OKURA, MASAHIKO / UTAH KAWASAKI / TETUZI AKIYAMA bject (Hibari Music) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

OL' DIRTY BASTARD The Definitive Story (Atlantic) cd 17.98

OLAN, COLIN s/t (Listen) cd ep 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This little 3" cd, a wonderfully crackling, hissing soundscape simply documenting the sound of ice melting, makes for a neat companion to another recent 3" cd we recommended, Jean-Francois Laporte's "Mantra" (a 20-minute drone piece derived from the sound of ice cooling and/or Zamboni machinery at a skating rink, you'll recall). To examine, in microscopic detail, rather the reverse of that process, recordist Collin Olan (sorry, we don't know much about him other than that he's someone with an idea and a couple of microphones) froze his waterproofed contact mics in a 10" x 10" block of ice, and submerged it in water, allowing us to listen in as the ice block slowly thaws and melts for over 17 minutes. This unprocessed recording turns out to be quite active and varied, full of sizzling, fat-frying kinds of sounds (to our ears, not unlike the atmospheric VLF radiation recordings of Stephen McGreevy) punctuated by some quite loud popping noises, ending with a stretch of near silence when the ice is, presumably, almost entirely melted away. That Olan utilized two microphones adds a lot of sonic interest to the proceedings, with different goings-on in each stereo speaker. Turn it up, and the 10" x 10" block becomes an immense glacier or berg that the listener is entombed within -- imagine yourself an unlucky prehistoric Ice Man frozen for millenia until freed and revived by modern science, like in that Timothy Hutton movie from the '80s! Certainly a sucessful experiment (we've known others with the same idea who've tried this, only to ruin their mics to little result), and quite a "carbonated" -sounding treat for the ear, especially for fans of the recordings of John Duncan, Loren Chasse, Marc Behrens, Stephen McGreevy -- and also of course for all our customers who we know are already into ice-themed 3" cds!
RealAudio clip: "untitled"

OLAUSSON, JAKOB Moonlight Farm (De Stijl) cd 13.98
Meandering hazy four-track psych-folk here from a Swedish sugar-beet farmer (so we're told) by the name of Jakob Olausson, whose deep voice and acoustic guitar wooze wends through these gently-hewn tracks like a wannabe Kiss The Anus Of The Black Cat (that's a weird thing to say), but as though he's bringing his songs along to the farmer's market to offer 'em up honestly along with his equally earthy, dirt-covered root vegetables, which is to say, that this is nice and muddy sounding.
MPEG Stream: "What Will Tomorrow Bring"
MPEG Stream: "Silhouette V"

OLD Down With The Nails (Peaceville) cd 15.98

MPEG Stream: "Black Jewel Throne"
MPEG Stream: "Blood Skull"

OLD 97'S Alive & Wired (New West) 2cd 24.00
Those Old 97s have always kicked butt live -- ever on the verge of losing control of their musical pickup truck careening down those rural roads, narrowly missin' a chicken, clippin' a roadside mailbox, topplin' some jugs o' moonshine along the way (not that they nor we are condoning drinkin'n'drivin'!). And here's a great document of the band in all their unbound Texan glory! A whopping thirty songs! A rambunctious country rock delight! For fans of Uncle Tupelo, Bottle Rockets, the country moments of Mekons, and maybe even ol' Lynyrd Skynyrd too.
MPEG Stream: "Melt Show"
MPEG Stream: "The New Kid"

OLD 97'S Blame it on Gravity (New West) cd 15.98

OLD 97'S Drag It Up (New West) cd 16.98
The Old 97's Too Far To Care was one of our favorite records ever. When that came out in 1997 there was a good chance that no matter when you came into the store, it would be blasting on the stereo. And why the hell not?! It was a perfect rollicking rambunctious blast of super hooky, super catchy No Depression pop. Every song on that record was a classic. But much to our horror, the band plunged into vapid MTV fodder before our very eyes. Putting out a handful of totally lame, faceless records, including an awful solo record from 97's frontman Rhett Miller. We kept waiting, and hoping, that they would bounce back and kick our asses again. Well, after years of waiting, they finally have. Pretty much. Drag It Up while not quite as good as Too Far To Care, is a vast improvement and a darn good record. Catchy and twangy, with wry lyrics and some wicked playing. We knew they had it in them. Our only complaints this time around are the recycled melodies, lots of these songs sound remarkable like old Old 97's tunes (which is maybe why suddenly they sound so good) and the weirdly muddy production. That said though, this is still a pretty darn good record, if only they hadn't set the bar so high.
MPEG Stream: "Won't Be Home"
MPEG Stream: "Moonlight"

OLD 97'S Early Tracks (Bloodshot) cd 12.98
For those of you, like some of us, that were slightly disappointed with the Old 97's last release, here's something to whet those partched lips. Containing four tracks from two long out of print from 1995 & 1996, plus four never before released tracks. More catchy than "Hitchhike To Rhome," and less polished than "Too Far To Care," this album is sure to please.

OLD 97'S Fight Songs (Elektra) cd 12.98
Long awaited record from the country rockers that brought us the much loved Too Far To Care (yes, a year is a long wait for a follow-up to that great record, believe you me!). Perhaps not as immediate as Too Far, but still delightful, Fight Songs again shows the Old 97's making some of the best twang pop around!!

OLD 97'S Hitchhike To Rhome (Big Iron) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Alt-country faves' first full-length, a sometimes hard-to-find release on an small indie label. Fans of their more recent albums should pick this up, as you'll be treated to some of the Old 97's best songs (including some re-recorded for later albums, along with others exclusive to this). If you saw them play on their last tour, a bunch of live faves are culled from this record, like "If My Heart Was A Car".

OLD 97'S Satellite Rides (Elektra) 2cd 17.98
With baited breath, er, ears, we cracked open the new Old 97's. Would it live up to the brilliance of "Too Far To Care", or follow in the mediocrity of "Fight Songs"? Sadly, the verdict falls to the latter. No amount of re-attempts to listen to this album brings our opinion any higher as well. It seems as if the boys have just lost the ability to write smart and catchy songs, country pop or no country pop. As a further disappointment, they've included a bonus cd with one unreleased studio track and 5 live tracks recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley in 1999 which absolutely suck. This is pretty surprising considering how great Old 97's are as a live band. Sigh... Oh well, maybe next time?

OLD 97'S Too Far Too Care (Elektra) cd 15.98
When this came out in 1997 Andee and Byram played this at least three times a day. With hook laden, lyrically shrewd song-writing, the Old 97's are the only band of the "no depression" movement to capture the intensity of early Uncle Tupelo without losing the earnestness or twang. The first song alone, "Timebomb," will get stuck in your head forever. Plus, the final track on the album, a singularly kick-ass number, features a duet with Exene from X.

