The Rock Blogger

The Gault . Even As All Before Us . 2005. 4 stars .

The Gault was a short-lived doom metal band formed out of the ashes of San Francisco’s acclaimed Weakling, and Even As All Before Us was their sole, devastating release. This hard to find album is one of the most emotionally exhausting recordings I have come across, as it incorporates the gloomy atmosphere of early industrial rock and melds it with jangly post-punk instrumentation, producing a depressive, droning sound that insulates your senses.

While the throbbing bass lines, martial drumming and Gothic vocals place The Gault among doom metal peers Warning and the more experimental work of Earth and Sunn O))), their cacophonous guitar work also follows a shoegazing torrent akin to The Angelic Process . Naming off influences and contemporaries is a suitable way of describing The Gault’s sound, but conveying the crushing effect this music has on you is a much harder task. It’s swirling rhythms and shimmering guitars are dizzying in their intensity and will drown out any distractions from the outside world. Even As All Before Us moves like a relentless undertow, constantly drawing you into a violently spinning current. This is not to say that The Gault’s music isn’t beautiful or redemptive, as tracks like "Country Road, Six Miles In" and "The Shore Becomes the Enemy" also feature the serene, airy vocals of Lorraine Rath to balance out the deep and booming voice of Ed Kunakemakorn, who dominates most of the album.

For its almost militant energy, disturbing vocals, and natural imagery, Even As All Before Us is a unique contribution to the doom metal genre, capturing the feeling of an arduous journey to somewhere far removed from the comforting spaces of the everyday. This is music that sticks with you long after the tracks are over, pushing you into a difficult, if not tormented, state of mind. Despite their challenging demeanor, The Gault are undeniably masters of genuine emotional delivery, playing out a haunting musical drama that sears its way into your memory.

Swans. White Light From the Mouth of Infinity. 1991 4 Stars.

A dark gem from New York’s industrial/metal underground, Swan’s White Light From the Mouth of Infinity was the band’s magnum opus, weaving majestic melodies with bleak and heavy lyrical themes. These existential beatings ruminate in despair, hopelessness and failure as Micheal Gira’s sorrowful baritone growls across the pounding percussion and stunningly intricate, Far-Eastern-inspired guitar work. Jarboe, Swans’ accompanying female singer, provides beautiful vocal harmonies that will send chills down your spine, rounding out the ethereal spirit of the album.

“Power and Sacrifice”, “Love will Save You” and “Song for Dead Time” are among the most artful and lyrically nihilistic tracks, spinning tales of self-loathing, remorse and loss, fitting with the band’s perpetual tug-of-war with religiosity- evoking the power of a distant God, seeking reconciliation and redemption.

The emotional and instrumental gravitas of this record will definitely appeal to those interested in industrial or Gothic (counter) culture or even those who find comfort in the grievances of Joy Division, The Doors and The Tea Party. Again, this is a very dark and depressing work but that is where its beauty lies - in the band’s ability to reflect their innermost troubles through poetic intensity. Where most rock bands try to convey emotion through sheer volume, Swans create terror through their compositional and avant-garde sensibilities.

This is a brutally psychedelic video for Godflesh’s “Slavestate”, off the EP of the same name. The bleeding colorization here reminds me of some terrifying hallucinogenic trip. This is industrial metal at its heaviest (and artiest). Set the controls for the heart of the sun…

Godflesh Slavestate EP 1991.

I’ve been pretty busy the last few days, so you’ll have to be patient if you want more in-depth articles and commentary. I’m trying to embed my Flickr account on my blog but its proving to be a little difficult. Hopefully I’ll get it figured out soon, as there are some great pics my girlfriend and I are putting into it. If anyone is familiar with embedding Flickr in Wordpress blogs, leave a comment. Thanks.
More to come.