The Mosquito Control EP

The Mosquito Control EP is the first studio release by American post-metal band Isis, released in 1998 by Escape Artist. The piece runs fluently through all 29 minutes, and all four songs are linked through consistent bouts of chaos and lyrics glued by the metaphor of using mosquitoes as a symbol for mankind, society and population control.

The Mosquito Control EP
EP by Isis
Released	1998
Recorded	1998
Genre	Sludge metal, doom metal
Length	28:25
Label	Escape Artist (EA03.0) (EA03.2) (re-release) (EA03.8) (re-release)
Producer	Isis, Kurt Ballou[1]
Isis chronology
Demo (1998) The Mosquito Control EP (1998) The Red Sea (1999)
Re-release cover
The cover of the re-release.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

The Mosquito Control EP introduces Isis's first major theme, the mosquito. The reissue of this EP features cover art depicting control towers (the central theme of Celestial).

Although it represents Isis' first studio release, it is actually their third recording as a group after two demo productions, and was the last recording containing early band members.[3] As such, “[t]here are things on this record that certainly would not have [sic] been written were it not for those people, and it represented a set of voices that was no longer apparent in the subsequent recordings.”[3] Sonically, Aaron Turner feels that Isis “were starting to find [their] voice” with the release, citing “Life Under the Swatter” as “the beginning of a path on which we would synthesize heavy riffing with complex rhythmic patterns and textural/subdued passages”.[3]

The recording process cost as little as $600 and lasted between three and four days. The first mix was deemed of insufficient quality, so a remastering was undertaken.[3]

In 2018, a remastered version was released, with new artwork under Hydra Head.[4]

Track listing

The Mosquito Control EP

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Poison Eggs" (sample )	Isis	6:42
2.	"Life Under the Swatter"	Isis	5:50
3.	"Hive Destruction"	Isis	4:10
4.	"Relocation Swarm"	Isis	11:43
Total length:			28:25

Japanese edition bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Streetcleaner"	Green, Neville, Broadrick	5:42

Personnel

Band members[5] Jeff Caxide – bass guitar Aaron Harris – drums Chris Mereschuk – electronics, vocals Aaron Turner – guitar, vocals, design, assembly

Other personnel[5] Kurt Ballou – audio engineering, producing Dave Merullo – mastering, audio editing

References

1. Lee, Cosmo (June 22, 2006). "Kurt Ballou - Interview - Stylus Magazine". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
2. York, William. ""Mosquito Control" – Isis". allmusic. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
3. "PRIMER: Aaron Turner Revisits Isis' Entire Catalog". Self-Titled. Pop Mart Media. June 4, 2010. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
4. "Hydra Head Merchtable The Mosquito Control reissue".
5. Mosquito Control (Media notes). Isis. Escape Artist Recordings. 1998. EA3.0.CS1 maint: others (link)