The Rock Blogger

Velvet Cacoon. Genevieve . 2004. Full Moon Productions . 4.5 stars .

“Nothing matters aside from catharsis. The feeling of catharsis is what true people seek out. The problem is that virtually nobody is true anymore. Politics, religion, stock markets… It are these manmade things which people obsess over that is ruining everything. It is why people are loading up on anti-depressants and therapy sessions. Mankind created this demon of a system and most people are too busy on their cellphones to realize that this demon they feed and fund is the same thing that has ruined them. I can neither help nor save them. Misanthropy is the nautical map of my life. It has brought me true catharsis.”- ‘SGL’ Velvet Cacoon

One of the most mysterious and controversial Black Metal bands to come from the Pacific Northwest, Portland’s Velvet Cacoon play intensely atmospheric music partly inspired by radical environmentalism and the abuse of Dextromethorphan. The duo, known as ‘Josh’ (SGL) and ‘Angela’ (LVG), have been the subject of many bizarre rumors and hoaxes, giving their work an extreme, larger than life mystique. Stories of their asexuality, ‘ecofascist’ political beliefs, accusations of plagiarism, and the creation of their own diesel powered guitar (the ‘diesel harp’) have made the band the subject of heated discussion online and within the metal underground.

Despite the dubious nature of Velvet Cacoon, their sole ‘public’ album Genevieve is certainly a uncompromising masterpiece, possessing a claustrophobic and haunted beauty. The distorted guitar tone that dominates the mix sounds as if it was recorded underwater, adding to the oceanic themes evoked by the tracks “P.S. Nautical” and “Avalon Polo”. The cold and alien sound emitted from these blurred riffs is daunting, making the mystery of its creation ever more compelling. Deep, propulsive drum machine rolls provide the current for these black pools, moving at a constant, unchanging rhythm that palpitates like a terrified heartbeat. Strange, distant vocals whisper and hiss in the shadows, providing a menacing and ghostly presence to the ruminations. The entire experience is enveloping, opening black holes to suck in all light and emotion, leaving you to contemplate the harsh throes of the universe. While Genevieve may initially sound disturbing, it is also a hypnotic and existential listen, instigating deep reflection and wonder long after the bleak ambient closer “Bete Noir” has faded to black.

For its dark, natural (and supernatural) overtones, Genevieve is a rare musical experience that presents emotional and intellectual challenges that will be sure to stick with the attuned listener. Anyone interested in the work of Burzum, Wolves in the Throne Room and Sunn O))) will find much to like here, as Velvet Cacoon shares many aesthetic elements with those acts. I also recommend reading the rare interviews with the band, as they discuss the controversies surrounding their work as well as their esoteric views on drug use, sexuality, the environment and the universe. While some of their views may be odd and provocative, they certainly are intelligently put and make for an interesting read.

Interview with Velvet Cacoon: Chronicles of Choas

Interview with Velvet Cacoon: Full Moon Productions

Avalon Polo

Boris. Smile. 2008. Southern Lord. 3 stars.

Tokyo’s Boris have continually proved themselves to be one of the world’s premier drone bands, expanding their sound to encompass everything from punk to psychedelic styles, notoriously creating noisy and feedback drenched epics that make your ears bleed and your synapses melt. The tradition carries on to their latest full length Smile, which has finally come to grace the shores of the Western Hemisphere.

While Smile isn’t nearly as awe-inspiring as last year’s Rock Dream, or even 2005’s more punk inspired Pink, it still packs an enormous punch, with a flair for monstrous riffs and echoing distortion. Those accustomed to Boris’ inhuman use of gritty noise and electronic effects will find much comfort here, as their sound is still massive and overpowering. Making this release standout though is the inclusion of simmering melodies that peak in from time to time, as drawn out Japanese vocals careen across in slow crescendos, just before the songs are set aflame by processed guitar fuzz.

Despite Boris’ dabbling in experimental bass loops, effects and even some catchy hooks, many of these jams meander, becoming self-indulgent acts of amp worship that drains your emotions and your attention span. I’m sure more seasoned ears will appreciate the near 20 minute “You Were Holding an Umbrella (Pt. 2)”, but I just found the whole affair to be excessive. Smile may not be breaking new ground for Boris, but it does showcase their attention to detail and willingness to push their sound in new (if not confusing) directions. A must for fans, a cautionary recommendation for newcomers.

‘Statement’

Pyramids. Pyramids 2008. Hydra Head. 4.5 stars.

If the term ‘bliss-metal’ doesn’t make you cringe too much, then I would use it to describe Pyramids, an experimental metal/shoegaze band from Texas that follows with the heavy ambient drones of label mates Jesu. Like the work of Justin K. Broadrick, The Angelic Process and the more abstract efforts of Georgia’s Deerhunter, Pyramids play ethereal and occasionally noisy jams that are rich in buried melodies, hidden amongst layers of electronic sounds, fuzzed out guitars and blasting drum rolls. The crushing waves of sound pour out with drugged emotional intensity, as distant vocals glide across the industrial clamor like colorful ghosts.

