Speed Guru Solo #1

Band: Kawabata Makoto

Album: Mizu Naranu Ao Ni Sae: Guitar Solo 1

Origin: Japan (Osaka)

Genre: Experimental, Psychedelic Noise/Drone

Year: 1998

Another Kawabata Makoto release (Acid Mothers Temple). This time it's solo, and I think (based on the name and the year it was released) that it's his first solo record. It has only two tracks, both about 17 minutes long and both are improvised pieces of droning psychedelic guitar noise. I found this at Bleak Bliss, a fantastic blog, were you'll find more information on this release. Enjoy!

Kawabata Makoto - Mizu Naranu Ao Ni Sae: Guitar Solo 1

Gliding Through The Cosmos

Band: Uchu

Album: 1st

Origin: Japan (Osaka)

Genre: Ambient, Psychedelic, Drone

Year: 1998

Uchu is one of the many projects in which the legendary Kawabata Makoto (founding member and key figure in the Acid Mothers Temple 'Soul Collective') is involved. In Uchu he teams up with Higashi Hiroshi (also Acid Mothers Temple), both of them handling guitar and vocal duties. The last member is Ayano, who only does vocals and I can't find anything on her except that she also does some vocals on other Acid Mothers Temple records. It's blissful, repetitive psychedelic ambient music. I'm sorry for the crappy cover art, but it's the best I could find. Enjoy!

This is how they describe themselves:
"Virtual trip ambient unit consisting of Kawabata Makoto, Higashi Hiroshi, and Ayano. All the music is played on voice and electric guitar. Because the concept of the group is to create a kind of "human techno" from improvised cut-up lyrics (single words, actually) and repeating guitar patterns, we use no samplers, sequencers, or synthesizers whatsoever." (www.acidmothers.com)

Uchu - 1st

Christmas Gift #2: Hair Of The Dog

Band: Jesu

Album: Christmas EP

Origin: Great Britain (Birmingham)

Genre: Shoegaze, Ambient, Electronic, Drone

Year: 2010

By now you are probably nursing a hangover, and this 'gift' is a great companion to that. Although it's released as Jesu, the only artist on this release is the legendary Justin Broadrick (Godflesh, Napalm Death, Techno Animal,...) himself. On it Justin Broadrick presents you a Christmas song as Jesu (his more shoegaze oriented project) which he than covers as Pale Sketcher (his electronic oriented project) and as Final (his more ambient oriented project). Enjoy!

Jesu - Christmas EP

The bandstand is a sacred place.

Band: Various Artists

Album: Invocation Of Sacred Resonance I

Origin: Various

Genre: Doom, Drone, Experimental, Black Metal, Sludge

Year: 2008

It's been a while, both life and laziness have kept me busy, but I'm back with another promise to be more active. So I start with another Southern Lord sampler. You know the deal by now. Enjoy!

1) Ascend - Ample Fire Within
2) Earth - Rise To Glory
3) Boris - You Were Holding An Umbrella (Live 10/16/07 At Echoplex, LA)
4) Wolves In The Throne Room - Dia Artio
5) Gore - Search & Love
6) Iceburn - Power Of The Lion Pt. 3 (Edit)
7) Pentemple - Pazuzu II
8) Lair Of The Minotaur - Horde Of Undead Vengeance
9) Thou - Chained
10) Lurker Of Chalice - Minions
11) Velvet Cacoon - P.S. Nautical

Various Artists - Invocation Of Sacred Resonance I

Mi aerodeslizador está lleno de anguilas.

Band: Corrupted

Album: Vasana/An Island Insane 7"

Origin: Japan (Osaka)

Genre: Sludge, Doom, Drone

Year: 2007

For those who don't know Corrupted, they're a japanese sludge/doom band (considered to be pioneers in their genre) who mostly sing in spanish (though sometimes in japanese and english as well). They also have a strict policy of not allowing interviews or promo photo shoots and are known for their reclusiveness.

