2010 Listens

Not sure I’ll get to the record store before the end of the year, so here it goes… These are the only releases from 2010 to come into my collection this year, most of what I’ve purchased has been older.

I’m a little embarrassed to say I really only bought one of these, Grinderman. Bindrune Recordings is a label I helped found, Detrivore came as an unsolicited promo, and the others are projects of comrades who were kind enough to send copies my way. (none of them were mp3 downloads)

Blood Of The Black Owl - A Banishing Ritual (Brindrune Recordings)
Celestiial - Where Life Springs Eternal (Bindrune Recordings)
Detrivore – Pakt (Lyderhorn Records)
Grinderman – Grinderman 2 (Anti/Mute)
Luasa Raelon – Vampyre: Light Of The Beast (Fatal Beliefs)
posted about this here
Nazca – Out (Geoglyph Records)
posted about this here
Nechochwen – Azimuths To The Underworld (Bindrune Recordings)
The Urge Within – Blood Red Sun (Malsonus)

I’d recommend every one of these, there is some exceptional music there.

Hit the links for Luasa Raelon and Nazca, Grinderman should need no introduction.

The Urge Within release contains a previously unreleased track that was to appear on the “Those Of The Long Shadows” compilation I had planned to release on Crionic Mind until unemployment killed the label. Also included is the first new music from the project in years. The Urge Within is Jonathan Canady & David E. Williams doing churning and gritty Death Industrial

Blood Of The Black Owl is the is a project masterminded by Chet Scott. “The Banishing Ritual” is the third installment in the Black Owl triptych and may or may not be the last. Ritualistic Blackened Doom, epic spiritual purge.

Celestiial Ambient Woodland Doom, transcendental soundscapes and crushing dirges  – brushed with melody. Submerge.

Detrivore is a an project I hadn’t heard of until it showed up. Post-Doom maybe? Enjoyable, and unique.

Nechochwen combines Neo-folk and Black Metal elements revolving around Native American themes. The musicianship is top notch, some great material here.

Addendum:
I did make it to the record store and picked up a couple releases that came out in 2010.
Agalloch – Marrow Of The Spirit (Profound Lore)
Jesu – Heart Ache/dethroned (Hydra Head)

If I had to guess, the album I have listened to the most this year:

Blacklist - Midnight Of The Century (Weird Records)
Released last year, but I didn’t pick it up until this year. Outstanding modern Post-Punk. Everything about this records is spot on. Here’s a taste…

Editing Playlist

I don’t listen to music that often when I write. I do, however, have a play list of suitable tracks when the mood strikes. I am editing tonight, here’s the sonic accompaniment:

Divinus Baal & Runa – VII
Luasa Raelon – The Keep
Omei – A Single Sickened Cell
Ocosi – <_>
IBurn – Overdone
Atrium Carceri – Escape
Amir Baghiri & Mathias Grassow – Beginning
Of Unknown Origin – Sphered In A Radiant Cloud
Heid – I
Never Known – Dawn Of An Era
Blood Of The Black Owl – Chant Of The Captured Spirit (Movement III)
Memorandum – Where The Dead Lost Their Bones
Sacramentum – The Coming Of Chaos
The Elemental Chrysalis – Caravan Of Ghosts

Luasa Raelon

David Reed recently impregnated my mailbox with the newest release by his project Luasa Raelon. I’ve been a fan of David’s music since I first heard it 2001 or so. He creates the kind of dark ambient that I relish. It has detail and teeth and uses it to build mood rather than disrupt it. I was fortunate to play a show with him here in Portland in 2004. That was the last time I played a show come to think of it.

This new one is called, Vampyre: The Light Of The Beast. I’m just listening to it now for the first time. It is, as expected, outstanding. The rich, creeping atmosphere that he conjures so well is as potent as ever. I’m not going to write a review of it on first listen because it’s music you must submerge yourself in to truly appreciate. However, if you like anything I have done musically and haven’t checked out David’s work you are missing out terribly.

In addition to Luasa Raelon, his projects Envenomist, Brittle Foundries, and Nightmares (with J. Canady & M. Solotroff) are all worth experiencing. Thanks David, I really appreciate it.

Ordering info and samples can be found here Reed Heavy Industries.

Nightmares on Tour

If you are in the midwest Nightmares a new project featuring Jonathan Canady, Mark Solotroff and David Reed will be hitting the road shortly for a brief tour. You can find all the important info here.

Jonathan Canady is best known for his projects Angel of Decay, Deathpile and Dead World. Mark Solotroff best known for Bloodyminded, Intrinsic Action and Bloodlust! Records. David Reed for Luasa Raelon and Envenomist. The three are combining forces for this phantasmagoria of analog synth goodness. I haven’t heard the project yet, but all three do great work on their own so the combination will no doubt be something genuinely special. They also have three new releases which I am sure will be available at the shows.

So if the tour comes through your area check them out. All three are good people, talented people and have been friends or supporters of what I do for a long time.