Monolithic and Hypnotic

Celestial (The Tower) stands as one of the defining tracks of Isis’s early era, encapsulating the raw force, conceptual depth, and architectural precision that would shape their legacy. As the centerpiece of their 2000 debut album Celestial, the song serves both as a thematic anchor and a sonic blueprint for the band’s evolution.

From its opening moments, Celestial (The Tower) feels immense and immovable. The guitars strike with a mechanical, metallic heft, evoking the oppressive weight of the structures the album centers around. Instead of relying on speed or technical flash, Isis builds tension through repetition, layering riffs like slabs of steel until the track becomes a towering mass of sound. The pacing is deliberate, almost ritualistic, drawing the listener into a slow-burning ascent.

Aaron Turner’s harsh vocals function less as a narrative voice and more as an elemental force within the composition. His delivery cuts through the dense instrumentation like a warning broadcast from within the machinery itself. Beneath this, the rhythm section pushes forward with a cold, methodical steadiness, giving the song a sense of unstoppable momentum.

What elevates Celestial (The Tower) beyond straightforward sludge or post-hardcore is its command of atmosphere. Even in its most punishing sections, there is a distinct sense of space. Subtle shifts in tone and texture slowly expand the song’s world, hinting at the atmospheric direction Isis would fully embrace in later albums like Oceanic and Panopticon. The interplay between crushing heaviness and eerie openness creates an almost architectural experience, as if the band is constructing a monolith around the listener in real time.

By the time the song reaches its climax, the repetition becomes hypnotic rather than oppressive, transforming brute force into something meditative. It’s this unique blend of physicality and introspection that made Isis a pivotal band in shaping what would come to be known as post-metal.

Celestial (The Tower) is not merely a heavy song; it is a statement of intent. It captures a band in the process of discovering its identity, wielding weight and atmosphere with purpose, and laying the foundation for a body of work that would influence an entire genre.