Humanfly - II

This week is 20 Buck Spin week at Invisible Oranges. The Olympia-via-Bay Area label/distro is Dave Adelson, who has curated an impressive discography starting with SPIN001 in 2005, a reissue of Black Boned Angel's debut EP, on up to the crushing new record from Coffins (SPIN020). From doom to black metal to flat-out weirdness, 20 Buck Spin stands for handpicked quality. This week, we'll cover the label's latest offerings, as well as talk to the man himself.

by Cosmo Lee

The UK's Humanfly are really a '70s psych/prog band who got trapped in the '00s and decided to make the most of it. Thus, they update psychedelic tones and spacy synths with heavy riffs and beautifully robust production. Lazy comparisons will lump them in with the NeurIsis sound, but while the band embodies elements of that aesthetic, "slow and melodic" is the extent of it. The main fault of NeurIsis bands today is that they confuse balancing light and dark with mining a mediocre middle. All too often such bands muck about between pretty and heavy, not really exploring either.

Nenhuns Deuses Nenhuns Mestres

Humanfly aren't so. Their light and dark extend upwards and downwards; the high end sparkles with spiraling melodies, and the low end doesn't skimp on heaviness, though it's more hardcore-gone-sludge than metal. Such use of the full frequency spectrum recalls the mighty Year of No Light, though Humanfly are more expansive. Unlike many other bands, when they wax psychedelic, Humanfly aren't merely biding time until the next loud part. They let synths whoosh and build skyward with wide-eyed innocence; when they threaten to float into oblivion - only then do they drop the hammer. Unlike calculatingly loud-soft-loud NeurIsis clones, Humanfly still turn corners to see where they'll lead.

Buy:
20 Buck Spin
Humanfly MySpace

RIP K.Angylus, The Angelic Process

Word has been trickling out - K.Angylus, of the husband-and-wife duo The Angelic Process, passed away in late April. No official cause of death has been announced. The final Angelic Process record was the mammoth Weighing Souls With Sand, which ironically was about coping with a spouse's death. Last year, Angylus suffered a hand injury which rendered him unable to play music, and The Angelic Process went on hold indefinitely in October.

Million Year Summer

I will always associate Weighing with sickness, for different reasons. Last year I visited some friends in Texas, one of whom suffered acute food poisoning. He was retching his soul out next door, and I was trying to sleep. I put on Weighing in my headphones, turned up the volume, and was immediately bathed in a surreal, electric world in which My Bloody Valentine morphed into Neurosis. Weighing is, in a good way, one of the most grotesque-sounding records I've ever heard. It's compressed beyond belief and the guitars seemingly come from a volcano. Drums strain to punch through the din; Angylus' voice fights for its life. Few swan songs have been so passionate.

Thrice - The Earth Will Shake

Photo by Myriam Santos-Kayda

A reader comment on yesterday's Wrnlrd review got me thinking about how American metal has largely omitted American traditional music. Europe has loads of "folk metal" (which often seems to be just racist folk music), Brazil has/had Sepultura, Taiwan has Chthonic with their erhu. A few American counterparts come to mind - Across Tundras, Earth, Resistant Culture - and Southern sludge metal occasionally throws in the odd country or blues lick. But pre-amplification American music is mostly unexplored in metal, perhaps because the latter is so dependent on electricity. Metal could mine this ground, though. There is much darkness in America's (musical) history, and what better vessel for darkness than metal?

The Earth Will Shake

Yesterday I stumbled across a stunning example of what I'm talking about. It comes from Thrice's Vheissu, my favorite record of 2005. The source is most unlikely; until that point, Thrice was a straightforward metalcore band (albeit a skilled one). Their fans must have gotten a nasty surprise upon discovering that the band had become an amalgam of Isis, Tool, and Radiohead. I, for one, welcomed the change, and the band has flexed their new muscles with lovely results on their Alchemy Index recordings. Vheissu is full of revelations, the most revelatory being "The Earth Will Shake." Neurosis would be jealous of most of it; at 2:52, it breaks wide open with old-time chain gang singing. It's O Brother, Where Art Thou?, complete with freedom narrative:

We dream of ways to break these iron bars
We dream of black nights without moon or stars
We dream of tunnels and of sleeping guards
We dream of blackouts in the prison yard

Then it drops into a neck-snapping 7/4, as Teppei Teranishi flings plangent chords skywards. The 27 year-old multi-instrumentalist orchestrates Thrice's beautiful arrangements; I don't hesitate to call him a genius. Who would have guessed that some kids from Orange County would provide metal's most convincing throwback to 19th century America?

