[2009] Laudanum - The Coronation

Hateful sludge/noise from Cali, comprised by members of Asunder and Graves At Sea, with an unusual approach, relying a lot in minimal outbursts of feedback and background noise combined with heavy, mid-paced sections of the best hardcore-laced doom the genre can offer. Two vocalists constantly swap parts in the songs, varying from high shrieks to deep grunts, but allowing the lyrics to be clearly heard.

Download it here: [V2][V0]

Buy it directly from 20 Buck Spin Records here.

[2007] Whitehorse - Whitehorse

Released under the Olympia-based record label 20 Buck Spin Records, this s/t is one of the few studio releases of this band since their formation, even though they've released a series of live albums before, which makes them more of a live act. It's not surprising seeing as their heavy, merciless sound in total disregard of duration is a sign of the huge focus on live atmosphere they have. Slow building structures, yet elaborate since the start (don't expect a post-rockish approach to doom metal, so common and tiresome these days), rage-fueled hardcore vocals and chaotic guitar noise are the main highlights here. They've performed with plenty of well-known bands of their genre, along with other excellent australian acts such as Dad They Broke Me and Teargas.


Download it here: [320][V0]


Buy it directly from 20 Buck Spin Records here.

[2007] The Stargazer's Assistant - The Other Side of The Island

The Stargazer's Assistant is a collective fronted by David J Smith and conformed by Daniel O'Sullivan (Ulver, Mothlite) and Antti Uusimaki (also from Mothlite), whose deeply layered soundscapes seek to evoke the ever-changing geological structure of the Earth, decaying and resurfacing every new era. Amazingly diverse material ranging from vocal arrangements to sparse percussion, this album is a truly entrancing piece of work, way beyond run-of-the-mill ambient music, and a display of the rich, organic compositions O'Sullivan and Uusumaki are capable of, also heard in Mothlite.

Download it here: [V0]


Buy it directly from Aurora Borealis here (scroll down).

[2009] Gregg Kowalsky - Tape Chants

While the previous efforts relied in purely electronic chain arrangements, Tape Chants was recorded incorporating tapes with specific tones, tuned and mixed to each other, placed in several locations within a room. The resulting effect, which is later arranged with oscillators to give a sense of rhythm, is one of the most interesting drone recordings I've had the chance of listening. Some other percussive instruments were used albeit subtly, to avoid disrupting the overbearing feeling infused by the oscillating drones.

Download it here: [320][V0]


Buy it directly from Kranky Records here.