OLD 97'S Wreck Your Life (Bloodshot) cd 12.98

OLD BOMBS Audios (Soft Abuse) cd 13.98
A beautifully chaotic, spastic slab of plunderphonia from our pal Chris' Soft Abuse label. Old Bombs are one of those bands that all live in different cities and therefore compose and collaborate through the mail. An ideal working method for a music so inherently fractured and schizophrenic. Chopped and reassembled, reappropriated and reimagined, this is a complicated rhythmic sound collage that hints at IDM, abstract sound art, wacked out noise rock and all stops in between. Stuttery rhythms are constructed from old radio clips and ambient backdrops are woven from found sounds and bursts of instrumental chatter. Glitched out electronics collide with random instrument buzz and tape drop out while melodies deftly weave between the wildly careening sounds, trying desperately not to be noticed. Fucked up and awesome. Equal parts Wolf Eyes, People Like Us, Autechre, Merzbow, Lesser but somehow nothing like any of them, Old Bombs make a truly damaged and beautiful noise.
MPEG Stream: "Audio 1"
MPEG Stream: "Audia 1"

OLD DIRTY BASTARD The Trials And Tribulations Of Russell Jones (D3) cd 17.98
God, I love Ol' Dirty Bastard. Remember on that awards show, where he was so messed up he nearly walked into a fountain of flames? Or remember that other awards show where ODB ran on stage and started rambling incoherently about the Wu-Tang while some poor shlub was trying to thank their mother or father or God or something. And remember recently when ODB was wanted by the cops? Breaking and entering or assault or something. Well, while 'on the lam' (seriously) Ol' Dirty found time to record a brand new album that is only just now seeing the light of day (whereas ODB is not -- since he is still currently incarcerated). And it's pretty great. Everything we've come to expect, wacky falsetto choruses, soul singing back up singers, crazy production and ODB rapping all over it, all ridiculous rambling raps about sex, gangstas, money, and, well, sex. Lots of guests: Sunz Of Man, Mack 10, C-Murder, Too Short, E-40, and even Insane Clown Posse, who somehow manage to be kinda funny. Check it out!
RealAudio clip: "Caught Up"
RealAudio clip: "Dirty And Stinkin'"

OLD FOREST Into The Old Forest (Grimmlight) cd 14.98
One of Andee and Allan's favorite black metal records ever. So grim and buzzy, but so completely and utterly baffling and beautiful.

OLD FOREST Tales Of The Sussex Weald; Part 1: The Legend Of The Devil's Dyke (D.T.M. Productions) 3"cd-r 13.98
Back in stock!!! Last copies!!!
We never thought the day would come, but the return of Old Forest is nigh!!! The first release from these UK black metal anti-legends in 7 years! Their first record, Into The Old Forest is an all time aQ weirdo black metal fave. And their second unreleased record, None More Black, was meant to finally see the light of day via tUMULt, but instead, will be released by the original label later this year. And when the world hears that one, well, Old Forest just may rightfully reclaim their crown as masters of genius fucked up grimness for sure.
The real surprise though is the band surfacing from whatever dark hellish abyss they retreated to nearly a decade ago. With a new full length in the works, but also this three part ep collection, focusing on the myths and legends of the Sussex countryside from which these guys hail.
Sonically very little has changed. The sound is still murky and buzzy, the guitars thick and blurred, plenty of keyboards, pummeling drums. Lots of atmosphere, and haunting ambience, the vocals a demonic croak, the songs ranging from blasting and black, to creepy midtempo dirge. Haunting baritone monklike chants drift in and out, field recordings of crickets and birds, wind and rustling branches, the songs are packed with super memorable riffs, sing songy "woooo, ooooh" sort of call and response vocals, double kick blasting away, even during some of the more mellow bits, the songs lurch and pound woozily, peppered with incredibly catchy and unlikely little keyboard figures, the band occasionally launching into some furious blasting, but just as often slipping back into a fuzzy dirge or midtempo pound.
And everything, no matter how true or grim, is infused with the cracked black sensibilities of Old Forest, much like countrymen Meads Of Asphodel (who may have one times shared members with Old Forest), not taking it too seriously, but at the same time taking it all deathly seriously. Dark and buzzy, spaced out and psychedelic, heavy and black, but also slightly cracked and definitely warped. And this is only part oneŠ
LIMITED TO ONLY 222 COPIES. Each packaged in a mini 3" jewel case, with super striking red and black artwork, and liner notes and lyrics.
MPEG Stream: "Cocks Crowing At Poynings"
MPEG Stream: "Chanctonbury King"

OLD GRANDAD Hocus Corpus (Double Down) cd 12.98
Hocus Corpus really threw us for an unexpected loop! This sure ain't the Old Grandad of, errr, old! The most noticeable revamp of this veteran Bay Area metal band is in the vocals department. They're incorporating multiple styles that range from very Voivod-y to British goth to the good ol' death metally growl we expect from 'em. We think fans of this band will like this though.

OLD GRANDAD The Last Upper (MIA) cd 11.98

OLD HILLS Ragas (Common Oracles) cd-r 5.98
First release we've listed by Common Oracles, a one man electric guitar raga ensemble based in the US, but recorded in New Zealand. And the sound is definitely New Zealand, it's impossible not to hear some Dead C, although we hear just as much Skullflower and Sunroof, and maybe a little No Neck. Needless to say, this is some underground guitar nirvana. The opener is a 15 minute slow burn that begins all slippery and wiggly, fingers all over the fretboard, notes all tangled up in dense little squalls, but mysteriously imbued with plenty of melody, albeit, buried under swirls of psych guitar chaos, before eventually morphing into some upper register snake charmer Ur-drone. The second track is a total 180, with simple electronic rhythms and whooshing swooping analog synths, like a new wave lo-fi Tangerine Dream or something. Weird but pretty cool. But it's all about the nearly half hour final track, a detuned blues jam stretched into a mantra like rage, riffs, repeated over and over, the blues getting lost in thick streaks of guitar thrum, eventually smoothing out into a creeping glistening melodic shimmer, before exploding into a frenzied psychrock coda.
Packaged in hand made, painted and taped sleeves, constructed from old LP jackets, with Xeroxed artwork affixed to the front and a photocopied insert inside.
And of course, super limited...
MPEG Stream: "Raga For The Dislocation Of Valuable Objects Into A Black Hole"
MPEG Stream: "Jamaica 2028"