Buy:
Amazon (CD)
Amazon (MP3)

Nadja, Russian Circles

Nadja seem to have emptied their hard drive onto CD's, sent them out, and gotten signed to 10 labels simultaneously. By the end of 2008, they will have put out 15 releases in two years. That's too much. But it's about right if you consider each album as a song. Make one long ambient fuzzfest, divide it into tracks, call it an album - next! At Pitchfork, I've reviewed two recent Nadja reissues, Skin Turns to Glass and Bliss Torn from Emptiness. (The artwork for the latter is above.) I've also reviewed the new Russian Circles record.

Nadja - Bliss Torn from Emptiness (excerpt)
Russian Circles - Youngblood

Angel Eyes - ...And for a Roof a Sky full of Stars

After being doused in NeurIsis/instru-metal/post-metal the past few years, I took a break from the genre for a while. Upon hearing Chicago's Angel Eyes, I realize my problem has been not with the message, but the messengers. This is exactly how this stuff should be done - smart, emotional, directed; none of this "eight minute songs for the sake of eight minute songs" nonsense. On their latest EP, Angel Eyes have a grand total of two tracks (which they didn't bother to name) sprawling across nearly 27 minutes.

One (excerpt)
Two (excerpt)

It's almost all gold. Angel Eyes are like if Mono were doomier, with hardcore screaming for vocals. The vocals are a little harsh for the material, but they mostly stay out of the way. Guitars are the meat here, with Mono-style tremolo picking and delicate melodies (even the EP's title is Mono-esque). But they also drop proper heaviness, balancing out the upper register. The riffs flow smoothly and subtlely; I'm amazed that musicians can keep it together so long, both compositionally and performance-wise. The EP comes in a cool cardboard sleeve with lyrics printed on the inside. I am burned out on this sound, but when it's done this well, it's still a joy to hear.

...And for a Roof is available for cheap at Underground Communique, No Idea, and Aquarius Records.

Members of Angel Eyes keep a blog here.

Mono - Yearning

I have a yoga teacher who starts her classes with forced meditation. It's forced because nowadays, it's almost impossible for minds - mine, at least - to be still. She tells us to empty our minds, and makes us sit...and sit...and sit...and sit... Of course, my mind refuses to empty. In fact, it goes into overdrive. It's cold in here. I've got work to do. Why is this taking so long? By the end of meditation, I'm ready to leap out of my skin and strangle her.

Yearning

Mono can be like that. This Japanese band builds long, achingly patient songs. They're incredibly, and sometimes frustratingly, dynamic. Their quiet parts often can't cut through the din of everyday life, like office machinery and street noise. But if you turn up the quiet parts, you risk getting blown out by the loud parts. Classical recordings work this way, too.

Thus, Mono are best heard in isolation, either in headphones or live. They're loud, yet demand intimacy. I saw them open for Pelican; their mini-tornadoes of sound got lost in the huge concert hall. Later, I saw them open for High on Fire in a club, and they were brilliant. Such a pairing might seem odd, but Mono held their own.

"Yearning" shudderingly climaxed that set. Like most Mono songs, it started small. I knew where it was going - but that doesn't make cars headed for cliffs any less thrilling. After a bulbously pregnant pause, everything crashed in. It was a K.O. Hit between the eyes, I saw colors. Lights flashed, hair flew, balls shook. Mono kept swinging away, clawing at strings with black metallic heat. (Wolves in the Throne Room came to mind.) I was horripilating like crazy.

The studio version of "Yearning" on Gone: A Collection of EPs 2000-2007 ably captures this power. That's engineer Steve Albini saying, "You're rolling" at the beginning. Make time to sit still through its 15 minutes. It will reward your patience.

Gone is available from Relapse, Interpunk, and The End.

