The following is from Roadburn.com
Master Musicians of Bukkake excels at acoustic ethnic drones, outerwordly chants, and ventures into uncharted Hawkwind, Gong and Magma waters by pairing spacey guitar leanings, Tibetan bells, chimes and gamelan percussion with electronic FX. Totem One could easily be the soundtrack to a fucked-up underground movie as weird and compelling as Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Holy Mountain or El Topo. Crazy!Since 1999, San Francisco’s progressive black metal act Ludicra has been one of the best live metal bands on the planet. The group released its massively acclaimed fourth album The Tenant on Profound Lore in 2010 and is now set to make its European debut at long last.
Conceptually, Ludicra draws inspiration from the squalor of urban living in the Bay Area and this dark, yet life-affirming agenda finds an unparalleled voice in singer Laurie Sue Shanaman. Her vocals issue from a body wrecked with emotion and terrifying honesty. Guitarists John Cobbett (Hammers of Misfortune, ex-Slough Feg, ex-Amber Asylum) and Christy Cather provide duelling riffs and leads. Bassist Ross Sewage is known for his work in Impaled, Ghoul, and a stint in Wolves in the Throne Room. And the drum throne is filled by none other than Aesop Dekker of Agalloch, and Worm Ouroboros.
Ludicra’s first album Hollow Psalms was originally released on the cult hardcore label Life Is Abuse in 2002 and was finally set to a gorgeous hand-made vinyl edition in 2010. Subsequent albums were handled by Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles label also known for its work with Amebix and Neurosis. Now with Profound Lore Records and Nanotear Booking, Ludicra is outgrowing its cult status and taking its rightful place in the metal pantheon. Few bands can touch the powerful live presence that this band of brothers and sisters wields.
“Guitars sound like guitars, not digital chunks, twisting around each other in mournful wails, triumphant resolutions, and dreamy chords. Ludicra balance the beautiful and the ugly like few can” – Alee Karim, Invisible Oranges.
From his folky debut through the harder-rocking follow-up to his current album, The Voidist, Imaad Wasif (who has worked with the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Folk Implosion) proves himself to be a singer extraordinaire. Elements of mysticism pervade his music, as does a penchant for traditional rock riffs and the folksy plucking of bands like Led Zeppelin. Wasif’s guitar work — whether it be chugging riffs, fuzz-wah leads, or gently shimmering notes, comes straight out of the psych-rock handbook as well (think Nebula as a point of reference). However, it’s Wasif‘s smooth voice and his ability as a songwriter that sets him apart from his peers, whether he’s playing no frills rock and roll, or ghostly folk tunes.
Arkansas’ Rwake represent the next step in southern sludge / doom. They take the musical style of trailblazers like Eyehategod and Buzzov*en and crush it in a metaphysical direction — creating a frightening vortex of intensity, massive riffing and epic song writing. This is raw, savage and heartfelt music from the dirty south, but don’t think for a second that it isn’t sophisticated and complex. They seamlessly combine virtuosity with intensity to deliver the highest quality headfuck possible — a seething, swirling, smashing, sweating affirmation of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment