Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Isis - The Mosquito Control EP (1998)

The Mosquito Control has been made great by its raw heaviness. This is more chaotic than Isis' more evolved works. If the earliest Isis album you have is Oceanic and you want something from them that's deadlier and heavier, just start with Celestial then head down to their EPs leading up to their first, this one!

The first song of their first ever EP "Poison Eggs" just so happens to be one of Isis' best songs! It starts with a minimalistic melody, then percussion and a radar-like noise gets slowly added in until finally reaching the heavy riff chaos with enraged vocals from the mosquito king (Aaron Turner). The song is both rough and great in the music and the vocals. The ending reaches a frantic climax before abruptly stopping for 10 seconds of radio distortion.

"Life Under the Swatter" is more extreme with riffing as fast as the mosquitoes' reflexes and as furious the exterminator they're dodging. The mosquitoes would swarm around him and suck out all his blood dry. Looking deeply, you might find the subtle melodies and percussion Isis would develop later.

"Hive Destruction" starts with an eerily soft melody then the guitars let it rip with something more frightening. "Relocation Swarm" has suspenseful percussion from the start, then adds in strange samples mixed with the brutal growls that is actually just torturous adrenaline. This isn't really the masterpiece people (like Daniel) thought it was, and as much as I'd like to say this is the band's longest at almost 12 minutes, I don't trust its length because the last 5 minutes is just guitar droning and screaming, like My Dying Bride's "The Cry of Mankind" but not that awesome. No wonder I gave this EP 4 stars. However, I enjoy the Japanese edition bonus track, their cover of the industrial sludge classic title track of Godflesh's Streetcleaner. Another reminder for me to step up my industrial metal game!

If you're a new Isis fan, even though this is their very first release, this is not the right place to start. You might get too attached to the heaviness of their EPs and not enjoy their full-length masterpieces. Of course, fans of Isis' full albums will see the grand difference. Though not the best start, this is where Isis' true innovation had just begun....

Favorites: "Poison Eggs", "Life Under the Swatter", "Streetcleaner" (bonus Godflesh cover)