OLD MAN GLOOM Christmas (Tortuga) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Best band ever?!?! How could they not be? Crushing dirge metal! Check. Drones drones drones! Check. And MONKEYS!!!! Double check. Holy crap! That should be enough right there for chrissakes! Well then, how about "Features members of Isis, Cave In and Converge"! Anyway, all of us here at AQ have been waiting anxiously for the return of the Simian Alien Defense League aka Old Man Gloom and their totally unique blend of pulverising downtuned heaviosity and as well as their surprisingly deft hand at minimal dronology. Two great tastes for sure. Did we mention their obsession with monkeys?
Totally epic and intense Neurosis like metallic sludge, occasional thrashing post-punk rock fury, all imbued with weirdly emotional minor key melodies, and always returning to some sort of dark and rumbling, dreamy and shimmering dronescape, before bursting into another spate of crushing metallic fury. On Christmas, OMG expand their musical palette even further with gorgeously hypnotic steel string guitars, even more bizarre found sounds, and a much richer, and way more dense sonic arsenal for constructing the extensive ambient passages. The biggest surprise is the track "Volcano", an almost Interpol style sort of post punk new wave workout that is dotted with bursts of gut wrenching guitars and crushing drums! The final track is the epic 16 minute "Christmas Eve, Parts I, II and III", an extended and expanded version of a track that was on their recent Christmas Eve 3" cd, a massive meandering acoustic folk dirge-drone, with epic majestic sonic swells underpinning strummed steel string guitars and half mumbled / half sung vocals, while all sorts of random sonic debris and swirling melodies drift in and out of the haze and occasional waves of slow motion distortion creep over the proceedings like a black fog. So fucking intense, and so so so good.
MPEG Stream: "Gift"
MPEG Stream: "Something For The Mrs."
MPEG Stream: "Sleeping With Snakes"

OLD MAN GLOOM Christmas (Magic Bullet / Tortuga) lp 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
NOW ON VINYL!
Best band ever?!?! How could they not be? Crushing dirge metal! Check. Drones drones drones! Check. And MONKEYS!!!! Double check. Holy crap! That should be enough right there for chrissakes! Well then, how about "Features members of Isis, Cave In and Converge"! Anyway, all of us here at AQ have been waiting anxiously for the return of the Simian Alien Defense League aka Old Man Gloom and their totally unique blend of pulverising downtuned heaviosity and as well as their surprisingly deft hand at minimal dronology. Two great tastes for sure. Did we mention their obsession with monkeys?
Totally epic and intense Neurosis like metallic sludge, occasional thrashing post-punk rock fury, all imbued with weirdly emotional minor key melodies, and always returning to some sort of dark and rumbling, dreamy and shimmering dronescape, before bursting into another spate of crushing metallic fury. On Christmas, OMG expand their musical palette even further with gorgeously hypnotic steel string guitars, even more bizarre found sounds, and a much richer, and way more dense sonic arsenal for constructing the extensive ambient passages. The biggest surprise is the track "Volcano", an almost Interpol style sort of post punk new wave workout that is dotted with bursts of gut wrenching guitars and crushing drums! The final track is the epic 16 minute "Christmas Eve, Parts I, II and III", an extended and expanded version of a track that was on their recent Christmas Eve 3" cd, a massive meandering acoustic folk dirge-drone, with epic majestic sonic swells underpinning strummed steel string guitars and half mumbled / half sung vocals, while all sorts of random sonic debris and swirling melodies drift in and out of the haze and occasional waves of slow motion distortion creep over the proceedings like a black fog. So fucking intense, and so so so good.
MPEG Stream: "Gift"
MPEG Stream: "Something For The Mrs."
MPEG Stream: "Sleeping With Snakes"

OLD MAN GLOOM Christmas Eve I and II + 6 (Tortuga) 3"cd 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Our favorite primate-obsessed doom metal drone outfit finally return! Old Man Gloom are back with a three inch ep to hold us over until their next epic. The centerpiece is the two part "Christmas Eve". The first part is all dreamy drone-y acoustic guitar strum and mournful electric guitar melodies over an ominous rumble that becomes a thick sheet of amps-gone-wild before dissolving into misty ambience again. Part two starts off just like part one but is quickly transformed into a hyper distorted, black hole dirge, with earth crushing downtuned guitars and chanted vocals sounding not unlike Alice In Chains slowed down and run through a bank of distortion pedals (which is definitely a good thing). The rest of the tracks are random bits of OMG ephemera: a thirty second blast of shrieking downtuned metallic grind, two tracks entitled Masami's Music Box I and II, presumably Masami Akita aka Merzbow contributing two thirty second bursts of uncharacteristically sweet melody and ambient hum, and a bonus track, an Mr. Big cover that is so stupid that it's funny (sort of), but has such an amazing ending (why hasn't anyone done this before, but more importantly, how the fuck did they do it) that it would be unfair for us to deprive you of discovering it for yourself. Just don't complain to us when you finally hear it. There is nothing wrong. It's just the OMG Simian Alien Defense League fucking with your mind! Resistance is futile!
MPEG Stream: "Christmas Eve Pt. II"
MPEG Stream: "Skull Of Geronimo"
MPEG Stream: "Masami's Music Box 1"

OLD MAN GLOOM Meditation in B (Tortuga) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Awesome. Simply awesome. Subtitled "A Sound Wave Replication Dissertation On Alien Simian Technology in 13 Chapters", Old Man Gloom's album is a schizophonic album with ultra-heavy post-hardcore/grinding metal in the tradition of Cave-In or Cavity interspersed with deep dronological investigations that could have easily been an Organum or Jonathan Coleclough record. Hydrahead couldn't make this fit with the rest of their catalogue, but released it on their Tortuga subsidiary. Drones, metal, and monkeys... everything that Andee could ask for in an album.

OLD MAN GLOOM Seminar II - The Holy Rites of Primitivism (Tortuga) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
With the "Use Your Illusion"-style simultaneous release of these two new discs on HydraHead sublabel Tortuga, Boston's Old Man Gloom have vaulted to the forefront of the so-called "noisecore" scene, at least in our estimation. We were already big fans of their under-hyped "Meditation in B" debut, and now we're confident that they'll be gaining the recognition they deserve. OMG have much in common with fellow avant-metalcore acts Neurosis, (old) Cave In, and Coalesce, but draw equally from the non-'core likes of Skullflower and Organum to achieve their dark, powerful, intelligent sound, which incorporates metal aggression, post-rock dynamics and dronological experimentation. And unlike with GnR's overblown excess, in the case of music like this, taking two discs for their "seminar" makes sense. "Seminar II"'s 16 tracks shift wonderfully from dronescape to hardcore pummel, at times even, like the last Coalesce disc, incorporating the sort of big riff that would even please stoner rockin' seventies revivalists. "Seminar III" is given over to just one long track, and also utterly lays waste to all. Their psychedelic, metallic attack captures the bludgeoning atmosphere of the best Godflesh recordings, while also recalling the esoteric likes of Gore, Engine Kid, and even our own Andee's new band Ticwar! Both discs are fucking essential (and are designed as a pair, with matching artwork, one matte, one glossy), so get both!
RealAudio clip: "Bells Dark Above Our Heads"
RealAudio clip: "Hot Salvation"
RealAudio clip: "Smoke Out Loud"

OLD MAN GLOOM Seminar III - Zozobra (Tortuga) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
With the "Use Your Illusion"-style simultaneous release of these two new discs on HydraHead sublabel Tortuga, Boston's Old Man Gloom have vaulted to the forefront of the so-called "noisecore" scene, at least in our estimation. We were already big fans of their under-hyped "Meditation in B" debut, and now we're confident that they'll be gaining the recognition they deserve. OMG have much in common with fellow avant-metalcore acts Neurosis, (old) Cave In, and Coalesce, but draw equally from the non-'core likes of Skullflower and Organum to achieve their dark, powerful, intelligent sound, which incorporates metal aggression, post-rock dynamics and dronological experimentation. And unlike with GnR's overblown excess, in the case of music like this, taking two discs for their "seminar" makes sense. "Seminar II"'s 16 tracks shift wonderfully from dronescape to hardcore pummel, at times even, like the last Coalesce disc, incorporating the sort of big riff that would even please stoner rockin' seventies revivalists. "Seminar III" is given over to just one long track, and also utterly lays waste to all. Their psychedelic, metallic attack captures the bludgeoning atmosphere of the best Godflesh recordings, while also recalling the esoteric likes of Gore, Engine Kid, and even our own Andee's new band Ticwar! Both discs are fucking essential (and are designed as a pair, with matching artwork, one matte, one glossy), so get both!

