I recently spoke with a nice Belgian writer from Shoot Me Again. Follow the link and practice your French.
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Peu connu encore par chez nous LOCRIAN gravit progressivement les marches d'une reconnaissance. Le groupe originaire de Chicago n'a pas encore eu l'occasion de venir sur le vieux continent, alors espérons que cette petite interview aidera le groupe à se dévoiler par chez nous, afin qu'il puisse un jour prochain traverser l'Atlantique et tourner en Europe.
More here.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Ordering Update! and André's End of 2011 Thank You's!
Hey everyone,
I (André) just wanted to let everyone know that if you ordered something from us, then your order is shipped and on its way to you now. I'll be out of town until January 1st, so if you order from us before then, your package won't be shipped until after the 1st.
We really appreciate all the support from everyone who picked up something from us this year. If you did order from us, then you rule. I know that I've been sending out a lot more orders this year than any other year before it.
I'd also like to send out a big thank you and happy holidays to all of my girls working at the downtown Chicago post office and for all of the people that I've crushed on the CTA train because of my big bags of packages.
I'd also like to send a big thank you to all of the musicians and labels that we've worked with in the last year in particular and in no particular order: Chris, Sean, and Tracy at Fan Death, Keith Utech at Utech Records, Chris at Profound Lore Records, Rich at Handmade Birds, George at Turgid Animal, Bruce and Annie Adams at Flingco Sound, Daymare Recordings Japan, and anyone else involved with releasing Locrian stuff this year (or next year). Personally I'll also thank Brave Mysteries, and Stunned Records for their work on my solo stuff this year too!
Also a big thanks to Jenks (Horseback); Aaron, Faith, Travis, and the others of Mamiffer; Greg Norman (Electrical Audio), Randall Dunn, and Jason Ward for their work on the upcoming Locrian/Mamiffer album; Erica Burgner-Hannum for her work performing with Locrian this year during a couple live shows and on the "Dort Ist Der Weg" 7"; Denis Forkas Kostromitin, Scott Treleaven, and Brian Ulrich for the amazing artwork; and to all of the other people that we've worked closely with this year! Another thank you to all of the writers who've written about our Land of Decay releases, our Locrian releases, and about creative music in general.
Happy New Year!
-André
I (André) just wanted to let everyone know that if you ordered something from us, then your order is shipped and on its way to you now. I'll be out of town until January 1st, so if you order from us before then, your package won't be shipped until after the 1st.
We really appreciate all the support from everyone who picked up something from us this year. If you did order from us, then you rule. I know that I've been sending out a lot more orders this year than any other year before it.
I'd also like to send out a big thank you and happy holidays to all of my girls working at the downtown Chicago post office and for all of the people that I've crushed on the CTA train because of my big bags of packages.
I'd also like to send a big thank you to all of the musicians and labels that we've worked with in the last year in particular and in no particular order: Chris, Sean, and Tracy at Fan Death, Keith Utech at Utech Records, Chris at Profound Lore Records, Rich at Handmade Birds, George at Turgid Animal, Bruce and Annie Adams at Flingco Sound, Daymare Recordings Japan, and anyone else involved with releasing Locrian stuff this year (or next year). Personally I'll also thank Brave Mysteries, and Stunned Records for their work on my solo stuff this year too!
Also a big thanks to Jenks (Horseback); Aaron, Faith, Travis, and the others of Mamiffer; Greg Norman (Electrical Audio), Randall Dunn, and Jason Ward for their work on the upcoming Locrian/Mamiffer album; Erica Burgner-Hannum for her work performing with Locrian this year during a couple live shows and on the "Dort Ist Der Weg" 7"; Denis Forkas Kostromitin, Scott Treleaven, and Brian Ulrich for the amazing artwork; and to all of the other people that we've worked closely with this year! Another thank you to all of the writers who've written about our Land of Decay releases, our Locrian releases, and about creative music in general.
Happy New Year!
-André
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Locrian "The Clearing" on iTunes Now! For Real
Link here. Some of the meager profits from purchases actually help us to make more music which is cool. Some goes to Apple.
