Unearthly Trance "V"

Five albums in and one still marvels at just how apt a name that the ever-prolific Ryan Lipynsky (THE HOWLING WIND, THRALLDOM) chose for this project. The vocalist/guitarist seems to thrive in a world rife with tremors, dense smog, and aural proclivities that tend not to be soothing to the soul. And yet, once you've fully succumbed to the ritual, the rhythm patterns and sonic swells have a way of canceling your contract with the conscious and letting the cerebral innards guide the journey. Those machinations are deeply imbedded in the workings of "V", the first album I've reviewed since "The Trident". Not sure how I missed "Electrocution", but matters of a more pressing nature are at hand.

 At least as far as UNEARTHLY TRANCE is concerned, Lipnysky has a knack for not letting the atmospheric qualities of his releases get too far "out there" (well, on four of the five to my knowledge) and run the risk of listeners' suddenly developing narcolepsy. Even at a somewhat daunting hour's worth of material, "V" remains anchored in big, burly riffs that range from the dissonant (almost painfully so on "Sleep While they Feast") to ones that would have been characteristic of the Lower Paleolithic era had guitars marked the first advancement of the period. "The Horsemen Arrive in the Night" defines the latter, the riffage beastly and ringing; the howls emanating through rotted teeth; and the beat surely kept with knotted clubs. It always comes back to the lead-footed plod and uneasy roll though, pockmarked and pitted in ways that make the ride as bumpy as it is unforgettable. More cases in point are "Solar Eye" and "Submerged Metropolis", both of which also feature soulful soloing that slides on the former (and elsewhere to great effect) and anguishes on the latter.

"V" then is as much about texture, twist, and the tumult as it is doomy atmospherics, even though the latter is still an integral part. In other words, it is still unearthly and trance-like, even tribal at times, as showcased on both "Adversaries Mask 1" and "Adversaries Mask 2". Somehow, someway Lipynsky has tapped into a force that if harnessed by the wrong people could have grave results for civilization as we know it. Fortunately, it remains firmly in his control and until word leaks about covert government operations not coincidentally occurring at precisely the time of Lipnysky's disappearance, you can rest easy…well, sort of easy anyway.

Sunn O))) Enter New Dimension

Sunn O))) (pronounced Sun - Oh) is one of metal’s most experimental bands. Their albums usually feature only a handful of songs, many of them longer than 15 minutes. Few if any adhere to traditional rock or metal structures. Instead, they are characterized by an omnipresent chorus of bass guitars, unexpected instruments and phrases and Attila Csihar’s multifaceted vocals. What listeners hear moves past preconceived notions of music straight to experimental sound.



The band’s nontraditional approach has earned them cult status in the metal scene and a modicum of mainstream attention. Founders Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley (who also run the underground metal label Southern Lord) were featured in a New York Times article headlined “Heady Metal.”


The first time I saw Sunn O))) in an opening slot I was completely perplexed. A mammoth wave of bass shook the club’s foundations and rendered earplugs almost useless. It was hard to tell where songs or even passages began or ended. All of the band members were dressed in hoods and cloaked by fog. When the band finished playing the crowd was stunned and silent. I was so intrigued that I purchased two albums the next day.

Sunn O))) recently released their seventh album Monoliths and Dimensions via Southern Lord. About.com had a lengthy chat with Anderson about the new album, the influence of Gregorian chants and spirituality on the band’s music and approach and Attila’s expanded role in the group. We also discussed how Sunn O))) demands attention in a culture that seems fixated on making things shorter and more accessible.


Can you tell me a little bit about the writing process for Monoliths and Dimensions?


Greg Anderson: Steve and I get together in a recording studio and bounce ideas and riffs off of each other. Things developed that way. There were a few things that were brought in ahead of time – each person will bring in a riff or an idea to get started. For the most part, songs unfold in the studio. Oren Ambarchi (Australian guitar player) was part of some of the initial songwriting and Attila Csihar (also Mayhem’s vocalist) was here. A lot of his contributions were added after he heard the initial tracking.


While occasionally dissonant, the new music doesn’t seem as dark or suffocating as Black One. Did you want to include more space and lighter shades on this album?


