Every so often an album comes along that really is very special and grabs your attention and makes you want to listen again and again. This is one such album. From start to finish it’s monumental. Some of the distorted guitar tones are superb and used to great effect. The drumming is excellent, often understated giving a great momentum at times, an improvised feel at others. There’s a great control in the playing, often a building of tension and great use of drones to create contrast between different elements. At times tending to the chaotic, the control is reigned back at just the right time to deliver a huge, intense sound.
It’s fair to say there has been a very high demand for this release. At the time of writing there were on 4 vinyl versions left at Cardinal Fuzz (CFUL052) and for customers in the USA there were only 5 red vinyl and some black vinyl versions available from Captcha Records (HBSP 2X 068).
Big Naturals – God-shaped Hole
This song is very aptly titled. Indeed there is a god shaped hole but fear not, there is more than a god sized song to fill it. Opening with feedback and swirling background sounds, a distant organ heralds a siren type sound which feels like a call to war. There’s an ominous feel to the opening, a brooding tension building to an awesome riff. The distortion is magnificent and the guitar has a great sound, quite grunge, almost metal. The drumming here is brilliant too, understated but giving a well defined momentum. A great build of tension, nicely released to an almost eastern feel which builds tension and momentum again with the increased tempo of the drumming. The guitar enters again, less distortion to start with but with an anticipation that doesn’t disappoint, I really like how the solo is controlled and followed by a gradual release of tension to end the song.
Anthroprophh – Farce Without End
A more uptempo opening with strummed distorted guitar and solid momentum from drumming, the solo has a great edgy sound. There’s great changes in feel to a more urgent solo which has a really on the edge sound to a slower tempo part with jazz improv piano which strangely works really well leading into another solo and some excellent guitar improv which creates quite an uneasy feel at times.
Anthroprophh – Narwhallion Social Purge
A chaotic feel to the opening with intense riffing, somehow eeking even more distortion out of the guitar for the drone. There’s a dissonance at times too. The vocals have a distant, disembodied feel. It’s really well controlled playing, a huge sound right on the edge, quite intense at times backed with excellent soloing and distorted guitar effects propelled by solid drumming.
Anthroprophh – Chubhuck’s Last Tape
A more laid back opening, quite an ominous feel from the distorted guitar riff. It has a jazz improv feel which contrasts and works really well against the drone. A great jam quality to this track with a great build and release of tension.
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