OLD MAN GLOOM Seminar III: Zozobra (Magic Bullet) lp 16.98
Now available on ultra deluxe vinyl with some spiffy new artwork but only for a little while cuz as always, these are SUPER LIMITED. Here's what we had to say about the cd:
With the "Use Your Illusion"-style simultaneous release of this here record (Seminar III) and it's critical sonic counterpart Seminar II, Boston's Old Man Gloom have vaulted to the forefront of the so-called "noisecore" scene, at least in our estimation. We were already big fans of their under-hyped "Meditation in B" debut, and now we're confident that they'll be gaining the recognition they deserve. OMG have much in common with fellow avant-metalcore acts Neurosis, (old) Cave In, and Coalesce, but draw equally from the non-'core likes of Skullflower and Organum to achieve their dark, powerful, intelligent sound, which incorporates metal aggression, post-rock dynamics and dronological experimentation. "Seminar III" is just one long track, and also utterly lays waste to all. Their psychedelic, metallic attack captures the bludgeoning atmosphere of the best Godflesh recordings, while also recalling the esoteric likes of Gore, Engine Kid, and even our own Andee's new band Ticwar! Fucking essential!

OLD MAN'S CHILD Revelation 666: The Curse of Damnation (Century Media) cd 15.98
Fourth album by evil-looking bald-headed Norwegian black metal dude Galder and his various creepy cohorts (no session musicians this time). Mid-tempo, keyboard-heavy melodic blackness in the standard vein. Pretty good, though, as all OMC releases have been, due to Galder's ability to come up with some excellent riffs.

OLD MAN'S CHILD Vermin (Century Media) cd 13.98

MPEG Stream: "Enslaved And Condemned"
MPEG Stream: "The Plague Of Sorrow"

OLD MAYOR s/t (Paradigms) cd 12.98
The second of two new releases from the always kick ass UK label Paradigms. Elsewhere on this list you'll find the debut from black doom crust heavies Bosnia, and here we have the debut from UK doomsludge duo Old Mayor, just guitar and drums, these two whip up a fierce frenzy, that the label compares to both Burning Witch and Slint, which makes sense, the band slips easily from moody post rockisms, into full on blackened metal meltdowns, the vocals, howled and harsh and hateful, the guitars unfurling soaring mournful melodies, and thick corrosive chords, the band lurching through reverb drenched fields of downtuned chug, gorgeous crystalline harmonics, pounding drummage, before turning on a dime and stretching out into some long languid shimmer, that actually reminds us more of Engine Kid than Slint, before exploding again into a pounding minor key dirge metal blowout.
Here and there things slooooow waaaay doooown and the band do get all Khanate, the guitars ringing out, the drums a sporadic plod, but those stretches of slow motion heaviness are perfectly balanced by the hushed post rockisms, and the sheer epic melodiousness of even the most crushing brutal parts. The recording is really strange too, turning the stripped down minimal instrumentation into something almost orchestral, the guitars are thick, massive, dense, the drums LOUD and way up in the mix, both alternatingly wound tight, or sparring dizzily. And when the band lock in tight, the song is transformed into something else entirely, woozy waltzy post doom math sludge bliss.
LIMITED TO 500 COPIES!
MPEG Stream: "Bridges"
MPEG Stream: "Bring In The Sleeper"
MPEG Stream: "Bag Of Cats"

OLD MEMORIES Prelude To Oblivion (E.E.E Recordings) cd-r 8.98


MPEG Stream: "Beneath Eternal Fire"
MPEG Stream: "A Scream Ov Reason"
MPEG Stream: "Morning Lament"

OLD MILLION EYE s/t (Yen Agat) cd-r 9.98

OLD WAINDS Death Nord Kult (Moribund) cd 14.98
It's been four years since we last heard any new material from Russia's mighty Old Wainds, and while our ravenous hunger was slightly satiated by the recent domestic reissues of their Religion of Spiritual Violence and Scalding Coldness albums, we were going crazy wondering what the band was up to. Now, as spring rolls in, the Wainds prolong winter a bit longer by unleashing their furious fourth record, Death Nord Kult. In accordance with the band's reputation, the album mirrors the frozen climate of their homeland in a way that only the truest of the true could produce. It is cold, harsh, and completely relentless. Pretty much all the ingredients you want in a black metal record.
This band captivated us from day one, based on an ability to bring to mind many of black metal's greats while still managing to sound unlike anything else. They possess a sound that is not "weird" or "avant garde", but one that remains striking nonetheless, and while their earliest material sounds totally bizarre and not of this world, due in large part to the atrocious/awesome lo-fi recording quality, Scalding Coldness was an absolute black metal masterpiece, merging super thick guitars and titanic low tuned drums with a keen attention to structure that seemed to link the songs together as one gigantic movement. Death Nord Kult is the logical progression, finding the band now a duo, along with "permanent session drummer" Izbor of the similarly asskicking NAV, and the overall sound is thrashier and more immediate than before. Sonically, it is the band's thickest and most polished (not Cradle of Filth polished, don't worry) album to date. The fairly straightforward production pretty much gives you the feeling of being in a room with the band as they lay waste. With a more substantial presence in the mix than on past releases, the drums pound ferociously, while strained, guttural vocals croak over dense walls of seasick riffs. Saving a few brief moments of murky ambience, the album continues with this manic intensity right to the end. The riffs are hypnotic and full of melancholy, and the throat shredding Russian vocals provide a strange, uncomfortable feeling that could as easily come from another planet as Hyperborean Russia. Indeed, this band's foreignness is definitely one of the coolest things about them, and while many black metal bands go to cartoonish extremes to prove how evil they are, Old Wainds lyrical themes, here thankfully translated, focus on what they know: bleak, unforgiving wilderness. Like the lone figure crossing the frozen terrain on the cover, Old Wainds are able to masterfully convey a sense of isolation and hopelessness under the crushing power of nature. In a world of petty scene politics and half-assed posers, they are as real as it gets.
Establishing the mood of the album with opener "Storm-Whip", Old Wainds launch into a lightspeed assault that quickly switches to a midtempo gallop with crunchy, muted riffing and queasy thrashing moments. "Cruel Black Dead" features classic thrash riffs that are played with such speed and fury that they unlock strange harmonic tones as occasional dual vocals create the awesome chantlike effect (which, call us crazy, at times sounds almost like Tuvan throat singing) utilized heavily on Scalding Coldness. "Bloodstained" is a bit like being forced to endure the most unpleasant rollercoaster ride of your life, throwing you around like a ragdoll over the band's punishing attack, stopping for a few seconds before heading into one of the best metal moments of the year, a midtempo breakdown that gradually builds in intensity with insect riffing, noticeable clean bass (whoa, actual bass presence on a black metal record!), HUGE drumming and tortured demon howls. It's moments like this where you realize how absolutely unstoppable this band is, a notion that is carried on in "Born on the Freezing Dark", an impossibly fast trip through the desolate Russian wilderness with Old Wainds as your nefarious guides, churning out thick layers of puke-sounding guitar riffs (think Craft) over unbelievable drumming.
Once again, these Russians have effortlessly showed us how things are done. Though the staunchly underground Old Wainds may not be the first band to come to mind for many metalheads, they should be. They're one of the best, something that is only further reinforced by the unqualified triumph that is Death Nord Kult. Those lucky enough to hear Old Wainds will no doubt realize that when you write songs this devastating, your status is secure: you're ETERNAL.
MPEG Stream: "Storm-Whip"
MPEG Stream: "Bloodstained"
MPEG Stream: "Born On The Freezing Dark"

