Locrian- Rain of Ashes (Basses Frequencies 19, 2009)

Locrian have been busy boys this year, putting out nine new recordings on various formats (!!!), but they decided to save the best for the end of the year. “Rain of Ashes” is a powerful and ominous album which brings together elements of electronic drone, atmospheric black metal, scorching noise and ambient aesthetics to create some masterful dark atmospheres. While the album is comprised of two long tracks, “Rain of Ashes” and “Sehsa Fo Niar”, both tracks are tightly-woven, passing from atmospheric sections to more melodic guitar sections fluidly and with a good ear for building tension and release, which is a trait sorely missed these days. “Rain of Ashes” builds out of snaking Fripp-like guitars meld with electronic pulses and mantra-like keyboards, while “Sehsa Fo Niar” is a noisy mound of backwards loops that slowly unwinds like one of those tea flowers, revealing the same keyboard mantra hiding underneath. I hesitate to use the phrase “Terry Riley-like” to describe these keyboard parts because it seems to be the hip new music critic term to use to describe any hackneyed “drone noise” band these days (New York Times, anyone?), but Locrian actually taps into that otherworldly hypnotic trance state of which Terry is the master. Constantly building, destroying, and evolving, these two epic pieces are the strongest thing I’ve heard from Locrian yet, and I for one am looking forward to hearing more from them in 2010.

Some new Ear Bleed stuff on the way, including a new Cryptids tape , plus a reissued version of “Veil” with new & improved sound and artwork. New radio podcast coming soon, too.

-Ian Earbleed

The greatest mutant prog band in existence. There’s lots more videos floating around on the youtube, but this should give you healthy dose of stratospheric vocals, heavy beards and Christian Vander’s cyborg drumming.

Ear Bleed has moved to Madison, Wisconsin. More releases and gigs soon once we’re settled…

Ear Bleed is back in town, lots of new and old stuff headed your way soon.

Here’s a couple out of print cd-rs from Andy Crash:

Fedral Reserve

easy street ep

Andy’s newest album “Waiting for Nothing” is still available from Ear Bleed for $5. Did we mention it’s amazing and contains a bunch of Hank Williams covers? And comes with an awesome color mini-poster drawn by Andy himself?

New Cryptids CD-r out on Layaway Butch/Ear Bleed Records:

Cryptids- Kosmische Cryptids (Layaway Butch/Ear Bleed)
A collection of assorted Cryptids works from the vaults, 2007 to present. Shimmering drones, heavy tribal freakouts and a whole lot of blissed-out cosmic kraut music from the wrong place and time. Email earbleedrecords at gmail.com about how to get one of these. Only two copies of “Mabuse” left, so order these fast.

Some pictures from the Yellow Crystal Star/Child Bride/To-Night Golden Curls/Cryptids gig:

Yellow Crystal Star

Child Bride

To-Night Golden Curls

Cryptids

@ Robinwood Concert House, Toledo.

Two new cassettes from Ear Bleed:

Cryptids- Mabuse (EBR18)

If the last couple Cryptids releases were a little too droney or mellow for you, don’t worry, this one’s about as mellow as an icepick to the earlobe. Mountains of misanthropic churning violin ultraviolence, drugged synths melting in the sun and tortured screams coming out of the air vents populate the landscape of this tape. “Der Spieler”/”1000 Eyes”.

Andy Crash- Waiting for Nothing

Andy Crash is one of NW Ohio’s most original and unique musicians, and we’re very happy to be able to put out a tape by him. Inspired by tales of the hobos, yeggs and drifters that used to ride the rails, Andy brings together originals, covers, and timeless folk & country songs together in his unique style. Somehow Andy links the songs of Hank Williams, Flatt & Scruggs, the Velvet Underground and Snoop Dogg into a unique vision of American loner folk music. Comes with an awesome color poster by Andy Crash himself. Probably the coolest thing we’ve put out.

Both of these are $5 each, if you buy both of them you’ll also get a ton of other Ear Bleed stuff. Better do it soon, though, because I will be going on permanent vacation in mid-May. Send paypal money or an email to earbleedrecords@gmail.com.

Still have a few copies of the following:

Cryptids- Veil

Ripped Krampus II- Mothbleed: Death’s Gonna Die CD-r

Father Yodorowsky & the Spirit of 666- El Dopo

$5 each, send an email to earbleedrecords@gmail.com to snag one before they’re gone.

New tapes coming very soon.