WhiteHorse - S/t [20 BuckSpin - 2007]This double disk set shows the different sides to these Australia purveyor's of doom; going from coarse, brutal and grinding doom with black metal edges, to spacey overloaded with noise/improvised tendencies, to grim harmonic rock/ country elements, to more expansive, mystical & atmospheric dark ambient side roads. Packaged in a fitting black on card cd gatefold- it brings together rare and never releashed material. With two long 20 minute plus live tracks, that cover all manner of ground. and surprisingly for this kind of bit’s and bobs release it flows well together as a whole with all of the material been worthwhile in it’s own right too- there’s no filler to be found here. Both disks clock in just near the hour mark, with the first disk featuring two rare track pervious released in a ltd form on conspiracy records and, one unreleased track The unwelcome return that clocks in at just over 22 minutes of atmospheric, creaking, and brutal doom tour- with noise and electronic elements weaved in and out of the track in bleak and penetrating grim wonder. Disk two takes in two live twenty mintue plus tracks recorded in 2004. The first track west of sun starts with building grim melodic metallic riffing & spacey dark psychedelic guitar craft, making a hypnotic sound journey that sometimes dips into all out improvised freak-outs. Later on vocals are added into the stew as the pace really picks up, there great sandpaper dry growls that are bounced around the track by effects peddles. Lastly we have Oceans Turn to Black, which is more vocal heavy and crushing, with a nice feedback fuzzed sound quality through-out. The riff here has quite a punky doom feel, It drops down half- way into recent Earth like country clear guitar melodies patterns which slowly build up strength and feedback once more to drive in to oceans of jagged guitar craft. All in all a very rewarding double disk set that show’s doom at it’s most creative and varied. Roger Batty
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