OLD WAINDS Religion  (Negative-Existence) cd 11.98
As of the writing of this review, it's the day after Christmas, and as is befitting such a holiday, this list is HEAVY on the black metal, our little way of helping those black hearted souls and accursed spirits out there celebrate in their own demonic way. But what that also means, is we were down near metalled out. There's only so many ways you can describe something that is black and buzzing and grim and brutal and frosty and kvlt....
But the second we threw this one, none of that mattered. This was the only black metal there was, virtually erasing all that came before, a sound so powerful and unique and YES, black and buzzing, that we were immediately reinvigorated and filled with sinister black glee. If glee can in fact be either sinister or black.
Since we first reviewed Old Wainds a while back, people have been obsessed, and as we mentioned in the other reviews, OW are one of the few bands that virtually ALL other black metal bands seem to worship. Whatever it is abut these mysterious Russians, they've tapped into something magical that no one can seem to get enough of. For a brief period we had all the Old Wainds records, but gradually it become harder and harder to get them back in stock. Until now. Finally a US label has taken up the mantle and embarked on a comprehensive OW reissue program, elsewhere on this list you'll find the mind blowing Scalding Coldness, reissued, and WAY cheaper, and almost more exciting than that, this record right here, their first full length from back in 2001, Religion Of Spiritual Violence, was the only one we had never been able to get. So for a lot of you, this will be the first time you'll get a chance to complete (or begin!) your Old Wainds collection, and needless to say for fans of all things buzzing and black, this is IT.
It's really hard to put into words exactly what makes Old Wainds different than the hordes of other BM outfits, they definitely have an old school Darkthrone vibe, sort of punky, but they're just as likely to explode into a burst of impossibly fast blasting blackness a la Immortal or something. The vocals are super strange, less a demonic howl and more a sort of evil croak, and the lyrics are in Russian which makes it even cooler. But the music, while no doubt indebted to other BM bands, manages to sound like nothing else. Swirling chaotic riffing, strange mathy drumming, the cymbals super loud in the mix for some reason, as are the vocals, almost like the buzzing guitars are just a sheet of fuzzy blackness, a backdrop for the satanic invective and the barrage of crashing cymbals.
This is indeed grim and harsh stuff, whether churning along in a midtempo Burzumic pound or spraying black fury within a flailing blast, the sound is just so NOT normal, on the surface it sounds like 'black metal', but it's twisted, cracked, infused with a harrowing anger, with a utterly bleak worldview, with a unfailing misanthropy, which leaches into the sounds, and beyond all that, as with any black metal that demands repeated listening, there's tons of stuff going on, including a ton of hooks, sure they're bent and blackened and buried beneath layers of grit and grim and buzz, but they seep out, some of these riffs are as catchy as any pop song.
Just listen to the sound samples, read the other reviews for more about the band, their records, their sound, but odds are, like us, you'll be forever in thrall to the grim black majesty of Old Wainds, a convert to their Religion Of Spiritual Violence.
MPEG Stream: "Thrown Down And Crushed"
MPEG Stream: "The One Holy Dead"
MPEG Stream: "Flaming One"

OLD WAINDS Scalding Coldness (Miriquidi) cd 18.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We love Old Wainds. So does Leviathan, Xasthur, Crebain, Draugar, Nachtmystium, and every other black metalhead we know. And as we mentioned before, there is really no better way to discover amazing bands than by discovering who your favorite bands' favorite bands are. Knowing that, Russia's Old Wainds are truly the black metal elite. Very few bands with such limited distribution, no official releases in the United States, and records that end up on eBay more than in shops have managed to make as huge an impression as these guys. And rightfully so. This is absolutely some of the most glorious buzzing blackness we have ever heard. And finally, we've managed to track down three of the four proper Old Wainds releases!! We got a whole bunch but we have a feeling they won't last long, and we're not sure how long it will take before we can get more (or even if we'll be able to at all). Before now we had been been on a never ending quest to track down every single recorded second of music these guys have spewed forth. So much so that one aQuarius employee who shall remain nameless (ahem...Andee) spent an embarassing sum on one of these discs on eBay!! But for now, you are spared that same fate. We have a bunch of copies of Old Wainds' second full length Where The Snows Are Never Gone, the split with fellow countrymen Nav, and this, their most recent release, Scalding Coldness! Which we also managed to get on vinyl!!!
So what is it about Old Wainds that has the grim hordes all in a tizzy? And why is Scalding Coldness one of the best black metal records of all time? Hard to explain exactly. If you were standing right here, we'd just play it for you. And it would only be a matter of seconds before you understood. And you can go ahead and listen to the sound samples, it should have the same effect, but we might as well try to put into words what it is that's so amazing about these guys and this disc.
With any metal, it's all about the riffs, black metal maybe moreso, because with black metal, it's pretty much entirely about the riff, no matter how buzzy the sound is, how evil and atmospheric the music is, without killer riffs you are NOTHING. Needless to say, Old Wainds whip up some of the catchiest buzziest riffs around. Swirling, snarling, dense and slightly off kilter, definitely in the great Norwegian tradition but with their own unique twist. Crunchy and insectoid, with strange little trills and unlikely chugs, haunting arpeggiated chords... The vocals too, guttural and growly, but not really shrieked or grunted, it's about as close to actual singing as black metal vocals can get. Still harsh and hateful, but more sort of gruff and raspy. And then the songs, epic and majestic, almost cinematic at points, but at the same time grim and frosty, buzzing dronescapes of bleak blackness, infused with a surprising amount of melody. And then there's the weird stuff, the chantlike vocals, the guitar leads that surface here and there, the strange pulsing ambient interludes, the weird breakdowns, ultra dramatic intros with bizarre drumming... but none of those things define the band, they are just part and parcel of Old Wainds' twisted black universe. The perfect blend of Xasthur, Immortal, Leviathan and Darkthrone. Sort of. Take your favorite bits from each of those bands and then smear in some desolate Russian winters, and twist it all up into some black shape that while sort of familiar is unlike anything you've ever heard before. And you'll be getting close.
Absolutely essential.
In the AQ black metal hall of the elite, atop a mountain wreathed in fire, beneath a sky as black as pitch sit the black metal elite, Satyricon, Emperor, Darkthrone, Burzum, Immortal and the rest, but it's looking like someone just might have to scoot over and make room for Old Wainds at the table...
MPEG Stream: "Scalding Coldness"
MPEG Stream: "Freezing Winter Breath"
MPEG Stream: "...In The Glance Of The Dead"

