Tag Archives: Stephen O’Malley

Årabrot Books European Tour, New Album Pre-orders Available

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Norwegian rock pioneers Årabrot have announced a full European tour, including a run of UK tour dates in anticipation of their forthcoming album The Gospel (Fysisk Format), releasing February 26th.

Årabrot frontman Kjetil Nernes comments:

“Årabrot on the road 2016 – in search of something to fill the void – is the culmination of everything the band have done so far and definitely introduces the strongest lineup to date. Beware!”

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Nernes also commented on writing the album while undergoing treatment for malignant throat cancer last year:

“The theme of the Gospel is a vision of the lonely warrior on a summit looking out over a battle field, the smoke from the bomb craters, an all-encompassing silence. The war was against one self; against the ugliness, against the sickness. You sink to the bottom of the sea. All of a sudden you are back on the surface again, stupefied. And hungry! A wicked hunger for everything human life has to offer: Sex! War! Drugs! You breathe, but not like before. “The man who has been in hell never forget’”

The Gospel was partly recorded at Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio in Chicago and partly in the old church in the woods of Dalarna, Sweden. The album features the band and some stellar guest performances from Ted Parsons (Swans, Killing Joke, Jesu, Prong), Andrew Liles (Current 93/Nurse With Wound), Stephen O’Malley (SunnO))/KTL), Erlend Hjevik (Singer, Kvelertak), Emil Nikolaisen (Serena Maneesh 4AD), and Kristoffer Lo (Highasakite/Trondheim Jazz Orchestra).

 

Årabrot is:

Kjetil Nernes – vocals, EGCs, synths
Milton von Krogh – guitars
Magnus Nymo – drums
Lasse Marhaug – noise
Johannes Høie – art
Karin Park – vocals, electric piano, synths

 

Årabrot European tour dates:

Mar 04: Nalen, Stockholm, SE

Mar 05: Smedjan, Go: enburg, SE

Mar 08: Urban spree, Berlin, DE

Mar 09: Arena, Wien, AT

Mar 10: FreakOut, Bologna, IT

Mar 11: Traffic, Roma, IT

Mar 12: Lo-Fi, Milano, IT

Mar 13: L´ Usine, Geneve, CH

Mar 15: Magasin 4, Bruxelles, BE

Mar 16: dB´s, Utrecht, NL

Mar 17: Corsica Studios, London, UK

Mar 18: Lost @ B-Arts, Stoke-On-Trent, UK

Mar 19: Nice n Sleazy, Glasgow, UK

Mar 20: Chunk, Leeds, UK

Mar 22: Instant Chavires, Paris, FR

Mar 23: Accueil Froid Nuke, Amiens, FR

Mar 24: The Pit´s, Kortrijk, BE

Mar 26: Iparragirre, Gernika, ES

Mar 27: Ahotsgora, Gasteiz, ES

Mar 28: Antiguos Almacenes de la Mina, Udias, ES

Mar 29: Liceo Mutante, Pontevedra, ES

Mar 30: Lata de Zinc, Oviedo, ES

Mar 31: Orbeko Etxea – Llodio, Pais Vasco, ES

Apr 01: Ocho y Medio, Alicante, ES

Apr 02: La Residencia, Valencia, ES

Apr 03: Velvet, Malaga, ES

Apr 05: Inciviczone, Barcelona, ES

Apr 06: Grnnd Zero, Lyon, FR

Apr 07: Gaswerk, Winter: ur, CH

Apr 08: Hühnermanhattan Klub, Halle, DE

Jun 4: Temples Festival, Bristol UK

thegospel

Pre-Order: http://www.tigernet.no/artist/160

Including the LTD LP box version and the new 7″ on Sheep Chase.

Tickets where applicable www.arabrot.com

Årabrot on Facebook

Fysisk Format online

 

 


Sunn O))) – Kannon

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It’s a staggering yet frequent reoccurrence: the hardest music to explain, often due to an apparent lack of infectious hook or because of the fact that little is actually happening, sees its orchestrators revered with an almost pathological devotion. Such is the case, of course, with US Drone gods Sunn O))). An overwhelming crush of Ambient noise, their worshippers hang onto every note, every sparing chime, as if it were a word from the heavens: their live shows remarkable for an inhuman level of sonic pain; each new recorded output more of an event, an experience, than a mere album or EP.

Latest full-length Kannon (Southern Lord) evolves in three movements, the first a sequence of pedal-strewn, cosmic, soaring chords. Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley take turns in expanding the eerie yet soothing soundscapes whilst positively terrifying guttural sounds emanate from the mouth of Mayhem’s Attila Csihar. Save for the brief introduction of didgeridoo and the atmospheric air coursing through this fifteen-minute opener, not much else of note occurs: yet it is inexplicably euphoric, haunting, muscle tightening; a spiritual epiphany which the guys conduct with almost superhuman understanding and control.

The opening chords of ‘Kannon 2’, just as economical, are nevertheless more ‘fuzzed’ and allowed to howl over an almost undetectable bass resonance. Chilling chants are intoned across a throbbing, fulminating body in an almost mournful yet Zen-like expression of emotion: an overtone of synthesised harmonics adding a barely recognisable sense of intrigue to an already hypnotic, captivating sound.

If ‘…2’ is the lament, ‘Kannon 3’ is the grave ascension. A similar structure sees that minimalist riff spike and clash with horrific anger, whilst the chanting bass voices become more sinister yet, paradoxically, reverberating to the verge of messianic celebration: a triumphal, fearful tribute to a returning, victorious tyrant. The intermittent Blackened roars, terrifying yet beatific, are both the counterpoint and the embodiment of the ability to stir and surprise while retaining control of an almost unbearably slow pace.

Masters of their sphere, legends of the galaxies, Kannon sees Sunn O))) display every shimmering ounce of their resplendent power.

 

8.0/10

 

PAUL QUINN

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Ensemble Pearl – Ensemble Pearl

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Ensemble Pearl - Ensemble PearlImmediately Ensemble Pearl‘s self-titled debut has a lot to live up to. A project consisting of luminaries such as Stephen O’Malley (Sunn 0)))), Atsuo (Boris), Michio Kurihara (Ghost) and Bill Herzog (Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter) is going to inspire not only an instantaneous following from fans of avant-garde metal, but also very high expectations. Thankfully though the collective skill and musicianship on display here means that Ensemble Pearl doesn’t disappoint, though it may come as a big shock to some.Continue reading →