Review Summary: Earth's second volume of the "Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light" series is an oasis worth striving toward.
Earth began in the early 90's as the droning musical project of guitarist Dylan Carlson. It was actually an offshoot of doom metal with its elongated guitars and epic runtime. But after Carlson's 1996 release, he disappeared into the drowning ether for personal reasons, only to return in 2005 with a
slightly new musical direction. On
Hex; Or Printing in the Infernal Method, Carlson retained the droning aspect, but with less distortion and more twang. Suddenly, Earth had moved toward an old-time "country"--if not even ancient--feel to its grand sweeping hums.
Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II is the second part of a series of recordings that only adds, rather than detracts, from the ongoing legacy of Earth's drone doom. But, like Carlson's other work since 2005, what little traces of metal Earth once held has mostly been done away with (except maybe for the deep chords struck on "Waltz (A Multiplicity of Doors)"). Instead, the
Angels of Darkness series carries a distinct country twang and a blues-like rumbling bass.
Angels I and
Angels II were recorded together around the same time, so there really aren't a whole lot of differences between these two albums.
II feels like an honest and true continuation of
I, but what the first album had that the second doesn't are the stylish crescendos and <i>near</i> bombastic moments, which gave the first album its memorable dissonance.
II tends to stick squarely on droning without much fluctuation, which could easily make it ring hollow as it plays unnoticed in the background, or just as easily give a sincere sense of minimalistic comfort that only the most resolute musicians could provide.
Percussionist Adrienne Davies expands to more than just a simple kit. Brushed cymbals, auxiliary rolls, and timpani-like strikes pervade the track straight from the mysterious opener "Sigil of Brass" to the slow fading of funky closer "The Rakehall." Just like on
I, strings play a large role alongside Carlson's guitar twangs and slides. Cellist Lori Goldston's melancholy strings bumble along with Carlson in a complimentary fashion, continually rising and falling accordingly. And while there aren't nearly as many crescendos as in the first volume, "Waltz (A Municipality of Doors)" showcases Goldston's hand with free-form jazz in a chaotic whirl of vibrations, which resonates because of how it breaks the mold in the midst of all the droning.
Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II feels like a desert---a cool screenshot to a dreary western film. But the album's quiet approach is like an exhale or a continual hum; it's peaceful, yet always mindful of itself. Classically conscious, metallically influenced, and titillatingly built on heartfelt blues and old-time country, Earth's closure to the
Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light series is an oasis worth striving toward.