I don’t know if it was a conscious decision. It’s a result of where our heads are at the moment. When we wrote and recorded Black One we were in a very different head space. Part of it has to do with a willingness to be open to different things and different shades. You could even call it different shades of black (laughs). But that record was pretty dark and deep and intense. This one has some of those qualities, but lets the light in on pieces.


What do you want listeners to take away from the four tracks?


I don’t ever think about how I want people to react . I think it’s more about letting people have the freedom to take away what they want. I don’t try to dictate what that is or the reaction.

Can you tell me more about the opening track “Aghartha”? You start with the typical bass drone and later add a diverse palate of sounds. I heard violins, piano and other instruments. Attila’s voice seems to anchor the track, which takes a number of unexpected turns.


The opening riff, the first four and a half minutes, was the first thing we recorded when we started rolling tape. It ended up being the very first part of the album. It is meant to be performed in two phases. One is the super heavy riff and the second part is a toned down version of the riff without the massive amounts of distortion and saturation. We tried to open up and let things breathe a bit.


We tried to work with a lot of dynamics. There is the loud, oppressive part and then it opens up into a spacious part. That’s where Attila chose to put the vocals and where the instruments come in. A lot of that was just listening to the track. Attila heard it and suggested putting in some piano.


Were you influenced at all by Gregorian chants or medieval music when putting this album together?


Subconsciously. That’s something we like to listen to and I think there are similar qualities in our music. There are some reference points in both types of sounds.


How much of the new material will you incorporate into live sets this year?


I’m not sure. We are going to do a bunch of shows in the U.S. starting in July. We’ve never followed any sort of definitive plan for our records when we play live. With this one we are going to approach it as themes – certain strong themes that we are going to do live. We aren’t going to play anything note for note. That’s never been something we tried to do.

We live in a culture of short attention spans. Your music seems to require attention and go completely against an ethic both in metal and elsewhere that shorter is better. Is that intended?


The attention span is a lost art. With all the distractions today, the Blackberries and iPhones, it becomes difficult to reach people who are constantly stimulated. We aren’t consciously rebelling against that, but I’m proud of that fact that we make a statement. You make a statement these days with songs that are over five minutes and we put four songs on a record. We also don’t put two minute MP3 snippets online. We want people to listen to the pieces as a whole.


Justin M. Norton: When dealing with reviewers you prefer to have listeners hear the music in person and only send vinyl copies to journalists. Can you tell me more about this approach? Your music is sold digitally via iTunes and other outlets. Is it a fear of piracy or do you want people to hear your music in a more intimate setting?



Greg Anderson: This is the first time we tried to do this. It was kind of an experiment. The intention wasn’t to be elitist or keep music away from people. It wasn’t a statement against piracy. It was about how people listen to music in general. We didn’t want people to listen to it on a computer, period. So we released it to journalists in advance on a format they couldn’t play on their computer. We thought we might have a chance of forcing them to listen to it in a way that's appropriate. The frequencies we used on the recording, particularly a lot of stuff on the low end, can’t be reproduced on a computer.


I understand the way people are comfortable listening to music. But if you are going to call yourself a journalist and print your opinion of our music, then I think you owe it to the artist, the label and the person who is going to read the review to listen to the album in a way that’s optimal for the record, rather than listen to 20 seconds while you are fiddling with your Twitter account on your iPhone. If you are going to solicit us and we are going to send it to you then you are going to hear it properly, the way we intended. It’s also a statement that if you are journalist writing about music you should own a turntable. If not you should reconsider what you are doing.


We wanted to keep it off the computer as long as possible, even if we eventually sell it on iTunes. There is a real problem with advances when someone puts it on a blog and makes it available for free. I didn't want people to have any preconceived ideas when this album came out. There is an element of surprise and discovery of music that’s completely lost now.


Mythologists have often talked about creating a “sacred space” with religious rituals and music. Is your intention with your music that listeners tap into something larger or outside of the normal realm of experience?


I hope that listeners get that experience from our records. One of the ideas of the group is to provide something different from the normal verse-chorus formula. Whether it’s a live performance or records, we want to offer something challenging and different. If people can go into a different space or if it puts them in a trance, or if it gets them outside of their normal life in any way, I think that’s great. But there’s nothing intentional, although the way we do things encourages that.