Although they are famous for having a couple of one track records, it seemed a better idea to introduce them with two singles. Both are released on the same label (HG Fact) limited to a 1000 copies and with the same minimalistic black cover art. They also have the same name for both sides although the tracks are all different. Musically, Vasana has two brutal tracks while An Island Insane has a more spaced out sound (the second track being acoustic guitar mixed with a bunch of distortion). Enjoy!

Corrupted - Vasana + An Island Insane 7"

God I love Autumn

Band: Various Artists

Album: Paradigms Recordings - Autumn Sampler 2011

Origin: Various

Genre: Electronic, Drone, Noise, Experimental, Black Metal, Jazz, Psychedelic Folk, Metal

Year: 2011

I stumbled upon this free label sampler without ever having heard about the label and only knowing one of the artists, Aidan Baker (Nadja), and I have to say, there is quite some awesome stuff to discover on this compilation. Paradigms describes itself as 'a boutique record label based in London, England specializing in exclusive mailorder editions from the esoteric music underground'.
If you like experimental music, then this is definitely worth checking out. Enjoy!

...To launch this Autumn's carefully curated selection of upcoming releases, we're very pleased to unveil a FREE download sampler compilation today featuring one exclusive track from each of our new and upcoming releases this season...(Label Description)

1) Rashomon - Jigora
2) IXTAR - Amulet
3) Kinit Her - Mosaic Of The Hyacinths
4) Tele.S.Therion with Wilderness Perversion[Mortuary Drape] - Grimoire XIII
5) Aidan Baker - Loop Study Six
6) Owlfood - End Of Distance
7) Yr Iliad - Grow In
8) A Sending Service - Toward It's Ideal
9) Iron Forest - Wintermute
10) Höhlenmusik Ensemble - Xibal
11) The Slaves - Angel
12) Heinali And Matt Finney - Tinderbox

Paradigms Recordings - Autumn Sampler 2011

The Fourth Drone

Band: Ginnungagap

Album: Return To Nothing: Live At The Flux Factory, Queens 10th March 2004

Origin: France (Paris)

Genre: Drone, Experimental

Year: 2004

Since Ginnungagap has only four releases, and I already posted three of them (here and here), I thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to post the remaining one.
This time Stephen O'Malley, handling guitar duties, recruited Gerrit Wittmer (Misanthropic Agenda) on computer and Tim Wyskida(Khanate, Jodis) on percussion. As the title says, it's live from the Flux Factory in Queens, New York and it contains two tracks. The first (Return To Nothing) is a 28 minute live piece while the second (Nothing To Return) is a remix by Gerrit Wittmer. Enjoy!

Ginnungagap - Return To Nothing

Reasonably Miserable

Band: Ginnungagap

Album: 1000% Downer EP

Origin: France (Paris)

Genre: Drone, Experimental

Year: 2004

Another Ginnungagap release (more here). As described before, Ginnungagap is Stephen O'Malley's acoustic drone project, and each release features other collaborators. This time he recruited Steve Pittis (drones), Dawn Smithson (vocals) and Fritz Welch (field recordings). This EP contains 2 tracks (both around 9 minutes long) full of brooding drones and haunted vocals. Enjoy!

Ginnungagap - 1000% Downer EP

Do you still seek to know? And what?

Band: Ginnungagap

Album: Remeindre

Origin: France (Paris)

Genre: Drone, Experimental

Year: 2004

I can finally post again but it will still be going very slow since I'm very busy studying for my exams. Which doesn't mean that I'm not going to try to resuscitate this blog!

This is the first release in the Latitudes series and for those who don't know Ginnungagap, it's basically Stephen O'Malley's acoustic drone project.
For those who are interested, I've already posted another Ginnungagap release here, and you can read a description of what the Latitudes Series are here.

“Stephen O'Malley was very high on the hit list when the Latitudes series was originally conceived. As both a musician in Sunn O))) and Khanate and the in-house visual artist for Southern Lord, Stephen has been an integral part of the Southern family for years, making his indelible stamp on much of their output, and proving an enthusiastic and committed cohort.

