Review: Sunn O))), Boris and Earth - Kentish Town Forum - Monday 10th Dec

Three of the worlds heaviest, slowest and atmospheric bands are playing tonight at the Forum, Kentish Town's unusually large venue. I have a feeling that tonight will be an assault on all of our senses, last time I saw Sunn O))) I almost passed out from the density of the sound. Luckily for you readers myself and a brave few are going to take the audio beating, so you don't have to!

Our trek to Kentish Town is unusually hassle free, the train is on time and the underground is strangely effective! This fills me and my band of weary travellers with a sense of unease for the TASK of enduring tonight's set!

The first mission when going to see a band you love is clear, the minute you get through the door RUN!!! to the merchandise stall and become a sad little consumer. Unfortunately, it appears that SUNN O))) fans generally agree with this rule of thumb, and I am crushed in a 'cue' that resembles the Brixton riots. Finally, emerging bruised and Battered clutching my spoils I head to bar, then to the area of pain!

First tonight are the amazing Earth. Hailing from Seattle, I have been wanting to see these guys in the UK ever since their singer Dylan Carson sold Kurt Cobain the shotgun that ended his life, primarily to shake his hand on a job well done. Long, drawn out and loud post rock is blasted at us for two songs, then we are informed that we will have to wait until February for a full set. The Crowd are not happy and screams of "MOOOOOORE!" convince the band to return for one last, amazing, ten minute slab of bleak sound. I shall be returning for more in February...I think the whole of tonight's crowd will be as well.

Next up are tonight's co-headliners Boris, Japanese noise-core that, again, I have waited an eternity to see. Boris amble on to stage and for the first two thirds of the time they are onstage, bore the hell out of me! The frontman plays what can only be described as a 'Bon-Jovi-esque' solo for what seems like an hour. Fortunately, they then proceed to play one of the loudest (bettered only by their onstage successors) pieces of noise I have ever witnessed. The drummer gets so excited by the drone that when it nears its end he leaps over his kit and throws himself into the crowd. Nest time I see Boris, they better not play that solo is all I can say!

Finally tonight, what it seems every person in the audience has come to witness begins to appear on stage. SUNN O))) normally boasts just two members, and about 14 amps. However, tonight Earths keyboard player, and Attila from Mayhem appears from behind the dim fog now on stage. Attila, dressed in a large sack and wearing thorns all over, reminds me of a tree, be it a very very spooky tree. The noise begins, and Attila lurches around screaming and howling chilling noises that could well be words into his microphone. After about ten minutes the actual members of SUNN O))) walk slowly on stage, dressed in druidic robes. Their entrance is reminiscent of a scene from one of the better 'Hammer' horror films of the seventies. They switch on their guitars and hell flows forth, one of my fellow victims shouts into my ear, "THIS IS BIBLICAL!" and stares back at the stage in disbelief. He's right, it is biblical, I've never seen anything this loud, this amazing, on this scale.

The night draws to a close and the survivors stagger out of the forum with bewildered looks on their faces. How will anything ever seem the same after what we have all just witnessed? After the beer wears off, fish and chips are consumed and I realise that the T-Shirt I purchased is long sleeved (I hate long sleeved T's), my state of mind returns to normality and I head home to recount the tale of my nights adventures to my unimpressed looking housemates....fools!

Top 5 time!

OK, so I felt that as the year was drawing to a close, and with a quick glance at Decembers releases (all Xmas pants), it was time to name my top 5 albums of the year! Drum roll please:


1.) Zozobra - 'Harmonic Tremors' (Hydrahead)

Caleb Scofield (Cave In/Old Man Gloom) and Santos Montano (Old Man Gloom), present 2007's answer to the perfect metal album, a perfect blend of doom metal and late 90's Soundgarden-esque pop, mixed with a healthy dose of Jesu droniness!



2.) John Zorn - 'Six Litanies For Heliogabalus' (Tzadik Records)

What do you get when you blend Aleister Crowley, Mike Patton, John Zorn, Trevor Dunn and a whole bunch of other crazy Avant Garde lunatics on one record...this classic jazzbo hellathon! If you dug Moonchild and Astronome, you will love this chaotic offering.



3.) Tomahawk - 'Anonymous' (Ipecac Records)

A drastic change in direction, again starring Mike Patton, Tomahawk introduce the western rock stylings to native American influenced compositions. When I first heard about this record alarm bells began ringing, luckily this album is great!


4.) Hella - 'There's No 666 in Outer Space' (Ipecac Records)

If, like me, your bored of the anally retentive technical guitar war currently being waged by the likes of Dillinger Escape Plan; then here is your saviour! Hella rule, nuff said!



5.) Pelican - 'City Of Echoes ' (Hyrdahead)

I'm starting the wonder if Hydrahead and Ipecac Records are in on some great conspiracy to capture all the best bands and release them? If so, their musical takeover is most welcome. Pelican, premium doom band, premium record, can't wait till the next one!



Phew! Well, after what looked like a sparse year of actual good music being unleashed upon us, it all turned out ok! 2008 looks to be a potentially great musical year with new releases from the likes of Fantomas, Secret Chiefs 3, John Zorn, Old Man Gloom and a whole bunch of fantastic musical mentalists!

Ipecac toys around with UNKL

UNKL have finally revealed previews of their much anticipated Ipecac Records toy range.

In 2008, once a month Ipecac and UNKL will release a limited edition toy depicting one of 12 Ipecac artists. But why this sudden move from the music to toys?

The Ipecac website reports: "The story is that we are fans of this very cool toy company based in Portland called UNKL. Wellllllllll it turns out they are fans of Ipecac and had the idea." adds Ipecac "We are pleased to no end with the outcome. Hopefully you can add some Ipecac to your desk next year."

The toys will be released in the following order:

January: Ipecac Recordings
February: Tomahawk
March: Isis
April: The Melvins
May: Northern State
June: Goon Moon
July: QUI
August: Desert Sessions
September: Fantômas
October: Unsane
November: Dälek
December: Peeping Tom

I await with baited breath the opportunity to mount Fantomas on my monitor!

source: www.ipecac.com