VINYL REVIEW: Nothing – ‘Guilty of Everything’ (Deluxe Edition)

Artist: Nothing
Album: Guilty of Everything
Label: Relapse Records
Release date: March 4, 2014

Last week I had the pleasure of reviewing Nothing’s stellar debut LP, Guilty of Everything. With the record earning a 9.5, I was more than excited to get my hands on the deluxe vinyl. Truly the only way the album should be listened, the vinyl experience only heightens Nothing’s keen ear for melody, melancholy, and everything miserable.

Filling the dark corners of my basement, the room which held first loves, first heartbreaks, and the slow realization of how incredibly disappointing the world above could be, Guilty of Everything on vinyl is a loud, and full experience, translating the sounds the band captured in the best possible format.


Pressing Info

Limited to 500 copies, the deluxe edition vinyl is a half white, half black variant. Perfectly complimenting the color scheme of the album cover, as well as the not so hopeful lyrical content of the record, the palate fight of the record’s colors sync with the sonic experiences given from the album. An everlasting fight between light and dark, as the record spins there is no immediate victor. A constant cyclical prison of small flutters of hope, easily concluded by the consistent reminder of humanity’s inadequacies, all to the morose soundtrack Nothing provides. Each deluxe edition comes with the special variant, an alternative cover, as well as a bonus felt slip mat.

All first pressings of the album from Relapse have since sold out, with the only remaining copies being sold by the band on tour, excluding a few copies on Amazon. The band has stated that the album has been sent in for a repress, considering 2,500 copies sold out just as the actual album was released.


Packaging & Presentation

Designed by Orion Landau, the aesthetic approach to the album’s art is extremely minimalistic. With the original cover being a single white flag drowned in a black backdrop, the deluxe edition provides a white slip-cover to contrast the color even more. With the iconic “N” symbol acting as a cutout for the deluxe cover, when first examining the record the blackness of the art slowly bleeds through the cut out insignia.

The single page lyric sheet is a bright white paper, consisting of a complimenting photo for each track and its respective lyrics. With the photos just as haunting as the lyrics, the sheet provided in the package only fulfill Nothing’s taste for the darker side of the human experience. Men shooting up drugs, cold showers, and incarceration are some of the few themes that result from the album’s imagery, as the photos provide the physical manifestation of the confessions found in Guilty of Everything.

My only complaint, and a small one at that, is that the deluxe slip cover is not fully enclosed, making a dual flap in the back. I would have much rather had the record been fully encapsulated by the white slip cover, but the bonus felt slip mat is a nice touch.


Sound Quality

I mean, this album is meant to be experienced on vinyl. As highlighted in my review, the album’s lush and full sound-scapes can truly only erupt through the vinyl medium. Massive sounds pulse against my walls, as guitars, bass, drums, and hushed vocals slowly bleed into the room. Warmly touching every corner, the sounds Nothing captured on Guilty of Everything can only truly be let out by a spinning record.


Wrap-Up

A top favorite from the year thus far, Nothing’s Guilty of Everything is a welcomed addition to my collection. As full sounding as expected, the translation onto vinyl is an experience that must be heard. Cranking the volume, turning down the lights, and letting Guilty of Everything confess through me acts as a dense experience, though thanks to Nothing, they emulate the trails of human action so I don’t have to.

 

Review written by: Drew Caruso — (Follow him on Twitter)

Drew Caruso
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