Speaking of Apple. You like blackened visions? Well, read about the blackened working conditions of the Apple employees in China in an interesting article called "I Didn't Mourn Steve Jobs" by Mike Niman.
I often wonder if we should take our music off of iTunes and other digital distributor sites altogether?
Speaking of Apple. You like blackened visions? Well, read about the blackened working conditions of the Apple employees in China in an interesting article called "I Didn't Mourn Steve Jobs" by Mike Niman.
I often wonder if we should take our music off of iTunes and other digital distributor sites altogether?
Monday, December 19, 2011
Skeletons & Candy's Best of 2011: Locrian "Dort Ist Der Weg" 7"
"Technically a 7" release, this is one of the finest releases in any format that I heard all year....." More here.
Still Single on "Dort Ist Der Weg" 7"
"RECOMMENDED
In which we come to that one 7” in the stack that will follow me to the grave … strong words I rarely stand by in the long (or short) run. Liner notes claim that the best side is influenced by Popol Vuh, but David Copperfield couldn’t turn what I’m hearing into Krautrock. Maybe some of you know that feeling when a Kranky release doesn’t have the teeth that you had hoped for. This is the record you wanted to experience. A-side is truly heavy, and the flip is balls-out noisy AND employs “voice” to do so. It’s a miracle the parts created a sum that I’m trying to sell to readers…but for fuck’s sake, this is a solid and forward-looking little record and I just read an equally-confusing review of their full-length in the latest Decibel. Get excited. On black vinyl, letterpressed sleeves, edition of 500. (http://www.flingcosound.com)
(Andrew Earles)"
More here.
In which we come to that one 7” in the stack that will follow me to the grave … strong words I rarely stand by in the long (or short) run. Liner notes claim that the best side is influenced by Popol Vuh, but David Copperfield couldn’t turn what I’m hearing into Krautrock. Maybe some of you know that feeling when a Kranky release doesn’t have the teeth that you had hoped for. This is the record you wanted to experience. A-side is truly heavy, and the flip is balls-out noisy AND employs “voice” to do so. It’s a miracle the parts created a sum that I’m trying to sell to readers…but for fuck’s sake, this is a solid and forward-looking little record and I just read an equally-confusing review of their full-length in the latest Decibel. Get excited. On black vinyl, letterpressed sleeves, edition of 500. (http://www.flingcosound.com)
(Andrew Earles)"
More here.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Tokafi on "The Clearing": Terrifying: Trauma Without Kitsch
"There’s no doubt that Locrian is a group that has mastered the art of imbuing their art with maximum psychological charge. The songs of The Clearing wouldn’t be out of place in a B horror movie or spine-tingling sci-fi flick. That said, the band manages to pull of its sense of extreme trauma without sounding kitsch or derivative of a bygone era of leather jackets and spiked collars. These guys mean every bit of what they’re playing. And that’s terrifying." More here.
I'm really happy that some people are scared by this album, but really, if there's anything to be terrified about it's that Canada has dropped out of the Kyoto Protocol and that the recent agreement on climate change from the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa is weak....really weak: leaders agreed to agree on something later. Too bad there's not much time to avert significant climate changes....you can hear about it on Democracynow.org
I'm really happy that some people are scared by this album, but really, if there's anything to be terrified about it's that Canada has dropped out of the Kyoto Protocol and that the recent agreement on climate change from the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa is weak....really weak: leaders agreed to agree on something later. Too bad there's not much time to avert significant climate changes....you can hear about it on Democracynow.org
Friday, December 9, 2011
Blackened Slugs on "The Clearing"
"If you're into noise, drone, ambient, or even avant-garde black metal, you NEED this release. "The Clearing" is not as disturbing as "The Crystal World", but I love the progression with this LP." More here.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Montreal Mirror on "The Clearing"
Link here.
