In 2005, Earth released Hex (Or Printing in the Infernal Method), his first release after seven years. It was inspired by Neil Yong’s score for the quasi-apocalyptic western, Dead Man, the record was an unexpected departure from anything the group, known for their de-tuned, drawling minimalism, had done before. A breathtaking and expansive amalgamation of the band’s rumbling drones with country overtones, it had no precedent and no peer. Though 2007’s Hibernaculum never felt like a proper follow-up (the band re-invented earlier material with its newfound southern rock aesthetic), The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull spell bindingly builds upon, perhaps even surpasses, Hex’s achievements. As brilliant as that album was, it wore its influences on its sleeve, while Lion’s Skull’s musical antecedents are distinctly more difficult to pin down and it feels as if Earth has truly come into its own. Bellied by Adrienne Davis’ jaw-droppingly restrained drums, Carlson’s glacially-paced chords display more buoyancy and flexibility than ever, skillfully playing against guest guitarist Bill Frisell’s warbling attacks, as pianos and sustained organs swell and recede from the roiling morass. Exhibiting a vague gospel influence and infused with a veneer of hope, the album title itself (fittingly a biblical reference) hints at the jewels within the juggernaut, articulated on the uplifting “Hung From the Moon” as well as the titular closing track. Though not skimping out on heaviness nor foreboding density, Lion’s Skull is nevertheless Earth’s most accessible album and also quite possibly their most accomplished. It is a shimmering, ceremonial work of great beauty in service of a terrifying majesty.
-Frank Parisi
Earth: www.thronesanddominions.com
Southern Lord: www.southernlord.com