Drain the Sky - Haunted by Rivers

The name Drain the Sky comes from William Faulkner's The Hamlet, which beautifully describes sunset as the return of light from sky to earth: "Then ebbs afternoon, until at last the morning; noon, and afternoon flow back, drain the sky and creep leaf by voiceless leaf and twig and branch and trunk, descending, gathering frond by frond among the grass, still creeping downward in drowsy insect murmurs."

Learning to Swim
Sightless

The lyrics of Haunted by Rivers (Level Plane, 2008) aren't quite so poetic, and are afflicted by misspellings and use of the word "inimicality." Still, they bring evoke water, earth, and light - themes of Neurosis, the band's biggest influence. Bassist Carl Auge was in His Hero Is Gone, which is being used as a selling point. However, HHIG is only slightly present, in some of the faster parts. Organic and slow is the m.o., and some of the grumbled vocals are very Neurosis-esque. But because they're a trio, Drain the Sky are lighter on their feet. George Wunderlich fleshes out his guitar with delay and hybrid picking (using both plectrum and fingers). The latter yields simultaneous drones and melodies, and is quite fun to watch live.

Auge did the artwork, which comes in a phenomenal gatefold LP with an included CD. This is the only way to get this release (shades of Torche's similarly packaged In Return EP last year). Auge is a highly accomplished artist; his portfolio includes the the cover's original painting, which is evidently up for sale. It's been a while since I held a gatefold LP, and the feeling is like no other. From Auge's artwork (two paintings and one drawing) to the lyrics written in pencil, the package feels lovingly hand-made. Opening the gatefold, with the lyrics on one side and a gorgeous painting on the other - you feel like you're stepping into another world. This release is truly a complete experience, deserving of unhurried attention.

Level Plane's distro is back! You can find this album there, as well as Very and Relapse. In Europe, order from Bis Auf's Messer and Reflections. It's available in blue and black vinyl.

One Starving Day - Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun

Saying that One Starving Day is a lesser version of Neurosis is no dis. It's a fine wellspring from which to draw. If Neurosis move mountains and scar the sky, One Starving Day build a good garden, with a gnarled oak nearby. This Italian group may not play new tones, but it pitches them perfectly, which is perhaps more important.

Black Star Aeon (excerpt)
Fate Drainer (excerpt)

My only quibble, and it is small, is that when this band tills earth, it doesn't do so deeply enough. There are a few heavy moments, but mostly this album (five songs at 47 minutes constitutes an album) remains in indefinite suspension, spreading wings, not landing. That's fine, though. The digressions open small but palpable cuts - cello drones, string overtones, volume swells that clamp shut like unrequited love's hope.

The production is natural, exposed, and so is the packaging, a matte-finish gatefold with matter-of-fact typewriter font. Old Dischord releases come to mind. These guys have hardcore punk backgrounds, and it shows. I like their offerings of soil; however, I await the day of complete burial.

Broken Wings is available on CD from Planaria, and on beautiful white-and-black colored vinyl from KNVBI.

Harvestman - Lashing the Rye

I had the good fortune of seeing Neurosis play a rare hometown show on New Year's Eve, alongside Earth and Saviours. The latter was the odd band out. Its hesher stylings rang thunderous and accurate, but failed to set things high on fire. Earth's slow, pastoral leanings, acquired of late, attracted some heckling. New Year's revelry is not about patience.

The Burning of Tara
Over Nine Waves

However, Earth perfectly complemented Neurosis. Scott Kelly and Steve Von Till were bearded shamans with six-strings; Von Till drew out his vocal lines, inhaling dramatically and exhaling sturm und drang. The crowd was distinctly urban - crust punks, record store types with thick-rimmed glasses, a smattering of metalheads. Yet the atmosphere was, um, earthy. In the dark, images of wolves, rivers, and forests projected onto a large circular screen behind the band. Signs all around strictly forbade flash photography.

Such visuals cemented themes Neurosis have implied lyrically and channeled sonically - themes of teeth, fur, sky, and soil. But Neurosis, ever-conscious of space, don't need amps for electricity; even their "quiet" record, The Eye of Every Storm, is feral.

