Tag Archives: James Conway

Tombs – Savage Gold

Posted on by

12 Jacket (Gatefold - Two Pocket) [GD30OB2-N]

 

Dealing with themes as diverse as suicide and alchemy, Savage Gold (Relapse Records) the third album from Brooklyn quartet Tombs is certainly no easy listen. Since their debut release Winter Hours in 2009, the band have attempted to show just how black and post-metal should go together and in a sea of second rate poseurs have once again stood head and shoulders above the competition, for Savage Gold is a triumph in visceral aggression and brooding atmospherics.

 

Aided by death metal maestro Erik Rutan’s cast-iron production job, the ten songs on display here are reminiscent of sturdy cables pulsing with a malign electric current. The riffs are taut, poised and prone to cause a severe shock to anyone of an unwary persuasion getting too close. Beginning with the lethal tremolo picking of ‘Thanatos’, which could skin an elephant at 50 paces, the intensity barely lets up until the sparse, post-apocalyptic vibes of ‘Severed Lives’ which chills with its images of a ruined, burning earth. If that wasn’t creepy enough however, the futility of suicide is explored via the dour spoken word, clanking bass and dissonant melodies of ‘Deathtripper’, one of the bleakest songs you will ever experience.

 

There are a few surprises on offer however as the clinical, racing thrash workout of ‘Edge of Darkness’ demonstrates, although the otherworldly, swirling melodies soon take things back into the realm of the weird with the twisted, atonal mess and brutal percussive assault of closing track ‘Spiral’ summing up the harrowing journey we have just experienced.

 

While undoubtedly the vehicle of guitarist/vocalist Mike Hill, a true dark visionary, the other members excel themselves throughout, ensuring Tombs sound like consummate professionals united by a common aim; to drag you down into the darkness and leave you begging for more.

Tombs_Jason_Hellman- band

9/10

Tombs on Facebook

JAMES CONWAY

 


Agalloch – The Serpent and the Sphere

Posted on by

agalloch album cover

 

Like a massive-antlered stag glimpsed amidst a wintry landscape, Agalloch albums have always been breathtaking, elusive and hard to pin down. Emerging from hibernation every four years on average, the Portland, Oregon quartet have never once disappointed with their unique brand of post rock, black metal and neo-folk, and fifth opus The Serpent and the Sphere (Profound Lore) looks set to continue their elegant and ever-evolving legacy.

 

Based around an astral premise as opposed to the spiritual themes of 2010 predecessor Marrow of the Spirit, The Serpent and the Sphere has a more refined construct this time around with nine tracks clocking in at around about an hour, three of them being brief neo-folk instrumentals composed by guest musician Nathanael Larochette of Musk Ox. His presence is a mystery given that the band are no stranger to this type of acoustic passage, but you will hear no complaints as they fit like sturdy oaks, anchoring the album steadfastly amidst a surging sea of progressive elements.

 

From the gradually building urgency of the eleven minute opener ‘Birth and Death of the Pillars of Creation’ which ascends ever higher with the threat of release so near yet so far, to the classy melodic black metal of ‘The Astral Dialogue’ to the soaring, shimmering post metal of equally lengthy ‘Plateau of the Ages’, there is something here to delight all fans and ensnare many a newcomer. The playing is constantly thoughtful and skilled, the production clear as the driven snow and every element of Agalloch’s soul-stirring repertoire, save for John Haugm’s solemn clean vocals are present and correct.

 

A spiritual journey that you will want to experience over and over again, The Serpent and the Sphere has something for everyone, and is something everyone should experience.

 

9/10

Agalloch on Facebook

 

JAMES CONWAY

 


Temples Festival – Live at Bristol, UK

Posted on by

 

temples

 

Day 1

 

The excitement is palpable on the first day of Temples as the 2000 or so patrons eagerly await the delights of the truly impressive bill. The room for the Second Stage is packed as Flayed Disciple open up the second stage serving us some old school death-trash with effortless precision. Code’s new vocalist may just be settling in but melts effortlessly into the old sound only hindered by theatrical fluttering. The room turns distinctly black as northeastern beasts Wodensthrone unleash atmospheric layers of tremolo riffs with triumphant synths cut from the heart of heathen Britain itself. Winterfylleth fell victim to Friday’s sound issues, descending into a repetitive wall of noise, but luckily Desecration were ready to up the ante, running through neck-snapping family favorites such as ‘coffin smasher’ and ‘cunt full of maggots’. Mick Kenney may have been absent from the Anaal Nathrakh lineup for Temples, but his replacement is more than a match for their usual barrage of noise. As people pack to the main-stage, Gehenna’s old school blackened mass falls on just a few ears but those that remain are treated to cold dissonant blasts right out of ancient Norway.

