Veteran UK noise act Skullflower are about as far from the mainstream as possible. Kudos to Neurot Recordings for bringing this savage yet mystical monolith of guitar-oriented noise to American ears (with no regard for commercial potential). Yes, this is truly a labor of love, though some listeners may be scarred by the end of this 2 hour mass of mostly formless and rhythm-free aural siege. Beginning with the fried feedback of "Shivering Aurora", the first disc moves abruptly into the drone/noise masterpiece "Starlit Mire", which refers to noted chaos magician and artist Austin Osman Spare, not Psychic TV, I'm sure. From there, it's back to the reckless "Enochian Tapestries" before the all-consuming invocation within "City Of Dis". "Basement Of An Impure Universe" is the sound of pain, pure and simple. Disc 2 is no less forgiving, opening with the grinding "Nibelungen" and continuing to the absolutely brutal catastrophe of "Blood Mirror Streams". While some bands coax different sounds out of their instruments, Skullflower strangle them, for lack of a better description. Theirs is the sound of all-consuming terror. Not for the faint-hearted, "Strange Keys.." is an overwhelming, overloaded, and ultimately purifying listening experience. (Neurot Recordings)Skullflower site
Skullflower at Wordpress
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