Harvestman, Von Till's solo project, taps this deeper energy. At its heart, Lashing the Rye (Neurot, 2005) is an English folk record. However, it severely warps Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span with fuzzed-out drones and electric guitars. "Scarborough Fair" becomes a dense storm of wah and tremolo; "Sheep Crook and Black Dog" runs ghostly singing through twisting filters, then drops into rippling, Edge-esque echoes. Bagpipes, cello, and female vocals (in "Surround Me," Erika Little suggests PJ Harvey minus cigarettes) enrich this stew. The result is psychedelic, almost bluesy - Charlie Sexton's Under the Wishing Tree comes to mind.

While not metal per se, Harvestman taps into the same dark veins that have run in music since its beginning. In this spirit, Invisible Oranges will expand its scope. Metal does not have a monopoly on depth and power - though it owns a controlling interest.

Lashing the Rye is available from Neurot and Relapse.

Long Distance Calling - Satellite Bay

At first, Long Distance Calling seemed like another NeurIsis clone. They had long songs, organic rhythms, and soft/loud dynamics. Even the artwork seemed derivative of mid-'90s Chicago post-rock. But one night, their brilliance floored me. I fell in love. I found this year's Year of No Light, the band that does the NeurIsis sound even better than the masters.

Fire in the Mountain
The Very Last Day

The key to Satellite Bay (Viva Hate, 2007) is clean tones. Quite simply, they're touching. They interlock like finest cloth weaving. The attention to detail is incredible. Pink Floyd's David Gilmour comes to mind. Even when the guitars inevitably pop distortion pedals, they retain delicacy. In fact, I could do without the dirty parts, the clean ones are so good. But I don't mind the oomph. It's physical; I often find myself rocking back and forth to this record. That is, when I'm not lying down, heartstrings twisted to breaking point.

An added bonus is the perfect production. The drum kit is probably the best-sounding I've heard this year. Guitars sound natural, electric, and hot and cold when necessary. The bass is throbbing and full. Vocals are infrequent, highly processed, usually spoken word. Peter Dolving makes a most un-Haunted cameo; dig the haunting quote from Kafka's The Trial in "Fire in the Mountain."

I'm really not doing this record justice. It's hard to step back from new love. Yes, Germans have heart. Mine.

Satellite Bay is available on CD from The End, and in limited edition colored vinyl and CD metal box set from Viva Hate.

Aussitôt Mort - 6 Songs

France continues its domination of all things heavy with Aussitôt Mort, which is evidently French for "as soon as dead." This quintet from Caen plays post-hardcore, post-metal, post-whatever you want to call it. Some reference points might be the melodicism of Hot Cross with the rolling 6/8 grooves of Burst and the atmospherics of fellow countrymen Year of No Light. 6 Songs (Level Plane, 2007) adds two tracks to their phenomenal four-song demo, which Level Plane released last year on 12".

Aussitôt Dort, Aussitôt Mort
Percuté

This EP is an incredibly mature debut. The tracks are melodic, yet drop little bends and dissonance here and there. A nicely natural recording captures the fluid, organic drum work. The lyrics are in French, though the band's website provides some English translations. Despite the screamed vocals, the French very much comes through, and it's a delight to hear. You'll be yelling "Percuté" even if you have no idea what it means (Babelfish says "struck"?).

I usually don't use this word in reviews, but here it is: emotional. Even at their heaviest, Aussitôt Mort are full of subtle, poignant twists. Dig the downward spiraling notes and clashing sword sounds (or is that some sort of funky cymbal?) in "Aussitôt Dort, Aussitôt Mort" - these are the small moments that stick for days. The packaging is lovely, printing the lyrics inside an environmentally friendly recycled cardboard sleeve, with vegetable-based gold ink and no use of glue. Of course, six songs is short, and I have no doubt that when these guys put out a full-length, it'll be tout-puissant.

For whatever reason, Level Plane's distro, 29North Records, is "closed for the season." Interpunk carries both the 6 Songs CD and the 12" demo, though currently the CD is out of stock. Very and RevHQ carry the 12". In Europe, the CD is available for 6 euros from Paranoid.

The Red Chord, Darkest Hour, Halford, etc.

