When it comes to metal, I generally operate in the slooow, droney, noisy, bottom-heavy end of the spectrum….so sorry to anyone waiting for the day I post rare Anthrax demos on the site. However, Chicago's Locrian fits nicely within the above mentioned criterion, and first full-length release Drenched Lands, is a satisfying exploration of drone metal. While artists like Sun 0))) (bass) and Jesu (electronic distortion) bring a particular style of madness to the table, Locrian can't be so easily pinned down. Their sound shifts from low-end bellowing to Emergency Broadcast Test tones with relative ease and at times in the same song. The end result could easily have been a clusterfuck of half-ideas, but Locrian pull it off quite well, especially on the longer tracks of Drenched Lands like "Ghost Repeater" and 30-minute bonus track "Greyfield Shrines". In fact, I think Locrian's best attribute is their discipline…the longest tracks are the standouts and their explorations of various drones never meander to the point where you're no longer paying attention. When you consider that this is a relatively young noise/drone band as well, their ability to not stray off-course is even more remarkable. At Locrian's best, the constantly shifting sense of menace they create is impressive, and Drenched Lands has definitely made them a local band I'll be keeping an eye on from this point forward.Drenched Lands is out on May 5 via At War With False Noise/Small Doses
You can catch them live on June 6 at Matchitehew Assembly (Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan)
zShare - "Ghost Repeater"
zShare - "Obsolete Elegy In Lost Concrete"
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