LOCRIAN
The Clearing
(Fan Death)
Last year’s epic The Crystal World was a true piece of majestic beauty, but instead of trying to rise beyond the watermark, this Chicago trio veers in different directions on this four-song offering. Shades of Ummagumma-era Floyd emerge as opener “Chalk Point” lays down the melancholy and takes its sweet time to unfold. And when Locrian have the legroom to stretch out, on the 20minute drone/psych-fest of the title track, real magic happens. 9/10 Trial Track: “The Clearing” (Johnson Cummins)
LOCRIAN
The Clearing
(Fan Death)
Last year’s epic The Crystal World was a true piece of majestic beauty, but instead of trying to rise beyond the watermark, this Chicago trio veers in different directions on this four-song offering. Shades of Ummagumma-era Floyd emerge as opener “Chalk Point” lays down the melancholy and takes its sweet time to unfold. And when Locrian have the legroom to stretch out, on the 20minute drone/psych-fest of the title track, real magic happens. 9/10 Trial Track: “The Clearing” (Johnson Cummins)
New Reviews for "The Clearing"
For all the Frenchies out there, you can read a review at Shootmeagain.com here
There's also an interesting review at Avantegarde-metal.com:
"I was walking back to the parking lot where I usually leave my car. A free parking lot, away from the city center. Once there, I clearly heard a phone ringing. A high-pitched, vibrant ringing, like those of old fashioned phones.
I looked around. I could perceive I was alone, even if my eyes didn’t reach every angle of the parking area. At first, I wasn’t able to visualize the source of that ringing.
It came from a public telephone, without any booth, fixed on a wall.
I’d never noticed it before.
I knew a blind alley used to lie behind that wall, always deserted and abandoned. Now to use as a dump for the surrounding factories.
I drew near the phone, and took the receiver. "You know what time is it?” – a familiar voice answered, but I couldn’t recognize it.
"I’ve got no watch with me.”
"Sounds bad.”
"Who’s speaking?” I kept perceiving those words as if I heard them before, semantically and physically.
"You know me better than anyone else.”
I started thinking it was a joke. Maybe some worker, hidden in a factory nearby, having fun in front of his colleagues.
I hung up. Few seconds, then the phone rang again. I took the receiver again.
"It’s seven o’ clock.” He told me.
"So?”
"Time flows, G.” He knew my name, and the thing roused my suspicions.
I looked around, and all I could see was parked cars, the covered sky and the darkened windows of the factories.
"Come back tomorrow, it’ll be the same time again. Come back the next day, and it will still be the same time. It’s that what you’re thinking, isn’t it?”
Quite annoyed by the trick, I looked around again.
"I’m behind this wall” – he said – "and it’s up to you, to decide when I can get out of here.”
I hung up. And I went to my car, regardless that persistent ringing."
There's also an interesting review at Avantegarde-metal.com:
"I was walking back to the parking lot where I usually leave my car. A free parking lot, away from the city center. Once there, I clearly heard a phone ringing. A high-pitched, vibrant ringing, like those of old fashioned phones.
I looked around. I could perceive I was alone, even if my eyes didn’t reach every angle of the parking area. At first, I wasn’t able to visualize the source of that ringing.
It came from a public telephone, without any booth, fixed on a wall.
I’d never noticed it before.
I knew a blind alley used to lie behind that wall, always deserted and abandoned. Now to use as a dump for the surrounding factories.
I drew near the phone, and took the receiver. "You know what time is it?” – a familiar voice answered, but I couldn’t recognize it.
"I’ve got no watch with me.”
"Sounds bad.”
"Who’s speaking?” I kept perceiving those words as if I heard them before, semantically and physically.
"You know me better than anyone else.”
I started thinking it was a joke. Maybe some worker, hidden in a factory nearby, having fun in front of his colleagues.
I hung up. Few seconds, then the phone rang again. I took the receiver again.
"It’s seven o’ clock.” He told me.
"So?”
"Time flows, G.” He knew my name, and the thing roused my suspicions.
I looked around, and all I could see was parked cars, the covered sky and the darkened windows of the factories.
"Come back tomorrow, it’ll be the same time again. Come back the next day, and it will still be the same time. It’s that what you’re thinking, isn’t it?”
Quite annoyed by the trick, I looked around again.