The Red Chord

I'm moving from Berlin to San Francisco at the end of this month. This, combined with excessive travel (five trans-Atlantic crossings in six weeks, with five destination airports and way too much sleeping while sitting), has severely hampered my recent productivity.

The Red Chord - Tread on the Necks of Kings
Halford - Made in Hell
Year of No Light - Traversée

However, I've published a bit since my last update - dual reviews of Azalea City Penis Club/Robin Allender and Caina/Godheadscope at Stylus, as well as a review of Immolation and an interview with Year of No Light. At Metal Injection, I've reviewed The Red Chord, Darkest Hour, Halford, Mortuus, and Ion Dissonance, as well as a DVD of the Metalmania 2006 festival and a fine book by Keith Kahn-Harris.

Jesu - Silver (Original Beats)

Oddly, Adult Swim has posted a Jesu track in a free, downloadable mixtape called Warm & Scratchy. The track is the "Original Beats" version of "Silver" (originally available on the Silver EP's Japanese release), which is a little hard to believe. With mid-'90s beats and messy keyboards and basslines that don't gel with its melodies, it feels like a remix. At any rate, it makes an interesting comparison with the final version, which has much more heft and focus. Similarly, Jesu's MySpace has the "Original Mix" of "Wolves."

Silver (Original Beats)
Silver

Has anyone heard the Jesu split with Eluvium out on vinyl on Temporary Residence? The Jesu blog says "Hydra Head version to be announced soon..." Does that mean a CD release?

Left Hand Path #009

Kronos

After what seemed like a slow start, metal in 2007 has shifted into high gear. Great releases flood in from the underground daily. In Left Hand Path #009, we've reviewed over 30 discs, including must-have splits from Baroness/Unpersons and Eibon/Hangman's Chair, Harvey Milk reissues, Marduk, Municipal Waste, Abigor, Glorior Belli, Irepress, dark ambient from the Cold Spring label, and much more.

The Angelic Process - We All Die Laughing
Kronos - Suffocate the Ignorant
A Second from the Surface - Scene I Don't Remember
Sleeping Giant - Whoremonger

My picks here are French death metallers Kronos, pulverizing grindcore from A Second from the Surface, and yet another strong Facedown release from Sleeping Giant. The Angelic Process has tattooed vivid memories in me - I heard it one night in headphones while falling asleep, and had the most amazing, fucked up dreams.

65daysofstatic - The Destruction of Small Ideas

Sometimes it's nice when humans shut up and let their fingers do the talking. Vocals do sneak in on the last track of The Destruction of Small Ideas (Monotreme, 2007), but by then it's thankfully too late. Perhaps the "small ideas" refer to genres; this album could fit under "post-rock," "prog rock," "atmospheric metal," and any number of other meaningless terms. Rock instruments, un-rock structures, some electronics - mix and blend, welcome to now.

When We Were Younger & Better
Don't Go Down to Sorrow

This is a work-in-progress, which means imperfection. The album is too long, with some filler. Guitars are occasionally out of tune, with a hit-or-miss rhythm section (Pelican-itis?). But the album glows with moments where pianos and guitars intertwine in loving embrace, and where bass and drums groove with space and smarts. Thus, this is an exciting work-in-progress. These British lads could make the best album in the world. Until then, this slab will do nicely.

65daysofstatic tours North America with The Cure this fall. Tour dates are here. Non-Cure dates are at the band's MySpace. This album is available at Interpunk.

Neurosis, Watain, Pig Destroyer, and more

Neurosis, upstairs @ GAMH, SF Photo by Brendan Tobin

It's been a while since my last reviews update. There's so much good stuff now, it's almost overwhelming! At Stylus, I've reviewed Cephalic Carnage, Neurosis, Pelican, and Pig Destroyer. At Metal Injection, I've reviewed Akercocke, Toxic Bonkers, N.I.L., Deadlock, Merciless Death, Thought Chamber, and Watain.

Neurosis - Water Is Not Enough
Watain - Sworn to the Dark
Akercocke - The Dark Inside
Pig Destroyer - Heathen Temple
Cephalic Carnage - Divination & Volition

The Neurosis album will make my year-end top three. Watain might get up there, too. Akercocke would have stood a chance if not for the horrible hack mastering job. Check out "The Dark Inside" for the drum 'n' bass part that drops into the song - random but cool.

