Locrian does not rest idly, and I for one am all the happier for it. Not incredibly long after the previous album Territories comes another full-length, and a further step for this band. Andre Foisy and Terence Hannum [...]]]> artist: Locrian
release: The Crystal World
format: 2CD, LP
year of release: 2010
label: Utech
duration: 1:47:53

Locrian does not rest idly, and I for one am all the happier for it. Not incredibly long after the previous album Territories comes another full-length, and a further step for this band. Andre Foisy and Terence Hannum are  joined by Steven Hess on percussion and electronics, finalising the sound – at least for now – that was developed on albums like Drenched Lands and the previous one mentioned above. If you hadn’t read my previous reviews yet: Locrian are of the most important names to watch in the realm of guitar drones, improvised raw soundscapes, and for lack of a better term, ‘post-metal’.

Although the theme of The Crystal World can once again be called apocalyptic or even dystopian, this time there is a clear literary reference behind it, and that is the novel of the same name by J.G. Ballard, published in 1966. In this novel, a doctor and researcher of leprosy travels deep into the African jungle in search of a past love interest, and to investigate a strange natural phenomenon. As it turns out, an unknown virus or pathogen is causing the gradual crystallisation of everything in the jungle, and it is slowly spreading outward, encasing the world in a crystalline stasis where time stops.

The novel and this album are both equally fascinating works, and luckily the links backward are rather loose, allowing one to enjoy each without intrusion from the other. However, keeping the thematic background of the novel in the back of your mind while listening to this work certainly doesn’t hurt the atmosphere created. I had already praised the inclusion of percussion in Territories, and they are equally functional here, laying down subtle rolling fills and gentle rhythms, rather than the black metal explosions on the previous albums. In general, the flow of this album is also more gradual, mirroring the slow but steady crystallisation in the novel. The tools of the trade are still the same: a lot of feedback, distant screams, subtle synths, and quite a few guitar melodies, both distorted and clean. Of particular beauty is the title track, which perfectly captures a feeling of foreboding in a gently looping melody with asymmetric drums and high-pitched guitar wails. It strikes me also that despite the songs having a clear head and tail, the progression of the album is very smooth and coherent, perhaps also because of the subtle repetition of musical motifs. The main part ends with “Elevations and Depths”, a slow metal intro latched onto an epic acoustic ending of acoustic guitar, accordion, and violin.

The CD release of the album comes with a 53-minute bonus, called “Extinction”, which feels like purer drone-reworking of the main part of the album. The atmosphere is similar, but more vast and extensive. Compared to the perfectly proportioned tracks of the first CD, but also longer droneworks of Locrian’s past, I feel it is perhaps a bit too drawn out in places. However, it does make a conceptually nice fit as the post-apocalyptic stage of this album, and in its long duration there are many parts worth discovering for laid back listening sessions.

As such, the third full length album by Locrian is another success for these men, and a highly recommended piece of experimental music. The 2CD edition is out end of November 2010 on Utech Records, with the LP (without “Extinction”) coming somewhere in 2011.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Triumph of Elimination (5:48)
2. At Night’s End (7:20)
3. The Crystal World (5:52)
4. Pathogens (11:06)
5. Obsidian Facades (7:48)
6. Elevations and Depths (10:47)

7. Extinction (53:40)

detailed info: discogs.com

Locrian‘s discography keeps growing at a steady pace, and with releases like this year’s Territories filling up the ranks, that is nothing to be ashamed of. The solid base [...]]]> artist: Locrian
release: Territories
format: LP
year of release: 2010
label: At War With False Noise, Basses Frequences, BloodLust!, Small Doses
duration: 47:47

detailed info: discogs.com

Locrian‘s discography keeps growing at a steady pace, and with releases like this year’s Territories filling up the ranks, that is nothing to be ashamed of. The solid base of tearing guitars, drones, subtle synths and screeching noise is still here, but this time around, Andre Foisy and Terrence Hannum are joined by a variety of guest musicians, adding drums and other elements into the dystopian music.

“Inverted Ruins” starts off slow, with plodding drums and ear-piercing high frequencies accompanying slowly descending chords and raw, dirty vocals. “Between Barrows” is a subtle layered ambient piece with organs and cymbal swells. The A-side closes with a short noisy guitar soundscape that morphs into a raw black metal track, opening new vistas for the band.

The second half of the album has a similar curve, with “Ring Road” and “Antediluvian Territory” exploring melodies and drones, and the excellent final track, bringing more black metal after an otherworldly dual-guitar intro, and ending with some great melodic guitar leads over slower drums.

This Territories LP is yet another example of the fascinating music of Locrian. It’s not quite metal, not quite ambient, but something in its own right: urban, industrial, raw, visionary, and dystopian. Genre-crossing music for the 21st century.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

I. Inverted Ruins (8:35)
II. Between Barrows (5:54)
III. Procession Of Ancestral Brutalism (10:48)

IV. Ring Road (9:41)
V. Antediluvian Territory (4:02)
VI. The Columnless Arcade (8:50)

detailed info: discogs.com

The American drone duo Locrian (consisting of André Foisy and Terence Hannum) have been very productive in their few years of existence as a band, releasing an impressive number of releases on various [...]]]> artist: Locrian
title: Rain of Ashes
format: MC
year of release: 2009
label: Fan Death
duration: 29:55 (x2)

detailed info: discogs.com

The American drone duo Locrian (consisting of André Foisy and Terence Hannum) have been very productive in their few years of existence as a band, releasing an impressive number of releases on various formats and labels. If this tape, which is one of their latest, is any indication of the level of quality of the other recordings, it will be an essential discography to check out for guitar drone lovers.

Rain of Ashes is a single composition of a little under thirty minutes, for guitar, keys, and vocals, threading through different parts and atmospheres: ambient, ominous, intense, overwhelming. The development of the song is outstanding: it builds up gradually from pure high-pitched guitar wailings to something more dense and layered, and beyond. There are easily enough different parts in the composition to rule out boredom and repetition, a pitfall that plagues so many other drone artists. Over the course of Rain of Ashes, we also find some gentle organ parts, slow guitar parts with various effects, and a climax of all-out noise with distorted vocals and guitar.

Another nice touch is the B-side, which is actually the same composition but played in exact reverse. This adds a ghostly touch to many of the reverberating parts, besides being a fun experiment to put on a low-price tape like this. It also emphasises the strength of the composition, as I don’t mind listening to it twice in a row at all. Together, the two halves of the tape offer an hour of great music with a dark atmosphere of urban decay and fallen industry.

All in all, a very succesful tape release that’s easily worth its price. I’m not sure how limited it is, but I guess it’s still available, so go get it if you enjoy rough-edged drone music with highly varied compositions.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

A. Rain Of Ashes (29:55)

B. sehsA fO niaR (29:55)