OLD WAINDS Scalding Coldness (Negative-Existence) cd 11.98
It's been forever since we've been able to get this all time aQ fave back in stock, but thankfully, this buzzing black gem has been reissued by an American label and a WAY lower price. One of our ALL TIME favorite black metal bands ever. And we're most definitely not alone, read on:
We love Old Wainds. So does Leviathan, Xasthur, Crebain, Draugar, Nachtmystium, and every other black metalhead we know. And as we mentioned before, there is really no better way to discover amazing bands than by discovering who your favorite bands' favorite bands are. Knowing that, Russia's Old Wainds are truly the black metal elite. Very few bands with such limited distribution, no official releases in the United States, and records that end up on eBay more than in shops have managed to make as huge an impression as these guys. And rightfully so. This is absolutely some of the most glorious buzzing blackness we have ever heard. Until these records began to becomes a little bit easier to track down, we had been been on a never ending quest to find every single recorded second of music these guys have spewed forth. So much so that one aQuarius employee who shall remain nameless (ahem...Andee) spent an embarrassing sum on one of these discs on eBay a while back!! But for now, you are spared that same fate.
So what is it about Old Wainds that has the grim hordes all in a tizzy? And why is Scalding Coldness one of the best black metal records of all time? Hard to explain exactly. If you were standing right here, we'd just play it for you. And it would only be a matter of seconds before you understood. And you can go ahead and listen to the sound samples, it should have the same effect, but we might as well try to put into words what it is that's so amazing about these guys and this disc.
With any metal, it's all about the riffs, black metal maybe moreso, because with black metal, it's pretty much entirely about the riff, no matter how buzzy the sound is, how evil and atmospheric the music is, without killer riffs you are NOTHING. Needless to say, Old Wainds whip up some of the catchiest buzziest riffs around. Swirling, snarling, dense and slightly off kilter, definitely in the great Norwegian tradition but with their own unique twist. Crunchy and insectoid, with strange little trills and unlikely chugs, haunting arpeggiated chords... The vocals too, guttural and growly, but not really shrieked or grunted, it's about as close to actual singing as black metal vocals can get. Still harsh and hateful, but more sort of gruff and raspy. And then the songs, epic and majestic, almost cinematic at points, but at the same time grim and frosty, buzzing dronescapes of bleak blackness, infused with a surprising amount of melody. And then there's the weird stuff, the chantlike vocals, the guitar leads that surface here and there, the strange pulsing ambient interludes, the weird breakdowns, ultra dramatic intros with bizarre drumming... but none of those things define the band, they are just part and parcel of Old Wainds' twisted black universe. The perfect blend of Xasthur, Immortal, Leviathan and Darkthrone. Sort of. Take your favorite bits from each of those bands and then smear in some desolate Russian winters, and twist it all up into some black shape that while sort of familiar is unlike anything you've ever heard before. And you'll be getting close.
Absolutely essential.
In the AQ black metal hall of the elite, atop a mountain wreathed in fire, beneath a sky as black as pitch sit the black metal elite, Satyricon, Emperor, Darkthrone, Burzum, Immortal and the rest, but it's looking like someone just might have to scoot over and make room for Old Wainds at the table...
MPEG Stream: "Scalding Coldness"
MPEG Stream: "Freezing Winter Breath"
MPEG Stream: "...In The Glance Of The Dead"

OLD WAINDS Scalding Coldness (Miriquidi) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We love Old Wainds. So does Leviathan, Xasthur, Crebain, Draugar, Nachtmystium, and every other black metalhead we know. And as we mentioned before, there is really no better way to discover amazing bands than by discovering who your favorite bands' favorite bands are. Knowing that, Russia's Old Wainds are truly the black metal elite. Very few bands with such limited distribution, no official releases in the United States, and records that end up on eBay more than in shops have managed to make as huge an impression as these guys. And rightfully so. This is absolutely some of the most glorious buzzing blackness we have ever heard. And finally, we've managed to track down three of the four proper Old Wainds releases!! We got a whole bunch but we have a feeling they won't last long, and we're not sure how long it will take before we can get more (or even if we'll be able to at all). Before now we had been been on a never ending quest to track down every single recorded second of music these guys have spewed forth. So much so that one aQuarius employee who shall remain nameless (ahem...Andee) spent an embarassing sum on one of these discs on eBay!! But for now, you are spared that same fate. We have a bunch of copies of Old Wainds' second full length Where The Snows Are Never Gone, the split with fellow countrymen Nav, and this, their most recent release, Scalding Coldness! Which we also managed to get on vinyl!!!
So what is it about Old Wainds that has the grim hordes all in a tizzy? And why is Scalding Coldness one of the best black metal records of all time? Hard to explain exactly. If you were standing right here, we'd just play it for you. And it would only be a matter of seconds before you understood. And you can go ahead and listen to the sound samples, it should have the same effect, but we might as well try to put into words what it is that's so amazing about these guys and this disc.
With any metal, it's all about the riffs, black metal maybe moreso, because with black metal, it's pretty much entirely about the riff, no matter how buzzy the sound is, how evil and atmospheric the music is, without killer riffs you are NOTHING. Needless to say, Old Wainds whip up some of the catchiest buzziest riffs around. Swirling, snarling, dense and slightly off kilter, definitely in the great Norwegian tradition but with their own unique twist. Crunchy and insectoid, with strange little trills and unlikely chugs, haunting arpeggiated chords... The vocals too, guttural and growly, but not really shrieked or grunted, it's about as close to actual singing as black metal vocals can get. Still harsh and hateful, but more sort of gruff and raspy. And then the songs, epic and majestic, almost cinematic at points, but at the same time grim and frosty, buzzing dronescapes of bleak blackness, infused with a surprising amount of melody. And then there's the weird stuff, the chantlike vocals, the guitar leads that surface here and there, the strange pulsing ambient interludes, the weird breakdowns, ultra dramatic intros with bizarre drumming... but none of those things define the band, they are just part and parcel of Old Wainds' twisted black universe. The perfect blend of Xasthur, Immortal, Leviathan and Darkthrone. Sort of. Take your favorite bits from each of those bands and then smear in some desolate Russian winters, and twist it all up into some black shape that while sort of familiar is unlike anything you've ever heard before. And you'll be getting close.
Absolutely essential.
In the AQ black metal hall of the elite, atop a mountain wreathed in fire, beneath a sky as black as pitch sit the black metal elite, Satyricon, Emperor, Darkthrone, Burzum, Immortal and the rest, but it's looking like someone just might have to scoot over and make room for Old Wainds at the table...
MPEG Stream: "Scalding Coldness"
MPEG Stream: "Freezing Winter Breath"
MPEG Stream: "...In The Glance Of The Dead"