V/A - Contaminated 5.0

At Stylus this week, I have a feature (URL updated) on artists who do metal album artwork. Each day will publish an interview and artwork for a different artist - Orion Landau, Larry Carroll, Stephen Kasner, Dan Seagrave, and John Dyer Baizley. This blog will host supplementary materials and interview outtakes for these artists.

Neurosis - The Tide

Arguably, no label has an in-house graphic designer on par with Relapse's Orion Landau. He mentioned that John Heartfield was his primary influence, which prompted me to look him up. Turns out that Heartfield was a German named Helmut Herzfeld who made powerful anti-Hitler collages. Landau lifted the face from Heartfield's Italy in Chains for the cover of the Contaminated 5.0 compilation, as well as artwork for Relapse's Contamination Festival.

Italy in Chains

The CD itself doesn't need review, as each Contaminated is basically a Relapse greatest hits at the time. From the comp, I've posted "The Tide" by Neurosis (one of Landau's favorite bands) to, uh, tide you over while you read the feature. The interview outtakes below are from a discussion of when Landau first started working for Relapse.

What year are we talking about?

Around 2001.

I actually lived in San Francisco for some time around then.

Oh, cool! Where'd you live?

I was living in the Lower Haight, right next to the projects.

Yeah (laughs). I lived down there for a little while, too.

The prices went up probably because of the tech boom.

Yeah, that dot com explosion happened. What happened was, San Francisco became the Internet news hub of the world. We had a shop for $1500 that we were sharing with a couple other people off of Market. We lost our lease, and our [rent] went from $1500 to $22,000. I was, like, "I'm done, I need a break" (laughs). I'm not a business person; I like doing art. It was really appealing to go somewhere where people who were good at business would do business, and I could just focus on the creative end of things.

Is there some resource where I can see everything you've done?

Oh, god, I'm so unorganized (laughs). You know what? I have no idea how you would do that, sorry.

Are there any creations of yours you particularly enjoy?

I have such a hard time looking at my work. Sometimes I'll come back to something a year later and go, "Oh, wow, that was all right." But I always feel like moving on to the next thing. Recently, I was pretty happy with the Cephalic Carnage and Coldworker layouts, because I felt like I was pushing myself as hard as I could go for unusual packaging.

It must be hard to avoid your work, since it's in stores and on people's shirts.

Oh, yeah (laughs). It is a nice reward. But I don't do any of this for that. Why I do this is I really enjoy working with bands and other creative people. I'm just excited to get to work every day.

Paul Romano offers prints of some of his album artwork for sale. Do you do anything similar?

No. I've been approached by a couple people. I have considered it, and I may do that in the future. I love Paul's stuff, he's a really great artist.

Lvmen - An Anthology of Previously Released Songs

By now, the NeurIsis sound is severely, severely played out. But every so often, a band (e.g., Year of No Light) comes along and reminds me of the possibilities of the sound. The Czech Republic's Lvmen (the Latin spelling of "lumen," as in "light") is the latest such band.

Lvmen 4

But they are hardly new jacks, having released a self-titled 12" in 1998 and the Raison D'Etre full-length in 2000, both of which appear on this massive, 79-minute disc (Day After, 2006). Thus, Lvmen came up at the same time as Isis, but while having easily as much emotional impact, never achieved the same fame. This was due both to location and the years-long hiatus in which band members pursued various life paths (they reconvened for the fine Mondo last year).

I will do everything I can to spread the word about this band, because these songs floor me. They're immense, often 10 minute-plus epics, which don't just go small-big-small, but instead explore a wide variety of feels and tones. What sets this band apart is its use of more straightforward rock and post-hardcore passages.

Lvmen 7

It also throws in spoken word bits, movie samples, female vocals, and atmospheric keyboards, which these two clips illustrate. The jagged riff at 4:08 in "Lvmen 4" sounds like it's actually tearing the song apart. The riffs in the colossal "Lvmen 7" somehow get better and better, with WTF female vocals that drop in out of nowhere - the sonic equivalent of a Mortal Kombat fatality.

