Sumac – The Healer

I’ve been dreading this moment for long; it’s almost given me nightmares. No other band in Metal can evoke the feeling of being trapped in your anxious prison like Sumac does. Ever since, I discovered it with What One Becomes, next to everything Sumac touched has been perfection to my ears. However, since May You Be Held, I’ve started to get worried about the direction of the band. It’s almost become a Noise/Jazz band with Metal textures that explores dark mental corners like nobody does; conceptually fascinating, but challenging to sit through. Hence, The Healer has the tough task to add something new to one of the riskiest projects in Post-Metal, without alienating us, the peasantry. Will it succeed?

If you were annoyed by Sumac’s previous collaborations with Keiji Haino, then rest assure that this isn’t exactly that. There’s a lot of sonic exploration and straight-up improvisational Jazz-like scenarios in The Healer, but it doesn’t become Noise Rock to my ears at least. However, it does take what you head in May You Be Held to the next step. So expect prolonged moments of build-up before you reach the mathematical catharsis of the heaviest parts. The album has two main mammoth tracks “World of Lights” and “The Stones turn”. Where’s there’s a breathtaking level of patience that will test you more than the marshmallow test. However, the middle tracks and the closure of basically of them is incredibly rewarding. Sumac has never lost its capacity to deliver crushing finishes.

Sumac despite of all the complexity in harmonies, rhythms and just weird sounds is conceptually and emotionally complex to a level that could only be compared to Tarkovky’s or Bergman’s films, or in the literature side to Camus or even Kafka. This feeling of being trapped into our own conflicts, of reaching the end of times, all that with most intimidating, yet psychedelic riffs, you could listen to. It’s as from the tense calm of your anxiety, the shadow of panic slowly emerged to let you know that it was never gone. Forget about structure, Sumac will again defy all your understanding of what Metal music is. If Ulcerate deconstructs Death Metal, Sumac deconstructs Post-Metal into something that has no name yet (I’m working on the labels guys, don’t worry!).

Now, I won’t lie to you, The Healer is a difficult listen, it demands your patience and attention. It’s an emotional journey where you’ll have to come to terms with many things about yourself (and nobody wants to do that). If you want Sumac to return to the old days of relentless aggression, then you won’t like it. Turner has a vision you might dislike, but you can’t nothing respect these guys commitment to the art. However, the album is extremely long and will alienate those who want more direct attacks from their Metal. I did struggle with that in a few moments, specially in the begging.

This isn’t for everyone, in fact it’s not for most Metalheads, but if you’re willing to have a healing experience that borrows from Post, Doom, Sludge, Death Metal, Noise Rock and even Jazz, then you’re ready for the final boss. Love it or hate it, but Sumac never compromises its work and even with all my reservations, I can do nothing but to admire the band for it.

Label: Thrill Jockey Records

Release date: 21 June, 2024

Website: https://www.facebook.com/SUMACBAND

Country: USA/Canada

Score: whatever makes you heal, but if you care about petty numbers 4.0-4.5/5.0