 5Q5A0255_DxO

Some niggling sound issues are present at the Main-stage, but it doesn’t make much difference to the likes of Moss and Jucifer who both do their best to blow out as many eardrums as possible with their devastatingly heavy sludge batterings. Blood Ceremony draw a large crowd and it isn’t just because of what vocalist Alia O’Brien can do with a flute; their brand of rural pagan doom has enough charm and Sabbath-ian groove to bewitch anyone watching. There’s a feeling of sadness in the air as grindcore veterans Brutal Truth take the stage for their last ever UK show, but the feeling soon dissipates as they proceed to level the venue with mini cluster bomb tracks from ‘Extreme Conditions…’ through to ‘End Time.’ Drummer Rich Hoak hits his snare so fast it’s a wonder his arms don’t fall off while rotund frontman Kevin Sharp grunts and bellows his way through the likes of ‘Fuck Cancer’ like a belligerent old dog refusing to admit his day has come. Electric Wizard’s headline set is characterised by bad vibes, sloppy playing and ear-splitting heaviness; just why we love them. The absence of the trademark visuals may lessen the atmosphere slightly but it doesn’t stop ‘Satanic Rites of Drugula’, ‘Dopethrone’ and a gloriously ramshackle ‘Funeralopolis’ from burying the audience in smoke in a gloriously downbeat closer to Day 1.

 5Q5A1019_DxO

 5Q5A1375_DxO

 

Day 2

 

There’s a few sleepy faces on Day 2 so what better wake-up call for the Second Stage than a blast of vicious metallic hardcore from local heroes True Valiance to brush away the cobwebs? Those expecting a Sabbath cover band are no doubt confused by Mob Rules and their disjointed hardcore which goes off in all directions, none of them particularly satisfying. Both Unkind and Vitamin X get their rage on in style with some impressive crowd participation but both of these acts are a mere forerunner to the triumphant return of D-Beat gods Wolfbrigade whose snarling, relentless set has bodies swaying and screaming along to cuts from as far back as the Wolfpack era. No one wants it to end yet as soon as old crusties Doom saunter on stage and set about reminding us that the 80s never really ended, all that matters is how utterly relevant they, and the likes of ‘Police Bastard’ still are.

 
Hangovers seemed plentiful on in the early afternoon as Mike Gallagher of ISIS fame entrances us with his post-rock side project MGR on the Main-Stage. Long intros and sparse notes dropping into shrieks show Bossk are on full form that evening, warming up for doom lords Conan who roll out a thundering wall of noise that make even the hardiest earplugs quake. Matching the intensity, Tombs heavy mass of sound is a dark moving mass of noise, twisting and turning through the set with deadly precision. Calling the masses back, Amenra captivate with bleak black and white visuals and Cult of Luna sound. The stark contrast of riffs and doomier chords combine perfectly to create an atmosphere of disembodied despair and pain. Neurosis said a massive fuck you to curfew and set times sailing through their billed time and treating fans to a massive 2-hour set. Their experience is evident as they break out solid grooves that ensnare even the most exhausted crowd members to the final note.

 

 5Q5A1979_DxO

Day 3

One of the largest crowds of the festival turn out for the lighter fare of Beastmilk and it’s impossible to resist the pitch black post-apocalyptic party for anything longer than a few seconds. Smiles are soon wiped however by the blackened rage of Oathbreaker who attack their instruments with venom, laying waste to the assembled throng with their nihilistic fury. A weak guitar tone and frequent pauses renders The Secret an exercise in frustration although ‘Seven Billion Graves’ still cuts deep. Nothing can prepare however for the complete annihilation of Dragged Into Sunlight whose wall of fog and caustic noise is like being hit by a nuclear bomb while being butchered by the Manson family. Repulsion have no hope of matching such intensity but you can’t argue with their cheery demeanour and the bulk of “Horrified” going down in easily digestible rotting chunks.