I can't find American distros that carry this, but Day After and Moonlee have it in Europe, as well as Tunetribe for digital downloads. Normally, I don't link to MP3 stores, but since this is hard to find, I want to maximize the chances for people to hear this. It's that good.

Voidhead - Land EP

Named for the Godflesh song, Voidhead avoids the obvious Godflesh elements (crushingness, nihilism) in favor of the liminal ones (atmosphere, drone). The four tracks of Land (Head to Avoid, 2007) each sound quite different and thus slightly incohesive. However, Voidhead impressively writes distinct-sounding songs with elements that usually emphasize sound over song.

Land
Schematic

Thus, "Land" is drum machine-driven and abstract, "Monotonous" sounds mystical and Middle Eastern, "Schematic" is Earth-ily twangy and clean-toned (that this very American sound translates to Athens, GR fascinates me), and "His Will" drops big, NeurIsis guitars. The other tracks could have used some of this weight for cohesion's sake, but each one works well individually, and the variety shows more than enough range for a full-length. Close listening reveals background depth, subtle movement, and small details.

Refreshingly, this project isn't trying to be heavy. Voidhead is exploring Godflesh's ghost and not just rehashing the legacy. The recording has occasional digital clipping, but for a DIY release, it's not bad. The packaging is special - three panels of heavy stock paper, hole-punched and fastened with a metal brad. Hand-numbered edition of 100, available for a mere 3 euros via the band's MySpace.

Antigama, Throne of Katarsis, Get Thrashed, and more

Antigama

A bunch of new writing up - at Metal Injection, I've got reviews of Polish grinders Antigama, Norwegian black metal band Throne of Katarsis, and Los Angeles prog metallers Redemption, as well as interviews with Spanish band NahemaH and shredder Laura Christine from San Diego death metallers Warface.

Antigama - Neutral Balance
Naglfar - The Darkest Road
Stalaggh - Projekt Misanthropia (excerpt)

At Stylus, I've reviewed Rick Ernst's excellent documentary film, Get Thrashed: The History of Thrash Metal. I also have dual reviews of black metallers Naglfar/Nagelfar and the literally insane Diagnose: Lebensgefahr/Stalaggh. Stalaggh is hands down the scariest sound I've ever heard. Coil's Hellraiser themes, the original Omen soundtrack, Prussian Blue - all pale in comparison.

Zozobra - Harmonic Tremors

Soon to Follow
Levitate

Hydra Head
2007


Someone someday should write a book about the late '90s, early '00s Boston hardcore/metal scene. It's mind-boggling that Bane, Converge, Cave In, Isis, Doomriders, Old Man Gloom, and now Zozobra are all connected, not to mention Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Red Sparowes, and assorted one-offs and solo projects.

Zozobra began as a solo project of Cave In bassist Caleb Scofield. Zozobra, aka "Old Man Gloom," is also the name of Santa Fe's answer to Burning Man. In 2001, Old Man Gloom (the band, of which Scofield is a member) released an album called Zozobra (confused yet?), but Zozobra (the band) isn't as expansive as OMG's art metal.

Its debut actually sounds kind of like Cave In's last record, Perfect Pitch Black. I've argued that Scofield was the star of PPB with his screams and huge bass tone, and those elements form the basis of Harmonic Tremors. Some songs were even intended for Cave In; "Soon to Follow" was probably one of them.

Of course, Stephen Brodsky is the yin to Scofield's yang in Cave In, so Zozobra is more bottom-heavy. The last half of the album, in particular, focuses on drums and bass grooves, somewhat at the expense of songwriting. However, the huge, awesome recording almost makes up for it. With some fine moments in the first half, including the Isis-meets-Jesu "Levitator," Harmonic Tremors is yet another intriguing branch off the Cave In tree.

It's out of stock at Hydra Head right now, but Interpunk has it.

Jesu - Conqueror

Conqueror

Hydra Head
2007



I can't believe this is happening. I'm listening to an album by Justin Broadrick, and I can't wait for it to end. This has never happened before. Even Hymns, arguably the weakest Godflesh album, had some brilliant peaks. But Conqueror - it bores me.

