Khanate (pronounced Con-Eight) was born in Manhattan Autumn 2000 after an initial meeting between James Plotkin/Bass (OLD, Scorn, Atomsmasher, Death Ambient, Trifid Project, several releases on Kranky, Relapse, Rawkus and other labels under his own name and in collaboration with various other individuals) and Stephen O'Malley/Guitar (Thorr's Hammer, Burning Witch, Sunn O)))) administered a necessity to survive the sorely missed bleak aura of suffering evoked by the departed Burning Witch. Plotkin arranged vocal torture courtesy of Alan Dubin (ex-OLD) with whom he had been working together in the proto-dirge unit Shadowcast during 2000 (along with ex-1 drummer Jason Corely). Tim Wyskida (Manbyrd, current drummer in Blind Idiot God) blessed the group with his hammers and Khanate became solidified.
- Southern Records
During winter-spring 2001 Khanate recorded and produced their self titled debut in studio necrodrone8negatives, with final mastering by Mathias Schneeberger (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Goatsnake). The sounds can probably be described as the next step down the mentally unstable ladder from Burning Witch. Ultra gravitational hellish brooding black doom metal with inhuman vocal constructs. Well, something like that......
Shortly thereafter an agreement was drawn up between the unit and Southern Lord Recordings of Los Angeles for a 2 album contract.
A particular of Khanate is Dubin's relentless vocal assault lying somewhere in the realm of early Die Kreuzen and such venoms. A unified purpose of bottom end wave structure and sound as physical onslaught drives Khanate. Tortured cries collide with the music's low-end, gut-wrenching aggression. Each note is used to create forceful brutal impact.
A testament to Khanate's strength. Most recently Khanate had been using producer Martin Bisi's studio for rehearsals (also the rehearsal space of Blind Idiot God). Unfortunately it was lost after only two sessions after driving a fuming Bisi out of the building because of volume!
KHANATE IS RAW ****ING POWER, SUBMIT OR BE CRUSHED!!!
That last line rings particurly true. Ive never heard a band as debilitating as these guys. INcredible slow, distorted, depressing doom metal. By slow, I mean very slow. The song commuted probably has about 10 guitar chords in the entire (20 minute) song.
Which brings me to my point in this review. The point being, why? This is music that is incredibly depressing and claustrophobic. From the opening of commuted to the ending of the CD over an hour later, this does nothing but depress you. The vocals are interesting, but Alin Dubin seems like a one trick pony IMO. The songs all sound the same. The drumming is mostly completely random, and the songs go on with no end in site.
This is music set to a bad acid trip, and like a bad acid trip, it goes on with no end in sight.
1/5.