5Q5A1898_DxO

 5Q5A1528_DxO copy

 

An energetic start to Main-Stage as rock n roll band Lionize attempt to breathe life into a flagging audience with soaring vocals and classic riffing. Continuing on, stoner rock act Black Moth up the fuzz and hazy solos are offset by Hyde’s slow, haunting vocals. Herder up the energy, bursting on with a pure dosage of sludge on speed although it lacks the depth that Issac’s post-Taint band Hark brings to the stage. Crossover thrash masters SSS bring with them an infectious, relentless energy, pummeling out short sharp pulses of sound, rousing the crowd into masses of flailing bodies and limbs. Twin harmony riffing and vocal bellowing abound, its Doomriders consistent energy that ready the main room for the much-anticipated headliner that evening. Clutch’s dirty bluesy rock riffs are an undeniably catchy. Aptly opening on ‘The Mob Goes Wild,’ they break out enjoyable opening grooves but it quickly transforms into a distinctly slow end to an explosive weekend.

5Q5A1525_DxO

 

 

WORDS BY JAMES CONWAY & CAITLIN SMITH

PHOTOS BY STEVEN WATKINS


High Art, Dark Hearts – Dragged Into Sunlight

Posted on by

Dragged into sunlight  

 

 

Burning candles. Backs turned resolutely to the audience. And of course the ever-present goat skull. It’s fair to say that Dragged Into Sunlight are one of the most intense and overwhelming live acts this country has ever produced, and we haven’t even mentioned the deafening volume and harrowing serial killer samples yet. For those who can take it, Dragged Into Sunlight’s set at Temples Festival will in all likelihood be impossible to miss. Let’s just hope they don’t set the fire alarm off. Mysteriously due to the closely guarded anonymity of the group… we are not sure which member answered our questions.

 

You are notoriously choosy when it comes to live shows. What made you agree to play Temples?

Temples has one of the more intriguing line ups that the UK has seen. Naturally, we were intrigued.

 

How important is the visual aspect to your live show?

Dragged Into Sunlight places significant emphasis on ‘feeling’ music in all of its forms. Dragged Into Sunlight is subjective and the importance therefore varies between individuals. That said, ultimately Dragged Into Sunlight has one motivation, putting everything we have into every moment we have and that integrity and intensity is second to none.

 DIS-Cover

It’s been 18 months or so since the release of Widowmaker (Prosthetic). What has the reaction been like?

Widowmaker was well received. Whilst perhaps not the easiest to digest, it is anticipated to withstand time where others consistently fail. It is a recording which continues to challenge perception and serves as a suitably apt summary of a very specific window in time.

 

Is it difficult choosing a set list when so much of your music is best digested as a whole rather than via individual songs?

 

Whilst some may value specific parts over others, given that Dragged Into Sunlight is a completely selfish endeavour, the decision process is relatively straight forward. It is what it is, and you are free to consume as much or as little as you wish.

 

Is it hard to maintain your preferred method of anonymity in the digital age and does this approach make it easier or harder to reinforce the idea that Dragged Into Sunlight exists as a concept rather than ‘just a band.?’

 

It is certainly unfortunate that contemporary society struggles with the unknown and there exists what is almost an entitlement to know. Given the composition and the number of individuals involved, it would be difficult to interpret Dragged Into Sunlight as anything other than a concept. That said, every concept requires an explanation and where there is explanation there can be an understanding.

 

You have recently announced your first tour of Japan. What do you anticipate from touring in the East?

Godzilla Vs Mothra.

 

You have previously collaborated with an artist, Den Unge Herr Holm who depicted a show you played in Norway last year. How did this come about and do you anticipate similar collaborations in the future?

It was not a premeditated collaboration rather a chance encounter, nevertheless Kim Holm is exceptionally talented and we look forward to meeting again on our next visit to Norway. Whilst we always anticipate collaboration, time is not always on our side and we do what we can with the time available to us.

 Dragged Into Sunlight tour poster

You have recently collaborated with Gnaw Their Tongues. Can you tell us about this meeting of minds and any news on a forthcoming full length release?

It derived from mutual admiration following meeting in 2010. We anticipate releasing a selection of those recordings in due course. We are currently writing and experimenting new material.

 

What bands are you most excited about sharing the stage with and seeing perform at Temples?

Repulsion and War Wolf.

 

What can we expect from your Temples set?

Misery forever.

 

 

Dragged Into Sunlight

JAMES CONWAY

 


Wolves Like Us – Black Soul Choir

Posted on by

 wolveslikeusblacksoulchoircover

Formed from the ashes of various half-remembered rock acts such as Amulet and JR Ewing, Norwegians Wolves Like Us are back with another selection of distinctly mainstream flavoured post-hardcore songs that have more than their fair share of crossover appeal. However, the band haven’t forgotten their roots, meaning second album Black Soul Choir (Prosthetic) attempts to straddle the gap between the underground and the commercial, with a fairly high degree of success.

