The Rock Blogger

Have a Nice Life. Voids . 2009. 4 stars.

Voids is a fan made compilation of demos and b-sides from last year’s stellar Deathconsciousness . This collection is split in two, with The Powers of 10 consisting of demos/remixes of older songs and What Came Next Was Worse featuring 5 unreleased songs. While the demos are a nice addition, they don’t compare to the raw, gritty energy of the "new" tracks, which is compelling.

"Human Error" is a catchy instrumental track featuring jangly shoegazing guitar riffs and stark percussion. "Trespassers W" is a punchy post-punk song driven by fluid bass lines and simple kinetic riffing, reminiscent of Joy Division’s minimalist dynamics. The urgent pacing of this track expands on the tense and claustrophobic feelings of Deathconsciousness with clearer direction and furor.

" Defenstration Song" follows along the same line, with dirty, distorted guitars and haunting vocals murmuring and wailing under the densely layered mix. The pounding percussion has become more sophisticated, and the crunch of guitars is also more ominous. With these two songs, Have a Nice Life seem to be following the punkish trajectory set out by "Waiting for Black Metal Records to Come in the Mail" and "The Future", showing a rougher and more immediate side of their complex sound.

"Sisyphus" is a cold, slow-boiling song that broods over droning guitar noise before leading in ethereal vocal harmonies that overlap and become ghostly ambiance (a la "Bloodhail"). It’s a long and patient song that shows off the band’s intricate use of layering to bring out deep and troubling emotions.

"Destinos", the final song, is the most distrubing, as it intersperses samples of a fundementalist sermon about Hell and Sin between forebodding acoustic strumming and drawn out synths. The echoing vocals build powerfully and capture feelings of resignation and defeat before crackling noise starts to rupture. Gloomy piano lines then hammer sparesly over the groaning distortion. The effect of these transitions is unsettling, evoking the vexing, demonic spirit that lurks within their work.

Overall, Voids is an intense and revealing collection that expands on HANL’s depressive atmosphere and shows hints at powerful things to come. While it is obviously not nearly as polished or detailed as Deathconsciousness , these offerings still cut like a knife. You can download it here .

Isengrind / TwinSisterMoon / Natural Snow Buildings. The Snowbringer Cult . 2008. 4.5 stars .

This two-disc album comprises three projects of Mehdi Ameziane and Solange Gularte, the French drone/folk artists that brought us Natural Snow Buildings. These incredibly lengthy movements share the same hazy, free-form structure as their main project, with some tribal percussion and drawn-out woodwind passages rounding out the Isengrind tracks. Wordless vocals move ethereally over the sparse instrumentation, as if caught in a deep, psychedelic trance. The entire affair sounds like a sample from some shamanic ritual, with each coo, chant and chorus exalting the slow, meticulous consumption of Psilocybin.

The TwinSisterMoon pieces follow the same ritualistic path, with a greater focus on sustaining a fluid, relaxing drone, as each layer of instrumentation bleeds in together. The vocals become more gentle and soothing, reminiscent of Vashti Bunyan’s sleepy style. The music moves like a dream, transient and indefinite, as the dense wall of sound oscillates into pure ambiance.

The two projects then converge into Natural Snow Buildings, the album’s concluding side. The drones here are flatter and more stretched out, sprawled out like some distant alien landscape. The atmosphere here is harsh, icy and strange, with haunting pulses of noise looming somewhere on the horizon. Percussion rears its head again towards the end, evoking the tribal circles of the north, extended tributes to the Aurora Borealis.

While the sounds on this collection can be bizarre and unsettling, they also carry a deep-seated wonder, an appeal to the frozen abyss. It’s daunting length, experimentation and meditative effects make this a challenging, and certainly rewarding work. While NSB’s Daughter of Darkness overshadows this effort in terms of scope and consistency, this three-way split is still notable for its eclecticism and Inuit lore. A gem for wanderers.

Ben Chasny’s Six Organs of Admittance is one my favorite projects at the moment. Given my hectic schedule as of late, deep, meditative music like this is vital. These videos bring out the texture in this music and have a Stan Brakhage quality to them. The newest SOA album Luminous Night marks a departure from drone/noise influenced psychedelia to more straightforward folk. I suggest you check it out.

Mount Eerie. Wind’s Poem. 2009. 5 stars.

“Show me shapes in the swirling dust…”

Singer-songwriter Phil Elverum (The Microphones) has delivered a powerful release that usurps the traditional folk/lo-fi indie sound with deep, menacing drones and dark naturalism. Elverum’s soft, intimate voice provides a stark contrast against walls of distorted guitars and drawn-out synth lines,drawing the listener down into the waters of resignation. The union between gentle folk and atmospheric “shoegazing” is inspired, presenting an intense melancholic vision that soars overhead and sinks into the ground.