Ginnungagap is the moniker that Stephen uses for all his collaborative improvised projects and previous releases under this name have involved artists diverse as Dawn Smithson (Jessamine) and Stephen Gerrit (Misanthropic Agenda). For this session Stephen enlisted the help of psych/free/folk troubadour Alexander Tucker and fellow traveller Anthony Sylvester.” (Southern Records)

Ginnungagap - Remeindre

The depressing inevitability of hope

Band: Various Artists

Album: Darkness Hath No Boundaries

Origin: Various

Genre: Doom, Drone, Metal, Sludge, Black Metal

Year: 2006

Another Southern Lord Records sampler seemed fitting in the spirit of Roadburn. I couldn't find a decent picture so you'll have to do with this small one. Also quite a lot of Black Metal on this one. Enjoy!

1) Sunn O))) - It Took The Night To Believe
2) Thrones - Senex
3) Oren Ambarchi - Excerpt From Triste
4) Boris - A Bao A Qu
5) Lair Of The Minotaur - Cannibal Massacre
6) Craft - Earth A Raging Blaze
7) Twilight - Woe Is The Contagion
8) Orcustus - Wrathtrash
9) Haemoth - Kontamination
10) Xasthur - The Funeral Of Being
11) Earthride - Fighting The Devils Inside Of You
12) The Hidden Hand - Vulcan's Children
13) Saint Vitus - Mystic Lady
14) Earth - Raiford The Felon Wind

Various Artists - Darkness Hath No Boundaries

Suddenly you discover humanity? Convenient...

Band: Sunn O)))

Album: Veils It White EP

Origin: U.S.A. (Los Angeles, California)/France (Paris)

Genre: Drone, Doom, Experimental

Year: 2003

Another edition of Roadburn will start in two days, so I decided to make some Roadburn related posts. I quickly came to the conclusion that I should start with this year's curators, Sunn O))).

This EP(limited to 500 copies) contains one 17 minute track and is mixed by James Plotkin, utilizing material recorded during the sessions for the band's third album (Flight Of The Behemoth). Enjoy!

Sunn O))) - Veils It White

Ich möchte ein Eisbär sein im kalten Polar

Band: Kodiak/Nadja
Album: Self-titled Split
Origin: Germany/Canada (Toronto)
Genre: Doom, Drone, Shoegaze
Year: 2009


Finally something that isn't a single. This split is a perfect introduction to the two bands that are involved. First up is Kodiak, a German drone/doom outfit, with MCCCXLIX The Rising End, a bleak twenty minute piece starting off with some drones which culminate in to some heavy doom riffing. Remarkable is their simple use of a piano to set the mood in the beginning and at the end of the piece. The second track (also about twenty minutes), Kitsune Fox Drone, is by Canadian dronegazers (yup, just made that one up) Nadja. It's a lot less dark, mostly because it's more about fuzzy drones and swirling guitars than heavy riffs, which makes it perfect after Kodiak. Enjoy!


Kodiak Nadja Split

Fuck buttons, give me velcro.

Band: Fuck Buttons

Album: Surf Solar 7"

Origin: Great Britain (Bristol)

Genre: Electronic, Experimental, Noise, Drone

Year: 2009

Yet another quick post with a lame title. This one fitting in my plan to expand the music genres available on this blog.
Fuck Buttons are a British band that mix electronic music with a good amount of noise and some droning (partly achieved by manipulating children's toys!). This is the single for their second record, Tarot Sport, containing two tracks. The first one is an edited version of the opening track from Tarot Sport (Surf Solar) featuring a strong beat overpowered by noisy synths (or toys or whatever) and some added sounds. Feels a bit like taking xtc on a construction site (if construction workers played synthesizers that is). The second track (New Crossbow) feels more like slowly coming down, being more ambient and less harsh even though the drums have a strong tribal feeling to it. Enjoy!

Fuck Buttons - Surf Solar 7"

The Horde Is Coming (Again)!