Structured like a less emotive Thrice with perhaps a smidgen of the burly swagger of Kvelertak, Wolves Like Us have plenty of well-written catchy riffs that tear along nicely but rarely threaten to go all out and bring that cathartic release that many of their contemporaries aim for. That makes the likes of ‘Three Poisons’ an exercise in nearly-thereness; solid, pushes all the right buttons but with a sense that something is just slightly lacking.

However, what the band may lack for in restless energy, they more than make up for in catchy vocal hooks that lend the songs an inherently listenable quality, such as the massive sounding ‘I Don’t Need to be Forgiven.’ This is where the more alt-rock aspects of the band’s sound are pushed to the forefront and you could easily imagine a large festival crowd singing their hearts out to the song. It’s just that nagging feeling that the band are playing it safe in the hope of attracting a wider audience that stifles the enjoyment somewhat, although having said that, the doomy eight minute closer ‘Thanatos Wins Again’ restores hopes that this is a mere learning curve, and that the future’s bright for this pack of wolves. Might be an idea to ditch the Charles Bukowski and Elizabeth Carter lyrical themes though guys.

PromoImage (1)

6.5/10

Wolves Like Us on Facebook

JAMES CONWAY

 

 


Cradle of Filth – Total Fucking Darkness

Posted on by

CoF album cover

Before they became the black metal equivalent of marmite, Cradle of Filth, arguably the UK’s most commercially successful and controversial export since Adam Ant, were just like any other bunch of skinny teenagers who made an ungodly racket in their mum’s garage and dreamed of hitting the big time. Unlike most kids their age however, they did actually make it, and the demo in question, 1993’s semi-legendary Total Fucking Darkness not only inspired a host of imitators, but proved it wasn’t just the Norwegians who had the monopoly on corpse-paint and blasting for Satan.

Now re-issued with several bonus tracks and re-recordings, Total Fucking Darkness sounds as different to Cradle’s current polished output as it’s possible to get, and that isn’t just due to the abysmal recording quality. While black metal elitists love to sneer at the sextet and claim that they aren’t grim/trve/kvlt enough, the truth is that in the early 90s, Cradle were embedded deep in the underground, had the approval of Euronymous, and were bashing out brutally heavy compositions with sickening lyrical content, with the feral ‘Spattered in Faeces’ a prime example.

Two early versions of future Principle of Evil Made Flesh classic ‘The Black Goddess Rises’ show just how much the songwriting improved before the recording of that seminal debut while others which didn’t make the cut such as ‘Unbridled at Dusk’ and ‘The Raping of Faith’ show a band hungry to prove their worth as the aggressive riffs and suffocating keyboards pile on the intensity creating a Gothic, slightly depraved and quintessentially English atmosphere. Oh, and for such a small guy, Dani roars and screams with more power and passion than most vocalists you could care to mention.

Not essential by any means, but a worthy reminder of where Cradle came from and how important they are. You could almost say they’re a national treasure…

cradle of filth band photo

 7/10

Cradle of Filth on Facebook

JAMES CONWAY

 


Search for Truth: Colin H Van Eeckhout of Amenra

Posted on by

 NR084_AMENRA_MASSV

 

While Belgium may have a reputation for delicious chocolates and quaint cobbled streets (Bruges anyway), one thing they aren’t short of is bands that matter. One such Flemish favourite is the mighty Amenra, a collective of individuals who use all the means at their disposal, be that audio and visual to put on a show that you can’t tear your eyes away from. Their highly anticipated performance at Temples will be one to remember, especially if they have to dish out some punishment to talkative audience members who won’t shut up during the quiet bits. Ghost Cult’s James Conway caught up with Colin H Van Eeckhout to discuss the festival and other happenings with the band.  

 

Like several bands you are sharing the Temples bill with, you are careful about what gigs you choose to play. What was it about Temples that attracted you?

Everything. As soon as the first names were announced I fucking felt we had to be a part of this. It just felt right. I immediately mailed our booker.

 

 Temples-Festival-2014-Lineup

 

It’s been a few months since the release of your last album. What has the reaction been like and how have the songs fitted into your live show?