"I’m behind this wall” – he said – "and it’s up to you, to decide when I can get out of here.”
I hung up. And I went to my car, regardless that persistent ringing."
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Cokemachineglow Streams Locrian "Chalk Point"
They said:
"Like all of The Clearing, “Chalk Point” has a strong inclination toward the same sort of romantic, organic spirituality that has found success among the recent works of contemporaries like Wolves in the Throne Room and Sunn O))). Along with lots of other notable bands either confidently emerging or honing themselves in captivating fashion this year, Locrian are staying true to their title and keeping things dissonant not only in literality, but also by crafting accomplished examples of some of metal’s most interesting new permutations and by strongly exemplifying 2011’s ringing challenge to the standards of the genre. The euphoric ruination Locrian puts on display here is all but guaranteed to ensure a continued evolution full of engaging metamorphosis." Read the rest here.
"Like all of The Clearing, “Chalk Point” has a strong inclination toward the same sort of romantic, organic spirituality that has found success among the recent works of contemporaries like Wolves in the Throne Room and Sunn O))). Along with lots of other notable bands either confidently emerging or honing themselves in captivating fashion this year, Locrian are staying true to their title and keeping things dissonant not only in literality, but also by crafting accomplished examples of some of metal’s most interesting new permutations and by strongly exemplifying 2011’s ringing challenge to the standards of the genre. The euphoric ruination Locrian puts on display here is all but guaranteed to ensure a continued evolution full of engaging metamorphosis." Read the rest here.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Servile Sect & Cedars of Lebanon Tapes OUT TODAY!!!
Link here.
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Artist: Servile Sect
Title: Demos 2005/2006
Format: Cassette
Catalog Number: LOD 022
Edition Size: 100 Copies
Artwork: Kevin Gan Yuen
Mastering: Zz
Track Titles:
Side A: Manifesting Starships to Destroy the Vatican (14:49)
Side B: Nouranihar/Kings of Saturn (14:58)
Artist: Cedars of Lebanon
Title: Archive II
Format: Cassette
Catalog Number: LOD 018
Edition Size: 125 Copies
Members: A Couri, Jamie Drier, Mikey Ricketts
Track Titles:
Side A
1) Lament (4:35)
2) Place Me Underneath My Mother’s Breast Underneath the Cedar Tree (8:25)
3) I Was There At The Moment of the Beginning (9:31)
4) Nerves (14:22)
Side B
1) At The Grasp Of Death We May Sing (7:37)
2) Opium Tone 2 (24:25)
Monday, December 5, 2011
New Reviews for "The Clearing"
From The Sleeping Shaman:
"Allow me, if you will, to get esoteric and mystical on your collective ass. Indulge me. Listening to The Clearing within the wider context of Locrian’s career thus far puts me in mind of the Qabalistic Tree Of Life." more here.
"Allow me, if you will, to get esoteric and mystical on your collective ass. Indulge me. Listening to The Clearing within the wider context of Locrian’s career thus far puts me in mind of the Qabalistic Tree Of Life." more here.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Attn Distros Re: Locrian "The Clearing" LPs
A bunch of people have been asking us about where they can pick up "The Clearing" LPs for distro. Looks like Revolver has copies in stock so please get in touch with them or order it from their site at http://www.midheaven.com/item/the-clearing-by-locrian-lp
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Doommantia on "The Clearing"
There is a lot to be said about what passes as "experimentation" these days. Black metal bands are the quickest to call themselves experimental and then when you hear them you get nothing but cheesy noises and bland sound effects that sound like they were made by a 3-year-old in mommies' basement. Then you get the other end of the spectrum, bands that take the "experimentation" angle and actually do something with it that is interesting to the listener. Locrian are one of those bands, they are a band that shows their influences often but use their "experimentation" to take it to a whole other level, creating something that is uniquely theirs. The sound on their latest album 'The Clearing' is ominous and cold and full of suspense and truly frightening moments. The band blend drone, noise, doom, ambient, black metal, and electronica and make soundscapes that build in atmosphere and never lack cohesion. More here.