Band: Khanate

Album: No Joy EP

Origin: U.S.A. (New York City, New York)

Genre: Doom, Drone, Metal, Experimental

Year: 2003

This one is for Darsh, who asked me for some Khanate (I also think that it fits the time of the year). I have actually posted this one before on 99 Miles Of Bad Blogs, back when I was a contributor to that blog. I can still recommend that blog to anyone who likes extreme and heavy music.

Khanate is an extreme doom metal supergroup headed by bassist James Plotkin (O.L.D., Phantomsmasher, ...), guitarist Stephen O'Malley (Sunn O))), Burning Witch, ...), drummer Tim Wyskida (Manbyrd, Blind Idiot God, ...) and vocalist Alan Dubin (O.L.D., Gnaw, ...).

This EP was limited to 2000 copies (300 on red and 1700 on black vinyl) and it contains two tracks. The first one is a remix by James Plotkin of a song from their debut release. The second one is taken from the recording sessions which spawned their next release, Things Viral. Enjoy! 

Khanate - No Joy EP

In the meanwhile...

Band: Destructo Swarmbots
Album: The Mountain EP
Origin: U.S.A. (New York City)
Genre: Drone, Noise, Experimental
Year: 2004

I just discovered that my exams will last a few more days extra, so I decided to post something small to chew on while I study some medieval philosophy. I have just discovered this guitar/bass duo and I'm really enjoying this EP. Still, I'm tired and whatnot so I'm taking the lazy route, this is what the label writes about it:

A 3" CD packaged in a standard jewel-case, "The Mountain EP" finds Destructo Swarmbots (Mike Mare and James O'Brien) exploring a more delicate and subtle space than previous releases. The two man guitar and bass team, known for it's abrasive sonic attacks, take their layers of manipulated dissonance and situate them in subtle ambient landscapes. The tracks range from "36 beautiful songs" which plays like an condensed and intensified version of Fripp and Eno's "An Index of Metals." to the somber "saving grace on an 8 hour connection" which finds the group delving into more traditional melodic structures.

Destructo Swarmbots - The Mountain EP

absoluteGO!!!

Yes, it has been a week ago since I announced to post again, but my provider is run by idiots so I couldn't do anything. Now on to the post. This was send to me by GrayChild and he described it like this:
It's just a Dronevil type mixdown of Absolutego and Super Roots 5 I made (because of their similar length and noisy approach). It's not official in any way. 

So if it isn't clear for anyone, he took Absolutego by Boris (which I posted here) and mixed it with Super Roots 5 by Boredoms. This means that this is a slab of ultra noisy and drony destruction. Enjoy!

Boris with Boredoms - absoluteGO!!!

The Pheasant Has No Agenda!

Band: Various Artists
Album: "Phoning It In" A Hydra Head Digital Sampler
Origin: Various
Genre: Experimental, Metal, Punk, Drone, Shoegaze, Jazz, Black Metal
Year: 2010

My first (real) post since my exams ended and I decided to start with this awesome compilation that I discovered a couple of days ago. As it's from Hydra Head records, it contains some of the forerunners in experimental and/or heavy music. To download this sampler you need to:
1) add it to your cart
2) check out
3) give an email address
4) download it
5) and Enjoy!  

This is what the label wrote about it:

Regardless of the fact I/we shouldn't need to convince the public to download this sampler because... well... sampler = free, I/we plan on doing a little persuading... Please refer to list of reason for checking out the sampler below:

1. Free Jams!
2. 22 Free Jams!
3. Contains Some Unreleased Jams For Free!
4. Free Photos of the Lovely HHR Staff Having a Laugh and an Ice Creams!

Ok, so that seems like enough convincing...