It was really incredible. We didn’t expect the reactions to be so overwhelmingly positive. In all honesty we didn’t feel like we had accomplished a great thing with this record. We wanted it to be better. We really felt we had more inside of us. We never feel too sure or certain about ourselves or what we do. Right now we play 3/4 of our mass V album. I’m stoked the new songs have their part in the live set now. It always takes awhile for new material to find its way into our bodies. We have to be really confident, and almost lay it on autopilot before we can really lose ourselves in there. We know we have to give it the time it needs.

 

 mass iii Amenra

Can you explain what exactly the Church of Ra is and how it relates to your live show?

The church of Ra is an assembly of kindred artistic spirits. We each seek answers to questions that haunt us, in our own specific ways; we try to lift each other upwards in any way possible. Our live show, that would be the live visuals done by our guitar player Mathieu Vandekerckhove. As for our entire ‘graphic’ world a lot of us entwine and create something bigger.

 

 AmenRa-OfficialBand1_DSC_7081_hires

Your recent video for ‘A Mon Ame’ is certainly different from most music videos. How does the video represent the song and what was it like working with Willy Vanderperre?

 

It was mind-blowing, to be a part of such a professional project. Normally we do everything ourselves, from filming to editing, writing and so forth. It was Willy who approached us, and at first we got to know each other a little better. I soon realised that Willy and Nicolas would be the perfect match, that we could trust. We obliged ourselves to let go for the first time. We had to let go to make this happen. It was just to confronting for us to only work with our physical selves. We would’ve never dared to keep it so pure and honest. We had kept hidden in shadows and live visuals for all these years. And now we were alone in the open at night. Under a watchtower of punishing light.

 

 

Are you ever worried about crowd noise and hecklers during the quieter parts of your songs when you play live?

I’m never worried, only irritated when it happens and it happens sometimes yes then we have to go offstage to set them straight.

 

 

Can you tell us about your upcoming split release with VVovnds?

Right now we’re focussing on writing new acoustic material and most of our new releases are built around that. I’m happy that we are able to do this split with VVovnds. It’s KJMs band, one of the founding fathers of Amenra, now ex-member. It’s a part of a series of splits with all different bands, Hessian, Mathieu Vandekerckhove, Scott Kelly etc.

 

How important is photography and art in relation to Amenra and do you have any future plans in regard to this?

We have been blessed with the presence of Stefaan Temmerman, a photographer, and friend, who has been following us since 2010. During this period he joined us and now is our stage tech on every live show. He has become a big part of what we do. June 2014 will harvest a new COR book featuring more photographs by his hand taken throughout the period. Art has a very big role in everything we do; we want to attack all senses. Every medium possible will be used in our search for truth.

 Amenra band

 

 Do you have any news on a forthcoming full-length release? 

It most likely will be an acoustic album, following up our 2009 Afterlife acoustic EP. We never set deadlines. It’ll be there when it’s ready.

 

 You are playing directly before Neurosis at Temples. Is it intimidating or exciting to play before such a big influence on your band? Do you aim to upstage them?

 It is still one of the most exciting things to do. They have indeed been one of the biggest influences on us, as a band. I remember the first time we ever played together, one of the highlights of our existence. It’s one of the most beautiful things ever to get the recognition of the artists who went before you, inspired you, who led the way. We don’t care about upstaging anyone; we just do what we do. Everytime.

 

What can we expect from your performance at Temples? 

 It will be honest, true and profound, above anything.

 

Amenra on Facebook

JAMES CONWAY


The Wounded Kings – Consolamentum

Posted on by

the wounded kings album cover

Given that every single doom metal band around owes their very existence to Black Sabbath, the band that started this whole heavy metal malarkey, it’s unsurprising that the scene is full to saturation point, with bands struggling to either out-heavy each other or playing up an ‘occult’ image long past its sell-by-date. Thankfully Dartmoor five-piece The Wounded Kings have no such worries when it comes to standing out, so powerful and masterly is the vein of doom captured on fourth full-length Consolamentum (Candlelight Records), a record of simple yet spellbinding pleasures.

Favouring lengthy yet subtly evolving guitar work outs that never lapse into repetitive dirge territory, The Wounded Kings go about working their dark, smoky magic with grim elegance, building pressure and crucially, good old-fashioned song-writing that makes the prospect of skipping ahead null and void. Opening track Gnosis tips the scales at thirteen minutes but feels like three, as the guitars of Steve Mills and Alex Kearney claim your mind and reap your soul. Equally good are the sinister refrains of Lost Bride, shorter in length but equally devastating.

