom quite well, they did it with heaps of originality, disregarding the rulebooks and rolling blunts with the pages. This time, with The Illusion of Motion, they've refined themselves, taking everything a notch further and adding another crucial page to the history of doom.

    Originality is a hard thing to come by these days, but there's no band in doom metal right now more deserving of the word. Perhaps it's the remarkable range of vocalist/guitarist Mike Scheidt, who sounds like Vince Neil or Geddy Lee in the high register and downright possessed when things get nasty. It all has a very psychedelic atmosphere to the whole deal, with swirling, waves of sound, kind of like the death doom band Esoteric. Besides that, the band also rock out when they want to, like in the "Ball of Molten Lead", an energetic and enticing track by Yob measures. But when they decide to doom out, it's like they're playing in quicksand, and "The Illusion of Motion" clocks in at 26 plus minutes. This is the way of doom, and Yob have their tunnel vision on, toward their own goal of heavy.

    If you're not a fan of doom, chances are you may not get it. Yob are uncompromising in their approach, and are out to out-doom the world, and embrace the praise in the end. Loud guitars, plodding drums, and philosophical lyrics are what's on the menu whether you like it or not. This time Yob have again outdone themselves and have proven that they are a deserving heavyweight of the genre. If you are into doom, but are looking for something that'll blow your mind as well as your speakers, Yob is your answer.
    4 out of 5

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