Earth "Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull" LP Review

Earth “Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull” LP

   

     I’ve been taking quite a fondness to a lot of doom and drone lately, and one particular band that has really grabbed my attention was Seattle Washington drone titans, "Earth”. The band is led by guitarist, Dylan Carlson-also the founding/ original member and primary songwriter for the band.  Here's a man who can paint pictures with sounds.  I can actually visualize and get the desert vibe off their 2008 opus, “Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull”. The songs on the album itself give off a very peaceful and serene vibe which is very different opposed to their early feedback driven albums like “Earth 2 Special Low Frequency Version”. The vibe of the songs is both repetitive and meditative, and will either take you on a journey down a long road to freedom or face you with another challenge. I almost see the songs on these albums being used in a Wild West flick or John Carpenters “Vampires” to name a few. The slow paced drums and atmospheric keyboards, followed by simplistic melodious guitar and bass lines, will leave the listener in an almost peaceful and serene state. I love instrumental music also because it gives the listener their own interpretation of what the song is about. One thing I will say about Earth is not only are they good musicians, but they take minimalism to a whole new level which in turn enables them to create great songs.

Braveyoung "We are Lonely Animals" LP Review

Braveyoung “We are Lonely Animals” LP

   Drone/ Post Rock outfit, Braveyoung has been creating and experimenting with music since 2005 in North Carolina.  In 2008, the band migrated to Portland, Oregon and have participated in various EPs and collaborations. Braveyoung takes music to a whole new level and breathes fresh air into the countless copy cat bands that seem to plague the scene as of late. On their 2011 release, “We Are Lonely Animals”, the band creates epic and atmospheric soundscapes with various instruments and sounds that separate them from the rest. I’m a sucker for Ebow’s and they definitely know how to make use of them. I also really like how the band seems to put a lot of emotion and feeling behind the songs, leaving you feeling happy, sad , and even leave you pondering at certain moments. I would definitely check out certain songs on this record, but to me, the entire record is worth checking out. I also think it'd be great if they did soundtracks for films as well. Maybe someday... who knows?

Raccoo-oo-oon- "Is Night People" LP Review

Raccoo-oo-oon – Is Night People

   Iowa's Raccoo-oo-oons first cassette, “Is Night People” draws to mind a diverse fountain of inspirations, from an air of archaic shamanism to colorfully mastered vibrations. The record shifts from melodious guitars backed by electronic noises, & percussion ranging from tribal beats to rhythmic jams.  As for the vocal style, it switches from clean to chaotic & even delves into chanting. You'll even find shards of jazz in this gem flowing through the veins of the spastic saxophone playing delivered on tracks like “The Great Horn of the Wilderness”. This unique experiment will open your ears to the past, present, & future of sound.

Unknown...

Unknown…

    

     I received this disc in the mail sometime ago, and I honestly have no idea who it's from.  A lot of friends of mine also received this disc and have yet to figure it out. I decided to pop it into my CD player and check it out for myself. The album is a combination of noise, which to me sounds like a mix of LDOH meets Merzbow. There are also  various samples concerning aliens, UFOs, and the unknown. The one thing that really grabbed my attention is that whoever this was apparently hates all my bands and projects. This is enlisted in the DVD case that came with the CD. I still can’t figure out what’s on the front of this. Reviewing this disc is driving me insane just thinking about it. I would say check it out, but if you didn’t get a copy, I guess you can’t.  If you do obtain this, please listen at your own risk…

Vishuddha Kali "Psenodakh" LP Review

                                       

               Vishuddha Kali : Psenodakh LP Review

     Russia's Vishuddha Kali at a first listen seems to sound more like a project summoned

   from the mountains of Tibet rather then those of St. Petersburg. However, this solo endeavor of artist Andrei Komarov embodies an aura that soothes the listener's mind into a sleep lucid as the light of day. The ambiance projected on Psenodakh is an array of chants and vocal manipulations all stemmed from the artist's voice alone. A concept familiar to monastic sects and also other musical acts such as San Diego's Prima Materia, the album is quite trance inducing, a perfect backdrop for a quiet evening of contemplation or meditative practice. The listener becomes immersed in the thick layers of vibrations & drifts with the centering nature of chants & echoes. The minimal percussions on the record are quite ritualistic, focusing energies to a concentrated expression of formlessness. In retrospect, Psenodakh embodies the primordial essence that breathes life into the heart of nature!

The Corpse in the Crawl Space"Let There Be Corpse" LP Review

The Corpse in the Crawl Space” Let There Be Corpse” LP

   Another of the many projects of Bobby Maggard (Dehydrated Tissues/Urinary Tract Infection from Severe Pus Clots) that doesn't disappoint is the 4 piece gore grind outfit from Arkansas, delivering straight old school gore grind in the vein of Carcass, Regurgitate, Dead Infection, Impetigo and Last Days of Humanity. The 30 song opus from start to finish crushes the listener with sporadic blasting, neck slicing guitar lines, ultra fuzz bass lines, and Bobby’s signature gore growls that’ll leave you feeling sick and disgusted but also entertained. The one thing besides the tightness of the band is the production quality. It's not bad for a home recording- to say the least. Even though the band isn't breaking new ground, they definitely don’t disappoint as far as old school grind is concerned. I would definitely recommend picking this up from Bobby himself and also checking out his other many projects that he takes part in. If I list them all it’ll take days, so go do some research and see for yourself.

Jan/Feb Issue in the works

So I haven't posted anything in a while on here,been busy with my musical endeavors.We are currently working on a new issue of Cryptic Inscriptions.Be patient and all things will come together....