Haunting lyrics call out to the wooded landscape in sadness, longing for depersonalization, turning to the wind, the river and the sky in repose. While we never know the concrete reasons why Elverum’s “heart is not at peace”, we can petition the daunting forests of the Pacific Northwest for an answer, letting nature speak our disquiet for us. The fixed subject is torn apart, strewn across ragged cliffs, leaving mysteries concealed and vexing. Getting lost in these spaces is not a despairing journey however, but rather a cleaning of the slate, a call to cast off our vanity like stones in a stream. The emotional and aesthetic achievements of Wind’s Poem, however understated they may be, should not be overlooked. A masterpiece.

AIR

Jabladav - Entisaikainen Herra Hihkasis Atilaa Menna Pilver. 2008

Powerfully deep drones and minimalist ambient drawn out for close to an hour. The slow bass tones are both pulsating and transient, encouraging stillness and isolation. Recorded live, this rare release demonstrates exceptional focus and insularity.

EARTH

Echtra. Burn It All Away . 2009.

Densely textured Cascadian black metal similar in scope to Fauna, Krallice and Skagos. Three epic tracks of raw tremolo riffs layered over waves of distortion produce hypnotic effects. Captures the harshness and primoridal beauty of staggering cliffs and mountains.

WATER

Velvet Cacoon. P Aa Opal Poere Pr. 33 2009.

The notorious Velvet Cacoon has plunged again into oceanic black metal, grim, textured and ambient. Shimmering noises and melodic touches lurk beneath the dark water and draw the listener into an icy sleep.

What has become of all of us, all ceilings, all skies
is that, the stars can swim a thousand dark miles
before they ever see the floor again
with their backs against the wall on these last days
but then, we knew that would happen anyway
you drop that pitch-black pall
over us, one and all, again
to propel your national machines
giving us all the disease, but not the vaccine
a thousand tiny lives
disappear into the black depths
I guess I thought I’d feel something but I didn’t
yes, that’s a myth
I would give anything
for a cool glass of water
without this poisonous oil
no
it’s never going to be good enough
there’s no air anywhere
it’s all money now
wouldn’t you do the same?

- Have a Nice Life “Waiting for Black Metal Records to Come in the Mail” Deathconsciousness 2008

Sunn O))). Monoliths & Dimensions . 2009. 4.5 stars

The robed duo return with what is likely to be regarded as their most sophisticated work to date. While the bone-crushingly slow and heavy guitar drones they are famous for remain intact, they are now accompanied by haunting spoken verses (from Mayhem’s Attila), eerie choirs, ambient horns and other atmospheric flourishes. All of these elements weave together to absorb the listener, opening yawning black chasms to the unknown.

The opening “Aghartha” doesn’t verge too far from convention (aside from it’s horror-inspired use of creaks and groans) as the familiar rumble of O’Malley and Anderson burrows its way into your skull. “Big Church” on the other hand, is an evocative departure, as female choirs welcome the seductive pull of these guitars. Their airy voices gracefully line the strange and vivid occultism that lies at the heart of Sunn O)))’s aesthetic. The murmuring male mantras, distant in the mix, also provide another layer of estrangement, recalling rituals long covered by dust and debris. Sunn O))) revives them with dramatic subtlety, pushing their sound from being a curiosity for the drug-addled to a truly avant-garde experiment. Their live project Dømkirke was clearly instrumental in shaping this welcome progression.

Hunting and Gathering (Cydonia) is a more rhythmic piece, with chugging riffs reminiscent of Earth’s seminal Earth 2 . The use of black metal vocals here is far more effective on this track then as the first, as they are more raspy, emotive and convey more “presentness” to complement the powerful guitars. Then the horns kick in, pushing the song into celestial ambiance. An inspired inclusion.

Finally, the concluding piece of “Alice” features the most surprising and cinematic moments on the album. While the opening guitar chords are sparse and spacious, they are soon filled with creeping strings and horns, amplifying the horror film tension that hangs over. The interplay between droning guitar and brass fills moves Sunn O))) closer to dark ambient/avant-garde jazz territory, producing a sonically diverse landscape. The piece lurches forward, like that infamous beast towards Bethlehem, as the horns begin to slowly rise over a grisly bed of distortion. The effect is strangely uplifting, as if the duo has finally found some transcendent resolution to the subterranean tension that has been building in their sound for so long. No other song of theirs is quite like it.

In conclusion, Monoliths & Dimensions is Sunn O)))’s most accomplished work to date. It features moments of both suffocating grimness and ethereal release, encapsulating the band’s steady progression down new and exciting musical paths. This album works both as an experiment in cinematic ambiance and as a highly disciplined metal opera, though it’s self-seriousness may deter the casual listener. Despite some underdeveloped segments at the start of this disc, it’s overall presentation is highly engaging and original. A highly satisfying release.

Last night, Wolves in the Throne Room brought forth cathartic release to the extreme. Scaling textured walls built from layered tremolo riffs and relentless blast beats, WITTR provided one of the deepest concert experiences imaginable. An uncompromising passion channeling suppressed emotions, long hidden in the Cascades. With movements both raw and complex, the band weaved through material from their three LPs without a moment’s hesitation.

