Pyramids – Pyramids[Hydra Head; 2008]
What happens when the metal dude sporting black cloths and corpse paint locks horns with the meek looking dude trying to emulate Kevin Shields circa 1990? Well, after the alcohol is exchanged and persona's loosen up, then your answer is the wicked sounds of Pyramids.
Pyramids' sound is defined by a bunch of friends getting together, exchanging record collections and pulling the best bits out and throwing them down in the studio (or basement, which is most often the case these days). The end result is the band's debut self-titled affair.
'Sleds' sounds like the Animal Collective trying to put their spin on Boris' 'Farewell' with moody layers of sound and wavy undercurrents at the helm. The proceedings move into a different direction from here, with 'Igloo', 'End Resolve' and 'Monks' soaring with layers of white noise while being backed by a rhythm section that wouldn't look out of place in the black metal community.
A Place To Bury Strangers created the sin of throwing their eggs into one basket. This is where Pyramids prevail. They've pilfered sounds from a wide array of influences and have conformed this with layered textures and evocative soundscapes, culminating in one big cluster-fuck. Listening to Pyramids is like getting taught by three different music teachers at once; you just don't know whether you're coming or going, which is the whole beauty of it.
By Simon K
No comments:
Post a Comment