Tracklisting:
1. Oxbow + Philippe Thiphaine - "Coalking" From Songs for the French (5:46)
2. Daughters - "The First Supper" From "s/t" (3:18)
3. Bohren & Der Club Of Gore - "Unkerich" From Dolores (5:31)
4. Knut - "Calamity" From Wonder (1:43)
5. The Austerity Program - "Song 27" From Backsliders and Apostates Will Burn (4:04)
6. Pyramids With Nadja - "Another War" From Pyramids With Nadja (15:27)
7. Helms Alee - "Lionize" From Lionize/Truly 7" (2:45)
8. Hayaino Daisuki - "Ghosts of Purgatory" From The Invincible Gate Mind of the Infernal Fire Hell, or Did You Mean Hawaii Daisuki? (2:43)
9. Harvey Milk - "I Know This Is No Place For You" From A Small Turn of Human Kindness (5:07)
10. La Gritona - "Tony Alamo" From Demasiado Tonto Para Los Ninos Listos. Demasiado Listo Para Los Ninos Tontos (4:38)
11. Stephen Brodsky - "Here In Spirit" From Here's to the future (5:54)
12. Jodis - "Continents" From Secret House (7:27)
13. Nihill - "Mundus Subterreanus" From Krach (5:16)
14. Cave In - "Retina Sees Rewind" From Planets of Old (2:30)
15. Kayo Dot - "II. Whisper Ineffable" From Coyote (11:13)
16. Keelhaul - "THC for One" From Keelhaul's Triumphant Return to Obscurity (3:34)
17. Clouds - "New Bombs" From B Chuggas May Be Logging (2:08)
18. Xasthur - "UNTITLED 4/05" From 2005 Demo (7:02)
19. GridLink - "Amber Gray" From Amber Gray (1:06)
20. Greymachine - "Wasted" From Disconnected (8:43)
21. Bergraven - "Hunger" From Till Makabert Vasen (7:08)
22. Torche - "UFO" From Songs For Singles (2:01)

V/A - "Phoning It In" A Hydra Head Digital Sampler

We All Faulter

Band: Jesu

Album: Live at Roadburn 2008 Bootleg

Origin: Great Britain (Birmingham)

Genre: Shoegaze, Experimental, Drone

Year: 2008

Yes, I've been away too long again, but I have been trying to study (exams are coming up). This is another band that I would like to see next week at Roadburn. The quality of this bootleg is much better than the one from Boris, but it's sounds a little distant. I read somewhere that it was a solo set (only Justin Broadrick) though this year it's going to be a full band. Enjoy!

Set:
1) Sun Down
2) Brighteyes
3) Lifeline
4) You Wear Their Masks
5) The Playgrounds Are Empty

Jesu - Live at Roadburn 2008 Bootleg

La Vida Non Vale Nada

Band: Boris

Album: Live at Roadburn 2008 Bootleg

Origin: Japan (Tokyo)

Genre: Punk, Metal, Experimental, Drone

Year: 2008

It's going to be my first Roadburn this year, so I decided to post some Roadburn related material. It's only natural for me to start with some Boris. The quality of this recording isn't that bad, but you can hear people speaking on it (which you might find disturbing). Enjoy!

Set:
1) Buzz-In/Shoot!/Pink
2) Message/ Floor Shaker
3) My Neighbor Satan
4) My Neighbor Satan Outro
5) You Were Holding An Umbrella
6) Untitled

Boris - Live At Roadburn 2008 Bootleg

While I fuck the world...

Band: Various Artists

Album: Resurrection

Origin: Various

Genre: Drone, Doom, Metal, Experimental, Punk, Black Metal

Year: 2009

I know that things are still going slow here and that I've been saying that I would get more active a lot, so I'm just going to promise that again. And since I love compilations, I'm starting with another Southern Lord label sampler. It's the newest one so it should reflect the label's most recent work/releases. This was supposed to be up a week ago, but I had problems uploading it. Enjoy!

1) Wino - Release Me
2) Pelican - Embedding The Moss
3) Eagle Twin - Murder Off ...
4) Wolves In The Throne Room - Wanderer Above The Sea Of Fog
5) Black Cobra - Omniscient
6) The Accüsed - Splatterbeast
7) Orcustus - Asphyxiokenisis
8) Black Breath - Murder
9) Virulence - Blank Stare
10) Earth - Junkyard Priest (Live In Vienna)
11) Sunn O))) - Isengard (Chopped And Screwed)

V/A - Resurrection