EIGHT BELLS

This one is my second meeting with the band. Mason Jones' and Melynda Jackson's long-time collaboration for SUBARACHNOID SPACE ended in 2003. I still count their live album 'These Things Take Time' among the best space rock efforts I am aware of. More of an exceptional one though because this band is basically known for a heavier post rock/post metal orientation based on crushing walls of guitars, sometimes reminding me of Isis for example. Melynda Jackson moved from San Francisco to Portland in 2006 and gathered a new crew which recorded 'Eight Bells' in best tradition. This album doesn't get out of line. Good news for all die-hard fans ... which probably also includes that you can get it on vinyl - hence relatively short as for the approx length by implication.

Soaring guitars all over. That's what I meant when mentioning the term 'tradition'. Lilith starts as an uptempo heavy rocking thing with a hard working rhythm branch. The guitar walls are escalating to high altitudes, not really overbearing though, provided with a special sense of dramaturgy. Hunter Seeker is my favourite for the album's crown because they leave the obvious heavy paths for some time with a long ethereal spacey middle part. The crew offers a wonderful melancholic mood here, impressing! The experimental weird Haruspex probably can be weighted as bombast trance initiated by samples which are recorded at a zoo I assume.

Bird Signs now seems to concentrate all the band's power at the end. As it is with many albums - you have to listen more than once or twice in order to feel the kick. Which means they don't offer plain noise here which was my initial impression ... no, when really getting involved you'll meet a well accentuated heaviness which owns melody, which is rather enjoyable. Subtle elegancy - 'Eight Bells' is a rather ambitious effort. Interesting for fans who are feeling comfortable in the space/post/stoner rock hunting grounds.