By normal standards, it's a good album. The songs are pleasant, and the mix is fine, if lacking in heaviness. Drums sound nicely natural, and some cool distorted synths pan around the stereo spectrum. This is a serviceable shoegazer album.

But by Broadrick's standards (or, more accurately, my standards of his work, as he's probably happy with the record), it's immensely disappointing. The reason? It's lightweight. And not just because seven of the eight songs are in major keys. The previous two Jesu records had some great major key work.

Godflesh succeeded because it plumbed the lower depths of emotion. Jesu also explored those depths, but pushed up through them until it emerged bruised and mud-caked, blinking in the sunlight.

This record, though - it stays in the sun. It just lies there. It's Ride or My Bloody Valentine tuned down, minus the mystery. The title track is OK, but an album's worth of it ain't. There are some "negative lyrics over positive music" that critics might praise. Fuck that.

You crushed me with sound, Justin; you made me feel. Now I am crushed because I feel nothing.

Nahemah, Flesh reviews

My review of Nahemah's new album is up at Stylus. After many listens, I realized that Nahemah was like a lusher, less repressed Isis.

Up at Metal Injection is my review of old-school (and excellent) Swedish death metal act Flesh.

Nahemah - Phoenix
Flesh - Baptised on the Demon's Throne

Isis review

My review of Isis' In the Absence of Truth is up at Stylus.

The NY Times has also reviewed this album; the critic has the challenge of describing the album to the general public. Thus, he paints with extremely broad strokes. It would be futile for him to reference Neurosis and Godflesh as I did. His references are necessarily non-metal: U2, Tears for Fears, Tortoise, the Grateful Dead, The Cure, Sigur Ros (Stylus' generally indie audience would likely get all the above references, except for the Dead).

But he does a respectable job of breaking down how Isis operates. Would his review move an average NYT reader to check out the album? Perhaps on iTunes, but not necessarily at the record store (I have no idea who the average NYT reader is, but I'd guess he/she has an iPod and rarely buys CD's now). I'm not sure my review does any better, but it's interesting to compare the different approaches.

Year of No Light review

My review of Year of No Light's Nord is up at Stylus. An excerpt:

The proliferation of Isis-alikes has reached epidemic proportions. Every time you turn around, there's another band with atmospheric riffs, eight-minute songs, understated artwork, and a beard (or two). It's easy to see why this sound has caught on: Black Sabbath, Godflesh, and Neurosis sound much less scary with more melody. French outfit Year of No Light is as guilty of imitation as any, but with only one album, the band has leapt to the fore of atmospheric metal, giving Isis themselves a run for their money. When not only Isis but also Jesu, Godflesh, and The Cure come to mind, an album deserves attention.

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Across Tundras - Dark Songs of the Prairie

Across Tundras sound like if Sonic Youth lived out in the woods and jammed with Neil Young's Crazy Horse. Some of the thicker distortion does suggest Hum or Neurosis, as the bio states, but the creaky, folksy feel of this Denver band places it closer to Pelican. Why Decibel and freakin' Blabbermouth are covering this album is beyond me, but if this counts as metal, then so be it.

Dark Songs of the Prairie (on Crucial Blast) really pushes an old-time feel, with classy artwork of Civil War musicians and rural America. The lyrics to "The Old Sexton" and "Aura Lea" are even adapted from traditional songs. But far and away the main vibe I get is Sonic Youth, though not the fashionable, NYC-obsessed version. This is more like the Sonic Youth of late-night prairies on Made in USA and Bad Moon Rising. A few acoustic interludes with distant-sounding male-female harmonies (again, Sonic Youth) break up the album.

The Neil Young part comes in the grungy tones that just drip with midrange; the mix works well for this kind of stuff. The band also shares Young's gift for quiet poetry: "When your words are frozen on thin air / And everything reels in front of you / You can laugh and breathe without a care / Everything real is right in front of you." The songs are long, so one should suffice for a taste:

Across Tundras - If God Cuts You Down

This isn't the most immediate album, but it has a real atmosphere about it. Surprisingly, Scott Hull (of Pig Destroyer, etc.) mastered it. It's not the grind/noise/black metal he usually masters, but he does a fine job. Check it out

@ Crucial Blast
@ Relapse