Earth: "Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1"

[aen]

PERSONALLY BIASED NON JOURNALISTIC ALBUM REVIEW TIME.

Earth used to be THE drone/doom metal band. Then they got a little stoner/fuzzy, now they are super slow grouchy post-rock.

I just received my 2xLP of angels from Southern Lord, the band's label. It has 3 sides of music, and one side is a big etching of the cover art. I got the red LPs, cause they other choice was black. Fuck that, thats not special! Anyway, I put it on, and listened through on my home stereo.

My first impression was, "Woah, that's murky." I guess that's a good word for the overall experience. The first two sides are pretty murky and swampy, with plodding drums and slowly evolving riffs, usually crystal clean. (Bonus points to earth: Telecasters. Fuyah!) I've never heard any band convey the sense of menace, and general "bad-ass-cowboy-ness" that they do. This is Earth's bag, being heavy without distortion.

Side Three is all the title track, and it really deserves it. If possible, it's even darker than the previous two sides. It's an improv, if I'm reading my interviews right, and it flows like mean molasses. You can totally feel the improv energy on this one, hearing the song being built before you. The last "movement" is a nice change. It's a lot of harmonic sounds, mostly hi mid and low hi timbres, and the drums drop out.

All in all, I think this would be a good "hanign' out" kind of record, especially if you like to smoke joints while you hang out. If you're into the mellower side of post rock, its a good listening album any time. I kind of wish it would "get up and kill" as I call it, but that's not my choice to make, it's Earth's. They never kick on the fuzz, they never crash the cymbals, they just ride that shit out, making the changes in timbre and melody, rather than the comfy LOUD quiet LOUD we are so used to.

B+ "slightly imperfect"

$20 + shipping from www.southernlord.com

IMPORTANT NOTES: Southern Lord is trying really hard to do it right. They sell package deals of records/shirts, CDs and shirts and posters and shit, they even have a digital store, so if you like, you can pay ten bucks for an MP3 album. But AFAIK, NONE of their goddamn LPs come with download coupons. So if you intend to listen to this at home and on the run, I would suggest the CD, unless you have the time and technology to transfer your vinyl to your computer.

[Achtane]

Well now you've got me itchin' ta a-listen to some Earth. I like your description of a hangin' out record, 'cause that's what I need!

[DarkAxel]

i absolutely loved "Bees made honey in the lion's skull" so i was expecting a lot from it

it sounds... Earthy. It just sounds like them, they have this magic in their music... good thing is they are SO HYPNOTIC, it never get's old

[hatshirt]

man, i really love Earth. i really like the song Old Black from this one.

[DarkAxel]

i put it on while waiting for my girl today...

turned up the volume real loud

then i just opened a window, leaned out a bit and just watched the world, taken away by the music

[oldangelmidnight]

I just got back from seeing them live. They played a few tracks from the new album, a couple from Bees Made Honey..., a new one as yet unreleased, one from Pentastar and Oroboros is Broken (they said this would be the last tour they played it.) The old stuff sounded great in the new style.
I was surprised at how similar the live performance was to the recording. I assumed there was a lot of improvisation but it sounded pretty much the same. Same tones, too.

I think of them less as hanging out music and more as oppressive, black hole, transcendence music. But I guess I experience transcendence different than most people.

Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull is one of my all-time favorite albums. Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light is pretty great, too, but not as inspired.

[retinal orbita]

So tired of this band..... Love their early stuff and Hex was pretty cool and Hibernaculum was alright, but they just seem to be getting more uninteresting as time goes on.... that bee skull album was such a snoozer.....

[aen]

huh. Can't agree with that at all.

[MEC]

huh. Can't agree with that at all.

Me neither, they definitely have changed but I don't think they became uninteresting.
If anything, I think they have more depth now than ever before.

[Trifarce]

Walking around on a hot day with Father Midnight on while stoned makes me feel like a cowboy, straight up.

[oldangelmidnight]

huh. Can't agree with that at all.

Me neither, they definitely have changed but I don't think they became uninteresting.
If anything, I think they have more depth now than ever before.

Yeah, more depth and more focus.

[Achtane]

I've just lately started to appreciate The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull, it was a grower for me. "Hung from the Moon" is great! I still need to check out their other stuff...

[tim]

I saw them two days ago and was expecting oppressive, ear crushing volume but they were actually kind of quiet. It was still a great experience. And Dylan is an extremely nice guy.

For anyone interested, Dylan's signal chain was Strat (w/ hot rail pickups) -> Korg Pitchblack tuner -> MXR Dyna Comp (new one) -> Catalinbread WIIO -> mystery box w/ three stomps and a bunch of knobs -> Fender Deluxe Reverb

[Achtane]

The three-stomp mystery box is most likely an Eau Claire Thunder that aen gave him

[oldangelmidnight]

I saw them two days ago and was expecting oppressive, ear crushing volume but they were actually kind of quiet. It was still a great experience.

Yeah, they were not nearly as loud as I was expecting.

I got some video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJYslx251WY[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_WcXjiPVtw[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uizMcn-OyOU[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyKJc77AS4o[/youtube]