While these performances were recognizable, their sheer density, exemplified further in the flesh, pushed music outside of the containment of “song” and into a deep seated aesthetic consciousness. Music as a pulsating life force, not to be controlled as separated subject matter but an underlying state to be reveled in, lost in, destroyed in. Wolves in the Throne Room, in developing their caustic and spiraling rituals, conceived as unfurling movements into the darkness, called out higher truths from concealment. The performance was not so much a recital of notes, riffs and routines, but of recovering the twisted roots of longing and sorrow that lie behind artistic expression.

I must also mention the equally impressive lineup that opened for WITTR.

A Storm of Light: Sludgy, drugged out post-metal featuring both male and female vocalists in faithful Neurosis worship. An arty and inspired set that took its time to lay down hypnotic dirges.

Krallice: The band closest to matching WITTR’s post-black aesthetic. Raw, densely layered metal that centered on the hyper-mathematical guitar compositions of the legendary Mick Barr. Very few bands can rival the sheer technicality and evocative atmosphere of Krallice.

Thrones: The wild card of the night, Throne’s set consisted primarily of long extended bass drones accompanied by sparse, angular guitar solos. Experimental and patient, Throne’s sound was distinct and intrigued more than a few awe-struck listeners in the crowd. A strange yet satisfying contrast to the relentless speed of the main attraction.

A modest collection of both classic and obscure drone releases.
A burial ground, at the bottom of the ocean.

10, Nadja. Truth Becomes Death . 2005.
This Toronto duo has been steadily rising to the top ranks of the drone/doom metal circuit in North America thanks to their prolific output and monolithic sound. This early LP is a powerful demonstration of their creative powers as brooding slabs of distorted guitar and plodding percussion progressively layer on top of each other. A deep and crushing album.

9. The Angelic Process. Weighing Souls with Sand . 2007.
A cult classic that is slowly gaining new acolytes after the tragic suicide of the band’s lead guitarist. Distant, mournful vocals, reverb-drenched guitars and sqaulls of noise make for a haunting experience. Drone metal and shoegaze elements collide on this emotionally devastating album.

8. Boris with Merzbow. Rock Dream. 2007.
Two of Japan’s biggest names in the experimental underground unite to create what is one of the greatest collaborations I’ve ever come across. Storms of noise surround Boris’ plodding guitars, twisting down towards cacophonous psychedelia. An exhausting album that washes over you, wave after flattening wave.

7. Aidan Baker and Tim Hecker. Fantasma Parastasie . 2008.
A spine-chilling release that combines sparse guitar work with creeping waves of ambient noise, blending together into blissful, otherworldly drones. The duo immerse you in their finely crafted atmosphere, evoking the presence of the paranormal. These two artists collaborate with seemingly telepathic synchronicity.

6. Sunn O))). The Grimmrobe Demos . 2000.
No drone list would be complete without these hooded geniuses. While this first set of demos came before the eventual refinement of their now blackened style, it still remains my favorite. Uncompromising in its scope and pacing, this album’s guitar work sounds like a subterranean revolt against the decadent surface world.

5. Birchville Cat Motel. Gunpowder Temple of Heaven . 2008.
This 40 minute soundscape is an exercise in ethereal subtlety, as soothing drones slowly layer over each other to produce an insanely deep listening experience. While it consists of only one track, it’s still a sonic journey in itself, taking you to the nether regions of the subconscious. A noble and evocative experiment.

4. Menace Ruine. The Die is Cast. 2008.
A terrific and innovative album that uses crushing drones, airy female vocals and jangly guitars to produce an almost mystical experience. Touches of metal, medieval choral music and noise rock seep into this wondrous and elating wall of sound.

3. Jesu. S/T. 2005.
Justin Broadrick’s masterful project is a mighty amalgamation of drone, post-rock, doom metal and industrial styles. The first Jesu LP remains the most devastating, with extensive and bleak songs like “We All Falter”, “Sun Day” and “Tired of Me” showcasing Broadrick’s technical prowess. An inspirational sound that manages to convey power, terror and calm in its thundering bursts.

2. Natural Snow Buildings. The Dance of the Moon and the Sun . 2006.
NSB’s sound, with its tinges of avant-folk and psychedelia, pushes drone to beautiful new heights. While its length is daunting, it’s many mysteries and secrets lay in weight. The use of acoustic instruments, esoteric samples and choral vocals lend ancient and foreboding feelings.

1. Earth. Earth 2 . 1993.
Revolutionary for its time, this album features three slow-as-molasses guitar dirges that stretch onward into oblivion. Its atmosphere is extreme and strangely relaxing, as thunderous riffs slowly turn your insides into amorphous goo. Many have been inspired by its minimalism and density, but no one can match the focus, precision and sheer intensity of this record. An essential piece of doom/drone metal that helped shape the genre.

An intimate live performance of one Pygmy Lush’s most soothing tracks. If you’ve never heard of this excellent group, their sound is a meditative blend of drone, folk and lo-fi rock. Be sure to track down their latest LP “Mount Hope”.