Wolvserpent - Perigaea Antahkarana

When Boise, Idaho duo Pussygutt reinvented themselves as Wolvserpent with the release of 2010's incredible debut album Blood Seed, it was more than just a mere change of monicker; it reflected their transition from sparse, abstract dronescapes towards a more structured, malevolent sound that put them within the wide-ranging classification of metal, albeit at the outer fringes.

The blackened doom they conjured with that album held me utterly captivated, so much so that it was the very first album that ever moved me to try to put into words what I felt for its haunting, otherwordly ambiance.

Listening to it again many times after my initial review, I don't think I'll ever adequately describe the feelings it evokes, nor the nightmarish worlds it creates within my mind.

When the Perigaea demo became available late last year it coincided with a dark, isolated period in my life, and quickly became my escapist soundtrack, a creepily comforting collection that I would retreat to time and time again. The band's assertion that the demo was only "the early stages and younger concepts" that would inform the finished work, and that it would be "an entirely different manifestation of the ideas heard on the demo" made me eager to hear where they would take what was already an accomplished recording and concept.

The culmination of a two-year writing and re-writing period, with the finished album recorded with renowned producer/engineer Mell Dettmer (Sunn 0))), Boris, Earth), the release of their sophomore album Perigaea Antahkarana is upon us.

Considering that Wolvserpent is comprised of only two members, Blake Green on guitar, vocals, and keys, and Brittany McConnell on drums, percussion and violin, the way they build up the various layers in each song without them sounding cluttered or over-thought is miraculous, and their use of loops and effects pedals to produce such a wide variety of sounds is especially impressive in a live environment.

At 81 minutes this is not the sort of album you'll throw on for some easy-listening, but if you're willing to dedicate yourself to it, to submit to an awakening of your atavistic instincts, it's one of the most rewarding immersive experiences that metal on the more avant-garde end of the spectrum can offer.

Read my full review over at The Sleeping Shaman...

Wolvserpent - Blood Seed

I'd been dithering over whether or not to purchase this record for close to a year. I hadn't actually heard a single note of this band's music before I kinda fell in love with them through their amazing tour diaries over at Invisible Oranges [ http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2010/10/wolvserpent-us-tour-diary-pt-1/ ], they inspired some pretty serious wanderlust in me, so I was pretty interested in them as people rather than as a band.
I delved a little deeper, finding a stream of their, at the time, unreleased album Blood Seed over at the 20 Buck Spin site. My listening environment for this album wasn't exactly ideal, I was playing it on my lunch break at work, the music barely audible over the incessant drone of co-worker phonecalls. But what I heard made me able to tune everything else out immediately. I was hooked.

So for some reason, it still took me almost a year to actually splash some cash on the LP, but damn am I glad I did!

I am a tiiiny bit disappointed that this isn't a gatefold sleeve, only because the design is so well executed that I wish there was more of it. The sleeve has this not-too-glossy finish to it, an ideal showcase for the black abyss surrounding the blood and bone ritualistic cover photo.
The insert is also great, but is stylistically very different. It's an old tintype photograph depicting a river as a hive of activity, steamboats, rowing boats, cavernous mountains... it's kind of eerie.
It just so happens that in this case, the album artwork PERFECTLY compliments the music.

Side A - Wolv
The music slowly filters in, an exercise in ambience, mood-setting, whatever you want to call it. Staring at that tintype photograph as you hear the haunting strains of a violin played against a windy backdrop is... pretty damn fun. If your idea of fun is being creeped the fuck out and indulging in some amateur ativism, picturing yourself within the photo. Goddamn I'm a pretentious prick sometimes. Fight me about it.

A guitar winds it's way in on top of the violin, really clean, semi-acoustic tones. It's got almost a banjo-y twang to it. Again, it doesn't seem out of place against the 'setting' of this record.
I know I said I wouldn't be doing band X + Y comparisons when talking about music, but I really can't avoid this one. It sounds like a less-opressive Earth, particularly their latest stuff, like The Bees Made Honey In The Lions Skull. Though this somehow seems lighter. Sparse. The notes come faster, with more of a recognisable melody, but they have room to breathe? The whole time the violin wails on.

About halfway into the song (oh, I may have forgotten to mention each side of the record is a single track) the amplified guitar makes it's presence known with this sudden screech, and begins a cycle into a groaning, lumbering riff. Without any fanfare, like I only just noticed them, a choral wail has begun in the background.
I realise how ridiculously pretentious I'm making all of this sound, but this really is music to lose yourself in.
It really has this amazing soundtrack-ish quality to it, a real soundscape. I can imagine this being played live over a backdrop of an old silent horror movie.
The riff dooms on, cymbals crash and that despairing choir moans itself towards the end of that side. The riff cycle ends, and it descends into shimmering feedback. I'd be super-interested in seeing how they pull this music off live, seeing as there are only two members in the band.

photograph used without permission from wolvserpent.com

Side B - Serpent
Immediately this track launches back into the haunting choral sound and groaning guitar ambience from side A.
As much as I love the ritual of flipping vinyl, I would love to hear this record as one continuous track, without interruption.
The drone/moan continues up until around one-third of the way through the record when another amplified riff shakes away any audio inertia. This one has much more of a crunch, a kick, and for the first time this feels like something approaching traditional doom. It interjects little... atonal squeals, I think people who know anything about music call them pinched harmonics? Fuck knows, I'm the furthest thing from a musician.

I might not know much about music, but I know what I like, and that is being surprised by music. The riff morphs in an instant to this Pike-esque rumble, this juggernaut (Supernaut?) sound, accompanied by big, splashy cymbals and the continuous tortured screams.
I'm not much of a black metal fan, but sometimes I can understand the feeling people get from those initial recordings, the sense of dread, of coldness. The low drone and high shriek of the vocals on this side give me that feeling. My spine is officially chilled.
The riff continues on, in a pocket all of it's own, the drums locking in with it in their own way.

By the time the album ends, I feel like I've actually... experienced something. I play both sides through again, lost in that photo...

Purchase the LP direct from the band, as it seems it is no longer available on the 20 Buck Spin site?
http://wolvserpent.com
http://wolvserpent.blogspot.com/

And check out 20 Buck Spin while you're at it anyway, they have some great stuff kicking around there
http://www.20buckspin.com/store