As she did on previous outing Chapel of the Black Hand, vocalist Sharie Neyland proves herself to be utterly untouchable when it comes to quavering, haunting tones that could charm the skin off a toad’s back. Combined with the aforementioned guitars, pounding percussion, flourishes of Hammond and a living breathing atmosphere that places the listener right there in Baskerville Hall in witch-haunted Dartmoor as candles burn, the wind shrieks and the demonic Hound howls somewhere out there in the cursed night. Simply put, The Wounded Kings are the quintessential English doom band and it’s going to take a very fine effort to better Consolamentum when assessing any future heavy records that happen to be played very slowly. Magical stuff.

thewoundedkingsband2013_638 (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.5/10

The Wounded Kings on Facebook

James Conway

 


Sabbath Assembly – Quaternity

Posted on by

sabbath assembly album cover

Dedicated to bringing to life the music of The Process Church of the Final Judgement, an obscure 70s religious movement that preached the necessity of worshipping evil as well as good to obtain spiritual balance, Sabbath Assembly is the vision of drummer Dave “Xtian” Nuss and vocalist Jamie Myers. Performing original Process Church hymns as well as their own interpretations, the duo have faced accusations of being a novelty act that is the only logical conclusion of the current occult rock trend but they don’t appear to care one jot, as third release Quaternity (Svart Records) proudly declares.

The first thing that becomes apparent is that Myers has one of the most captivating and ethereal voices this side of Diamanda Galas as her otherworldly and sensual tones bathe you in golden light on opening track ‘Let Us Who Mystically Represent…’ which sets the scene nicely, aided by some haunting organ notes. The eerie acoustic folk of ‘Jehovah on Death’ features some captivating dual male/female vocals along with refined and dreamlike cello and strings and if you close your eyes, you’re right there in the congregation feeling the love of the Church wash over you in all its transcendental glory. Well not quite, but it’s a strong effort.

‘The Burning Cross of Christ’ is easily the finest song on Quaternity, a powerful and evocative folk number that allows Myers to sing passionately and without restriction. However it’s quite a light number and it’s not until the treble-heavy tones of ‘I, Satan’ that the darker side of Sabbath Assembly is revealed and the teachings of the band take on a more tangible meaning. Unfortunately the goodwill generated is then tarnished by the eighteen minute long pretension fest that is ‘The Four Horseman’ which simply feels like a long and tedious afternoon in church rather than anything spiritually uplifting.

Not metal in the slightest, but truly a genuine piece of outsider music, Quaternity is an intriguing example of something that shouldn’t work at all, but somehow does. Whether they have God or the Devil to thank for that remains unexplained.

sabbath assembly band

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7/10

Sabbath Assembly on Facebook

James Conway

 


Indian – From All Purity

Posted on by

indian album cover 2014

Given main man Will Lindsay’s pedigree playing in the likes of blackened tree worshippers Wolves in the Throne Room and sadly curtailed doom miscreants Middian, it’s unsurprising that Indian, the Chicago, Illinois quartet he has fronted for the past few years are a devastatingly heavy proposition. Like the bastard child of apocalyptic doom titans Thou and Rwake, but with an added helping of abrasive power electronics to make things just that bit more unpalatable, Indian may be too hard to swallow for many. Their fifth album From All Purity (Relapse Records) is undoubtedly their heaviest and most unpleasant yet, and for those already acquainted with their unique brand of sonic punishment, it can’t come quickly enough.

Over the course of 39 harrowing minutes, Indian attempt to batter the listener into submission with a ceaseless barrage of spiky sludge riffs that aren’t afraid to repeat themselves to make their point well and truly felt, percussion that hits as hard as a drunken preacher taking his belt to a cowering sinner, horrible harsh droning noises that sound like a possessed radio broadcasting live from Chernobyl, and all topped off with Lindsay’s throat-shredding howls and screeches. Tracks like ‘Rape’ are aptly named for that’s precisely what they do to your eardrums while the monolithic crawl of ‘Directional’ is like being dragged to the rack beneath an iron grey sky before all the hope is crushed out of your body.

This gruelling treatment is maintained throughout the entirety of From All Purity with the sadistic riffs of ‘Rhetoric of No’ particularly standing out. However the caustic noise torture of ‘Clarify’ is where things get truly horrific and may have even the hardiest of listeners reaching for the off switch. A triumph in nastiness and one of the most punishing albums you’re likely to endure this year, if at all.

IndianPressPhotosEdouardPierrePhoto-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8/10

Indian on Facebook

James Conway