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Nadja. Skin Turns to Glass. 2008. 3 stars.

Toronto’s Nadja are one of the most prolific and experimental drone bands to occupy the genre, crafting dense and heavy works not unlike those of seasoned acts Sunn o))), Boris and Jesu. Skin Turns to Glass is a re-recording of an earlier CD-R of the same name which had a limited release in 2003. Like the title suggests, this album is a slow, plodding act of transformation, where thick layers of guitar noise, keyboards, and industrial percussion lap over each other to produce a terrifying and psychedelic atmosphere.

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The Angelic Process. Weighing Souls With Sand. 2007. 3.5 stars.

Before disbanding at the end of 2007, Georgia’s The Angelic Process crafted this final epic, merging ambient and metal styles into a grand and mournful vision. Weighing Souls With Sand is best described as a massive wall of sound, reverberating with druggy shoegazing riffs and martial drumming, playing in the same league as post-metal bands like Jesu and newcomers Have a Nice Life.

While those other acts punctuate their sound with punk or industrial touches, The Angelic Process pushes more towards dark ambiance and experimentation, creating long emotive tracks that slowly unfold into fuzzed out and noisy climaxes, immersing you in their hazy atmosphere. Weighing Souls With Sand is a majestic accomplishment, with its hypnotic drones, ethereal and distant vocals and the sheer depth of its sound, the transcendental aspirations of the band are immediately fulfilled.

The only major criticism I can throw at this album is that the band far more concentrated on atmosphere than producing distinctive song structures, letting all the tracks bleed into each other with little variation between them. Whereas Jesu for instance will add to the variety on their releases by emphasizing different melodic elements, tones and vocal styles, The Angelic Process seem entranced by their own beauty and can’t avoid the sameness that falls across this otherwise fantastic record. However, if Weighing Souls is taken as a cohesive and psychedelic sonic experiment, rather than a collection of songs, than the listener is sure to find the whole experience rewarding. While the band is no longer creating music, as an unfortunate injury has left the guitarist unable to play fully, this release is a satisfying summation of an interesting trend in underground metal.

Have a Nice Life. Deathconsciousness. 2008. 5 stars.

Sometimes, the conditions are just right for the appreciation of new music. I first started exploring Have a Nice Life’s double album debut as I was leaving my house at 5:45 am last Saturday, still in a somnambulist daze, feeling the cold winter night across my face while overlooking the city lights of Toronto from the lonely hilltop leading my street to the empty road heading south. It was in those moments of dreary isolation, where it felt like the only living souls were miles away in the distance, that the early moments of Deathconsciousness began to seep in. This is record, though far from perfect, delivers an emotional wallop that seems unparalleled. A mysterious synthesis of post-punk, shoegaze, metal and post-rock, Have a Nice Life’s ghostly ruminations aren’t just careful homages to their favorite genres and influences, they instead push the boundaries of them to get to their dramatic core, presenting a perfect summation of where the underground has been and where it will be going.

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Earth. The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull. 2008. 3.5 stars.

This is music for stoned, post-apocalyptic cowboys, like the Mad Max set, but more relaxed and pining for a peyote journey. The influential and experimental Earth, who revolutionized stoner rock with the minimalist drones of 2, return to the doomed Western landscapes they began exploring with 2005’s Hex. The jams here are slow, heavy and hypnotic, luring you with its steady, slithering bass grooves and catatonic drumming. The mood they establish is introspective and sedative, nudging you into an ancient and primal feelings.

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Japan’s psychedelic masters return to the fray with their newest LP Smile to be released on Southern Lord on April 29th. The label will also release a 7” single for “Statement” which will also feature the B-side “Floorshaker” on February 26. If their last collaboration album with Merzbow was any indication, Smile is going to be a massive, blistering record.

Stay Tuned.

This is a live video of the cult drone-doom band Earth performing “Plague of Angels”. This song is a fitting demonstration of Earth’s dust bowl psychedelia, producing reverberating waves of intense, bass laden riffs over deliberate drum fills and evocative noise passages. This song appears on the excellent Earth/Sunn O))) split Angel Coma.

Earth/Sunn O))) Angel Coma 2006 4 stars.

Earth/KK Null Dexamyl/Andromeda. 2005. 3.5 stars.
I also picked up the rare Earth/KK Null split Dexamyl / Andromeda which features a live Earth track and two experimental noise tracks from the Japanese avant-garde artist KK Null. Pick it up if you can, its a fuzzed out head trip like no other.

Here are three incredible videos of Sunn O)))’s performance in Berlin, 2006.

In a word: monolithic.

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