In 2005, Dylan Carlson returned to the helm of Earth to release Hex: Or Printing In the Infernal Method, an album that subverted everything fans had come to expect of the intense drone group. Swapping ear-drum-thrashing feedback for cleaner pitches and vaguely country overtones, Carlson’s leviathan repetitions took on an emotion-stirring dimension that could be difficult to extrude from earlier, less focused albums.
Hibernaculum follows the path laid by Hex by offering three reinterpretations of earlier Earth tracks in the same style as well as “A Plague of Angels” from a tour-only split 12” with Sunn O))). Opening with the haunting “Ouroboros Is Broken,” Earth wastes no time chipping away at listeners with a gnarled phrase made even more knotted with the addition of Hammond organ clamor, trombone swells, and belly to the ground bass guitar lines – the full force of which sounds primed to open the gates to the underworld.
As with most tunes, Carlson forges new progressions with a clean-toned lead on “Coda Maestoso In F (Flat) Minor,” which is followed by the band’s room-filling accompaniment. By the time Carlson’s mourning vocals ring out, visuals of an arid Western front, vultures picking apart a corpse, and other harsh realities of the desert fill the mind.
“Miami Morning Coming Down” is the EP’s prettiest piece, pairing Carlson’s somber yet curious guitar arrangements with a matching piano line, a kind specter hanging over the listener’s shoulder. The inclusion of “A Plague of Angels” is sure to piss off SunnO))) collectors who hoped to have an exclusive Earth track, but this epic piece is a must hear for all drone fans, even those not willing to shell out the big bucks.
Included with the EP is the Within the Drone DVD shot during Earth’s 2006 European tour, offering rare (if poorly executed) interviews with Carlson as well as live footage from the tour. Hibernaculum is sure to be enjoyed by anyone who picked up on Hex, and perhaps the album previews what is to be Earth’s continued direction.
– Steve Mizek
Earth (Southern Lord Records)