So you do feel there is a spiritual component to your music?


Sure. I don’t feel comfortable pinpointing anything concrete or any sort of religious affiliation. It’s more like a very enjoyable or blissful experience and that can be spiritual.


Attila has been involved with the band for years and seems to get more involved with each release. How did you get to know Attila?


Steven did a fanzine back in the ‘90s and he interviewed Attila for his magazine. I’ve been following him starting with Tormentor and Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas record. I was fascinated with his vocals and I thought he was really unique, especially for the black metal scene. Digging deeper I discovered some of the other bands he was in, like Plasma Pool. He was always doing something different with his vocals.


We met him when Sunn 0))) toured in Europe. We invited him to come to Europe with us and do whatever he wanted. That’s where it started and it’s developed from there. He did vocals on White 2 and the Oracle 12-inch.


During the last three or four years he's done a lot of live performances. He’s been an important part of the live group. That was one of things with this record, we wanted to bring out Attila’s involvement and capture some of the stuff we did live. There was some great stuff that happened live and we were hoping we could bring some of that out.


He seems to shift quickly between black metal and what’s required from him on your music.


That’s the thing. There are no set rules. We never tell Attila or anyone we play with what to play at all. There’s an inherent trust with these players that they have with us. We let them do their thing. If you listen to the stuff Attila does with Mayhem it’s very interesting. The stuff with Sunn 0))) isn’t as formulaic or restrictive. That’s not to belittle Mayhem at all. I think they are incredible and I love their music. But our music is experimental and Mayhem’s music falls within the confines of metal and black metal. There is more of a chance for him here to weave his craft.


The first time I saw Sunn 0))) in an opening slot I didn’t know what to think, but I was intrigued enough to go check out your music. Do you often get a confused or perplexed reaction from your audience?


It’s experimental music without a lot of structure and without what people are used to seeing. If they haven’t been exposed to what we are doing and are just listening to Motorhead or Manowar it might seem pretty strange. It might be a turnoff. But I realize it’s not for everyone. We aren’t trying to win a popularity contest.


Do you often hear from people who said they didn’t exactly know what to think of your live performances so they needed to take a deeper look?


Sure. We’ve been really lucky . We’ve been selling records and people are coming to shows so it’s obvious many people are taking a second look. I’m grateful for that.


Where do you think you fit in today’s metal scene or are you consciously trying to create your own niche?


We just do what we do. I don’t think of where we fit in the metal scene, although we are linked to that in scene in a lot ways. If some people connect to it that great and if not that’s fine, too.

Acid King "Bad Vision" Video

 Some days i cant go without listening to some Acid King. It goes great with pizza too. Why this band never got bigger is besides me.

Resin Monsters Cough Are Not Happy

Crossing an ocean and more than a few international borders in pursuit of the almighty riff has taken up a bit more time than I'd expected, but after a European metal-induced hiatus of sorts, Grim Kim is back to spread the good word about the best bands you've never heard of. I've settled into a lovely little flat in North London (which, oddly enough, looks a helluva lot like my usual West Philly stomping ground) and am comin' atcha fully armed with a slew of deliciously dirty new bands to shove down your throats. Ironically enough, this first-ever European edition of Revelations of Doom focuses on an American band, from the very same East Coast that I (usually) call home. This one's for the old guard – the true sludge freaks, the dedicated doom 'heads, and the diehard amplifiers worshippers out there. Sit back, light up, and get ready for some pain.

 

