Silverwingkiller start off with unaccompanied, delicate female vocals before strange electronics filter through, then BOOM. Like an atom bomb, it suddenly becomes incredibly loud and crushing, like Melt Banana gone grime. It just jumps from one style to another. When the drums kick in with a syncopated rhythm, they remind me of Shy Child. It then goes gabba hardcore. In places, there are eerie John Carpenter-esque horror electronics backed by tectonic shaking bass. There's 90s style Josh Wink techno mixed with J pop. There's Gary Numan style industrial pop meets shouty punk. There's sick Dead Prez style dubby beats. I'm reminded of early 90s Prodigy in a few places too. It's a crazy mix for sure but the beats are hard enough that it all kinda makes sense.
I discounted Liturgy as hipster black metal for quite some time, mainly because they were on the indie rock label, Thrill Jockey (even though Bobby Conn was on that label, and I love Bobby). When I finally listened to them, I realised how wrong I was. This was heavy, challenging and avante garde.
Haela Hunt-Hendrix opens the set with spiritual vocal acrobatics and she sounds in good voice. This is looped and layered to create an eerie yet hypnotic choir which becomes more anguished. They blast into waves and waves of noise which is like an amalgam of black metal, noise and math rock - black math anyone? It's both dizzying and exhilarating. There are tons of riffs and time changes. The band have incredible technique yet it isn't about the notes they play, it's more about the overall effect. It's a cacophony which ebbs and flows like the tide and the overall effect is like you're drowning in a sea of noise. 'Hajj' has a bulldozing, hypnotic power. All the songs are lengthy but nothing overstays its welcome and the whole set seems to be over in a flash.
Liturgy ****
Silverwingkiller ****
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