OLD WAINDS Where The Snows Are Never Gone (Miriquidi) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Finally, full length number two (of three) from Russian black metal legends Old Wainds. We're still trying to restock their most recent, 2005's Scalding Coldness, but for now, Where The Snows Are Never Gone is probably more grim frosty bleak blackness than you can handle. But that shouldn't deter you from trying. 
Originally recorded back in 1997 and released on cassette, reissued on cd in 2003, only finding its way to AQ in 2007, Where The Snows Are Never Gone is another epic frostbitten slab of relentless black buzz. It's easy to hear why Old Wainds is the black metaller's black metal band. Wrest from Leviathan, Ancalagon from Crebain, Hildolf from Draugar, pretty much every BM misanthrope we know counts Old Wainds as one of, if not their absolute, favorite metal bands. 
Old Wainds are not damaged or demented, lo-fi or fucked, this is epic and majestic, the riffs are amazing, the drums a skull caving bombast, the production is massive, a swirling buzz that could swallow you whole. It's hard to know what else to say about these guys that we haven't already said over and over and over. To read more of our Old Wainds raving see any of the other OW reviews on the AQ site...
Needless to say, if you're already a fan and don't yet have this, BUY THIS NOW. If you've yet to discover the hellish joys of Old Wainds, this is as good a place to start as any, in fact it just may be our favorite of the bunch. 
More in line with the primitive thrashing buzz of bands like Darkthrone and Beherit, this is fast and blown out and black, relentless and furious, frosty and so so so grim. The vocals are a Popeye like croak (not all that far removed from Immortal's Abbath) and the tracks are peppered with strange explosions and sonic drop outs, the guitars go from lightning buzz to chugging crunch, the drums sounds like they're being fired out of a gun. Minus a couple intros, this record does not ever let up, even for one second. Until...
The final track, which is absolutely gorgeous, definitely the prettiest thing Old Wainds has ever recorded. An endlessly loping minor key midtempo groove, arpeggiated guitar, a sort of sea sick rhythm, motorik drumming, the guitar a warm glistening buzz, vocals a chanted moan, repetitive and so utterly dreamy (in a grim, cvlt, black way of course), until the very end where the song seems to buckle and the band stumble back into action obliterating any traces of loveliness in an explosion of brutal black fury. 
As with every single Old Wainds recording, totally essential. 
MPEG Stream: "Unholy Norland Fire"
MPEG Stream: "Winter Warriors"
MPEG Stream: "Gods Gazing From Beyond"

OLD WAINDS Withers Of The Wainds (Arma Diaboli Productions) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Back in stock!!!
We once mentioned that the best way to discover the most amazing music in any genre, is to check out what other musicians are listening to. Never has that been more true than with black metal. A genre predicated on bands' underground status or level of grimness, how cult or frosty they are. Which means, some of the best bands aren't often heard outside of tiny circles, many times just other bands and close friends. Limited tape releases, cd-r's, demos. You have to be super tenacious to really be on top of the latest greatest grim horde from Bolivia or Paraguay who only have a single cassette release, and it was limited to 10 copies, each one doused in the band's blood.
Such is the case, although not quite so dramatically with Russia's Old Wainds. Ask any of the BM elite. Ask Wrest from Leviathan, Ancalagon the Black from Crebain, Hildolf from Draugar, Azentrius from Nachtmystium, and any one else you can pull from their blackened crypts, who their favorite black metal band is, and odds are all or most of them will tell you Old Wainds. And we might have to concur. The frustrating thing is most of the Old Wainds discs are only available on eBay at totally exorbitant prices. But you know what, it's completely worth it. Old Wainds play some of the most primal, furious, gloriously buzzy black metal we have ever heard. Although it might be better to start here, with this normally priced cd reissue of the bands Withers Of The Wainds demo.
Each track a blast of cold black winter winds, swirls of murky buzzing riffage, thrashing drums, and super insane vocals, that are strangely processed / affected so they sound like some strange death rattle, drenched in reverb, like the battle cry of some pterodactyl / rattlesnake hybrid. So completely alien and harshly harrowing. But perfect for the bleak buzzing blackened landscapes below. Killer riffs (you can pretty much boil ALL metal down to their main component, the riff), a murky production that swaths everything in a gauzy black veil, and those insane over the top vocals, all whipped into an impossibly furious black attack.
Absolutely and utterly essential black metal. We'll do our best to track down the rest of the Old Wainds discs that are available (not many? none?), and we'll wait patiently for the out of print ones to be reissued (or reissue them ourselves, if Andee can get in touch with the band), but for now, hails to Arma Diaboli for reissuing this disc and saving us all $50, and allowing us the opportunity to finally bask in the unearthly black glow of Old Wainds!!
MPEG Stream: "Thy Dream"
MPEG Stream: "Fog "
MPEG Stream: "Nazgul"