Much like Athens, Georgia, the unassuming little burg called Richmond, Virginia has emerged as an epicenter of sorts for modern metal and hardcore. While most of you are already familiar with some of her more well-known sonic offspring (Lamb of God, Municipal Waste, Cannabis Corpse) it's RVA's lesser-known, underground bands that kids should really be losing their shit over, whether it be Bastard Sapling (who put out the single best demo recording of 2007),  Battlemaster, Inter Arma, Ravn, or the subject of this edition of Revelations of Doom – Cough. Weedeater. Electric Wizard. Iron Monkey. Grief. Corrupted. Eyehategod. Sleep. Buried at Sea. Sourvein. It's easy enough to drop names and draw comparisons to other like-minded and undoubtedly inspirational bands, but doing so would render a great disservice unto Cough. Their latest full-length, Sigillum Luciferi, sees the band in a very, very dark place indeed – they're caught dragging the waters of a polluted river of human misery, and everything's coming up corpses. Their debut full-length is a down-tuned masterpiece of harrowing, nihilistic sludge, bathed in feedback and slower than time. I also high;y suggest some high grade kush for your skullcap. The strings on the guitars seem to seep resin somewhere deep into the hole. We all know that familiar hole. The hole Cough emotes is crucial to observe. Desperate, raw-throaty vocals, lurching riffs, and crushing heaviness are the hallmarks of this release, though once in awhile, Cough slyly throw in a few spacey, tranced-out moments that, for just a split second, allow you to imagine a feeble beam of sunlight cutting through the filth and carving out an iota of breathing room, before the omnipresent muck sucks you back down into the blackness. Yeah, they're that kind of band.

Maryland Biker Sludge Earthride

Suzuki Weeders Earthride

Maryland doom has become a hallowed institution within the international heavy music scene. Whether it's the crabs, the crime or the salty sea air, whatever the magic ingredient is that inspires so many sweet riffin' bands to form is alive and well within the hairy chests of Dave Sherman and his merry band of bikers. Earthride are fresh from the studio, with a spankin' new record in hand.

With 'Something Wicked,' they more than prove that the proud tradition of Maryland doom will continue on. "I think it's in the water," Sherman told us "And because a lot of the music that comes out of here is inspired by Black Sabbath, Witchfinder General, Pentagram, the Obsessed and Asylum!"

For the band's fourth release, they decided to eschew the traditional route and instead take matters into their own hands, creating Earth Brain Records. 'Something Wicked' was recorded with Chris Kozlowski (Blue Cheer, Pentagram, Spirit Caravan, Trouble) on old-school A-DATS.

Sherman explained, "We decided to release the record ourselves, because we didn't want to involve a middleman. We wanted to be more like a fiercely independent Fugazi! We will get all the profits without anybody dipping their hand in the pot. We've been on Southern Lord in the past, which was awesome, but we're trying to handle it ourselves."

Not only will the record come lovingly packaged from Earthride themselves, but the inside booklet of the CD will include a little something extra for the more morbid (or accident-prone) fans: actual X-rays and MRIs from various injuries sustained by the band's members over the years.

Sherman divulged their origins, saying, "In a fit of adrenaline, I broke my foot jumping off a stage in Germany while on tour with Earthride while singing the Down song 'Bury Me in Smoke.' Eric has a bad back and might have to get an operation, so we have his spinal X-rays there. Rob had an infection in his nose and had to have it operation, so that's an MRI of his head. Kyle broke his hand twice. We're a hurting group of individuals."

It's not too hard to understand why a band that bills themselves as 'biker doom' have gotten knocked around once or twice.

"Earthride has a biker mentality. I own a 1987 Suzuki Intruder chopper. Kyle used to have a Triumph chopper, but it's not about the bikes we own, or have or want, it's about we're all riding on the earth together and mostly everybody that lives on the earth wants the same things in life: a place to sleep, food to eat, and love."

Sleep Expand Weed Tour

Sleep have expanded their upcoming “Marijuanaut’s Return” reunion tour plans with a number of shows. The updated schedule now runs as follows:

September 03rd Monticello, NY – All Tomorrow’s Parties
September 04th Los Angeles, CA – FYE Fest
September 05th Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
September 06th New York, NY – Brooklyn Masonic Temple (feat. Doomriders, Unearthly Trance)
September 07th Philadelphia, PA – Starlight Ballroom (feat. A Storm Of Light)
September 08th New York, NY – Brooklyn Masonic Temple (feat. A Storm Of Light, Lichens)
September 09th Chicago, IL – Logan Square Auditorium (feat. Lichens)
September 10th Austin, TX – Mohawk (feat. Sub Oslo)
September 11th Portland, OR – Roseland Theater (feat. Scott Kelly, YOB)
September 12th San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom (Feat. Thrones)
September 13th San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom

The shows will find the band performing their seminal album “Holy Mountain” in its entirety along with selections from “Dopesmoker” and more.