September 25, 2013

Horseback / Locrian - New Dominions

Review by Natalie Zina Walschots. Originally published here by Exclaim.


This release is a collaboration between two experimentally-minded, blackened drone and doom-influenced bands: the deep, bubbling madness of Locrian and the more agitated, buzzing restlessness of Horseback. Originally released as a very limited vinyl pressing featuring only two tracks, the digital release sees the addition of three new numbers and the entire project has been remastered by James Plotkin (Pelican, Nadja). Pooling their efforts and aesthetics, these two groups have created a spare, alien landscape.

New Dominions is primarily defined by its sense of distance. The echoing, ritual-like vocals seem to come from far away, as though the listener is winding their way through a series of labyrinthine stone hallways, and behind a faraway door a dark rite is taking place. The structure of the record is lonely and unsettling, giving the listener the impression of being both isolated and also watched or followed. Full of deep shadows and dapples of putrid, ugly light, New Dominions is a great soundtrack if you're in the mood to give yourself nightmares.


[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

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