OLD WAINDS / NAV We Are The North (Miriquidi) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We've long been shrieking and demonically howling the praises of Russian black metal horde Old Wainds, but until recently, we had been unable to track down any of their releases. One of their old demos was re-released (Withers Of The Wainds) which was much easier to get, and then slowly but surely we managed to track down the rest of their releases. We reviewed the godlike Scalding Coldness a few lists back (we're still waiting for our restock, thanks for being patient) and this time we've got a killer split, between Old Wainds and their fellow countrymen (and Old Wainds offshoot) Nav. We reviewed the full length lp from Nav a while back but were unable to get their cd (we're still trying) so for lots of folks this may be your first chance to hear Nav.
Anyway, like we've said in the past, a true measure of a band, is who is listening to them, especially when it's other bands, so when we say Old Wainds is EVERYBODY'S favorite (and we're talking Crebain, Leviathan, Xasthur, Nachtmystium, Andee!!) that's pretty high praise indeed.
And not at all unwarranted. Old Wainds are the Blizzard Beasts of the East. A howling buzzing blast of frosty fury, so intense and relentless, a completely epic black buzz, but with incredible riffs, amazing arrangements and some seriously intense vocals. Not as bizarre as they were on the Withers Of The Wainds demo, but much harsher and hellish than on Scalding Coldness. Through The Chaos To Eternal Winter (Old Wainds' half of the split) is 18 minutes of unbridled brutality, black beauty, so gloriously heavy, recorded way back in 1999, this sounds as heavy and intense as most of the bands peddling their black metal wares today. Three blasts of buzzing black brilliance, the fourth a haunting ambient folk drift, complete with dirgey downtuned guitar and disembodied minor key piano, and harsh reverb drenched vocals.
Perfectly matched, and in some ways maybe even better than the Wainds (gasp!), are Nav, the project of Old Wainds drummer Izbor and featuring at least one other Old Waind in its ranks. The sound is similar, grim and frosty, but somehow the buzz is bigger, thicker, with even less melody than Old Wainds, and more blast, the vocals are distorted and buried in the mix, the songs are peppered with bursts of lurching midtempo Burzumic buzz, but Nav spend most of their time buzzing along at hyperspeed, the blackened buzz so thick and relentless, it becomes a fuzzy drone, mesmerizingly blurry and blown out. the drums so fast they are like another layer of sonic fuzz. But it's not just buzz, the riffs are killer, the melodies are there, and are catchy as hell, just completely suffocated by the icy black buzzing of the relentless guitars and nonstop blasting beats. The final track begins with some reverb drenched acoustic guitar, quite lovely and dreamlike, before being engulfed by a strangely melodic and dramatic minor key black blast, almost like a black metal Godspeed, epic and keening and oddly enough, really really pretty.
Absolutely essential, as with all things Old Wainds (and Nav for that matter)...
MPEG Stream: OLD WAINDS "Face Of Madness"
MPEG Stream: OLD WAINDS "Dead Eyes Of The Dark"
MPEG Stream: NAV "Hymn To The Cold Silence (Part 1)"
MPEG Stream: NAV "Warriors Of Glacial Desert"

OLD YRON s/t (Shadow Kingdom) cd 13.98
That crude & spooky, black & white linocut (?) cover art looks like some cult black metal cassette or floorcore noisepsych lp from nowadays. But it actually heralds an album of '80s Italian underground metal weirdness, which is basically one of those obscure microgenres that we here at Aquarius might just be getting a bit obsessed with (other examples: Scandinavian skweee, field recordings of frogs, Sheffield black psychedelia, singing saw music, and the New Wave Of Finnish Heavy Metal). Well, at any rate we're into a few weird '80s underground Italian metal bands, previously having written about Black Hole and Dark Quarterer... We'd put Flames Of Hell in there too but they were from Iceland, not Italy, though somehow seem like they'd belong. There's also the likes of Death SS and Bulldozer, and going way back Jacula, but it's Old Yron that we should be talking about right now!
That's the band responsible for this record, originally released in quite limited fashion in 1989, though it sounds somewhat older than that (Old Yron actually having their beginnings back in 1974). Six tracks suffused with traditional metallic atmosphere and amateur charm. Being Italian, it's got a classically influenced, proggy bent to it, but that's filtered through an extremely budget DIY production, enhanced perhaps by what may be the crackle of the vinyl from which this (fully legit however) cd reissue was probably transferred.
Old Yron deliver the goods in the form of high pitched screams and Yngwiesque guitar shred, on such songs as "Old Yron", "Crazy Lady", and "Strange Vision"... strange vision indeed, as OY seem to be all about taking their mundane existence and finding something dreamlike and weird about it, particularly involving women if at all possible, in which case they are voluntarily "Slave To Dream"! Speaking of women, their regular singer's histrionic, operatic stylings are joined by the atypical "jazzy" singing of a guest female vocalist on "Window In The Dark" which is probably our favorite track here, for sheer eccentricity.
The album ends with the Paganini inspired instrumental "Up-Start", which sets us up for this cd's two bonus tracks, modern (circa 2003) recordings of classical guitar by OY mainman Antonio "Tony" Ferrari. While much slicker than the original Old Yron album itself, they can be seen as a progression from it, and/or perhaps can be considered a palate cleanser after all the very metal, lo-fi, yet cultured wailing of the album proper.
The cd booklet includes thorough liner notes by Ferrari, presented in both English and Italian. Thanks for Shadow Kingdom for digging this up, how they discovered it we don't know, but it's a unique find and we're glad to have it, it'll certainly serve as our '80s Italian underground metal weirdness fix for a little while!
MPEG Stream: "Crazy Lady"
MPEG Stream: "Window In The Dark"

OLDHAM, WILL Black / Rich Music (Drag City) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

OLDHAM, WILL Guarapero / Lost Blues 2 (Palace/Drag City) cd 14.98
Old favorites and out of print rare stuff from Palace/Will Oldham. Includes the infamous "Big Balls" AC/DC cover and FIVE NEW SONGS. Guest musicians include Mick Turner and Jim White from Dirty Three, David Grubbs, etc.

OLDHAM, WILL Joya (Drag City) cd 12.98
LOVELY album showcases Will's growing talents as a real songwriter.

OLDHAM, WILL Joya (Drag City) lp 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
LOVELY album showcases Will's growing talents as a real songwriter.

OLDHAM, WILL Little Joya (Drag City) cd 4.98

OLDHAM, WILL Ode Music (Drag City) cd 10.98
If the Faheyesque fingerpicking that Jim O'Rourke brought to alt.country/indie rock were made even more sparse and given an almost Windham Hill/Michael Hedges/slightly-Renaissance-Faire quality, you'd have the Will Oldham (Palace) instrumental album. This is soundtrack music for a short film based on The Ode to Billy Joe.

OLDHAM, WILL Ode Music (Drag City) lp 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
If the Faheyesque fingerpicking that Jim O'Rourke brought to alt.country/indie rock were made even more sparse and given an almost Windham Hill/Michael Hedges/slightly-Renaissance-Faire quality, you'd have the Will Oldham (Palace) instrumental album. This is soundtrack music for a short film based on The Ode to Billy Joe.

OLDHAM, WILL Seafarers Music (Drag City) cd ep 11.98
Four new instrumentals from Mr. Will "Bonnie Prince Billy/Palace/Palace Songs/Palace Bros/Palace Music" Oldham. The liner notes tell a brief tale of a ship owner and some sailors, but offer little else in the way of recording information or description. Very mysterious. After trawling the internet oceans, we discovered that these four songs were composed as soundtrack pieces for a documentary film by Jason Massot about four modern merchant seamen. Little did we know that if we'd simply looked more closely at the disc and read the small print, we could have found all of this out sans computer. Ah the modern age! Such short attention spans! All the more reason to take some time to immerse yourself in Oldham's somber, contemplative songs. Slowly creeping acoustic guitar and bass navigations that we -- having not yet seen the film -- can say do indeed evoke the gentle rocking of an old ship and the endless rippling of the waves. The most affecting and foreboding of the four is the final "Emmanuel".
MPEG Stream: "Emmanuel"