Warthur Ground zero for the drone variant of doom metal, Earth 2 is a seminal fusion of the doomiest end of metal with a grungy sort of ambient music, to create a musical soundscape in which guitar riffs last forever and extend off into the horizon, going to who knows where. Like the best ambient albums, it's equally good as music to listen to with your full attention and as a background piece which fades into and out of your consciousness. Not for everyone, and certainly after I'm done listening to it I find I'm in the mood for something faster, but anyone with even a mild interest in drone metal will want this one.

Conor Fynes 'Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light I' - Earth (6/10)

A metal band with a characteristically un-metal sound, it can be swiftly agreed upon that the American drone music ensemble known as Earth has made quite a shift in their sound over the years. From their early days as pioneers of the burgeoning drone metal scene, Earth has now gravitated towards a more cinematic, psychedelic sound, which some might even liken to post-rock. With Earth's latest output, the band makes little change in their overall sound from the previous album, so while fans of the band can expect no derivation from the existing course, 'Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light' maintains the quality of their minimalistic, atmospheric drone, although the stylistic repetition and consistently relaxed nature of the album will no doubt lead to some listeners zoning out before long.

True to the title, 'Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light' deals with parallels; opposites. Despite a generally relaxed, chilled sound to the album that runs throughout the hour or so of music here, Earth does it in such a way that there is always a slightly unsettling, lingering element to the sound. A pleasant groove may be followed along, and suddenly it will meet a strange chord change, a chilling moment of guitar feedback, or added flourish that gives the experience quite a bit more than merely listening to the same repetition over again, as many might think when first hearing the band. It is through this that the album becomes very listenable throughout, although it's true that the album does wear thin after about halfway through. While the first couple of songs are quite interesting and still sound fresh, the album generally starts to lose its steam as the songs get longer. This culminates in the closing title track, which is far too listless and long, ultimately feeling as if it ends the album on a very weak point, and could have been left off of the album entirely.

From the first song (and highlight) 'Old Black' onwards, Earth does not stray far from their granted course; even two minutes in, the listener will know what to expect for the next fifty- eight. Slightly distorted guitars slowly and carefully craft textured riffs that really know how to build well, overtop very relaxed and minimalistic drum work. Throughout much of the album, the use of cello is heavily used to add an extra layer to the sound, an element that Earth hasn't used so generously before this. The sum of the parts ends up sounding like a cinematic soundtrack to a post-apocalyptic Old Western.

Earth may do what they do to perfection, but it's the lack of variety that really does the album in. While it may be the perfect piece of music to crowd around the bong with, a more intent listen goes the show that it is about twice as long as it should be. A relaxing journey this is indeed, but if Earth insists of making a long album, they must warrant it through the music.

Pelata Beginning life in 1991 as an ultra-heavy, distorted, Drone Doom band, Earth created some of the most mind-numbingly massive instrumental music on the planet. As the years went on Earth found itself developing a few more textures & different tones, yet the band has lost none of the atmosphere it has always been known for. Virtuosity be damned, Earth is all about minimalistic mood creation.

2008′s The Bees Make Honey In The Lion’s Skull is another glowing example of the band doing what it does best…creating moods. The music made by Earth, then and now, is much more about perception and influence surrounding the listener with a vibe than anything else. This is music that can transport you…that can move you…than can calm you…that can energize you. It can make you close your eyes or clench your teeth. It can soothe you and it can frighten you. Words like “atmospheric” and “ambient” get tossed around so much they almost become meaningless, but they’ve never carried more meaning than when describing Earth.

There are many, many bands creating music in this genre. But there are few who do it with the conviction Earth displays. 7 tracks, 54 minutes, of droning, melodic excellence. Ignore this, and you’re ignoring art.

J-Man Descent to the Zenith

Over the years Earth has been a pioneer of the drone/doom genre, and with each new release they've been shifting their sound again and again. Although I jumped on the bandwagon pretty late with these guys, their newest effort, Angels of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1, should undoubtedly please followers of the prolific act. The repetitive and dreamlike trance that characterizes the entire album isn't nessacerily my preferred listening style, though it's hard to deny quality like this. Angels of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1 isn't a flawless album, but it's many positive traits make up for most of the drawbacks. Fans of the much heralded The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull will definitely want to check out Earth's latest opus sooner rather than later. This is a difficult album to approach, and not essential for casual Earth listeners, but it's certainly a unique experience that I've enjoyed taking part of.

Although Earth is often considered a metal band, there are absolutely no traces of metal on Angels of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1. The music here is a repetitive, yet still complex, mix of instrumental blues, post rock, avant garde, and jazz improvisation put into a drone-sounding melting pot. Although not my favorite genre of music, this is a unique, one-of-a-kind album that transports you into another world. My biggest complaint here is that there is a bit too much repetition, almost to the point where I completely lose interest. A good 15-20 minutes could've easily been cut off the album, especially from the closing title track, which, at over 20 minutes in length, is way too long for music this repetitive and dreary. There are some great songs here, however, that definitely boost my enjoyment factor. Songs like "Old Black", "Father Midnight", and "Hell's Winter" are all great, if a tad monotonous. The compositional aspect here relies heavily on repetition and simplicity, but it is often effective and enjoyable. The musicianship and production are both highlights of the album; both are professional and very well-done.

Conclusion:

Angels of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1 isn't an album that I'll put on often, but there's enough quality music here to satisfy fans of Earth and their ever-evolving sound. This is a good album to listen to with the lights off and volume set high. It's not something you can absorb in a casual listening session, nor is it something that's easy to grasp on first spin, but it can prove to be a rewarding experience in the end. 3.5 stars are well deserved for another high-quality release by Earth. If my personal tastes trended more towards the style of music presented here, I could definitely see myself going with a higher rating.

Haze Earths second album, Earth 2, is a hypnotic masterpiece. A genre defining piece of drone metal, responsible for a legion of followers, and the creation of a whole new field of dense escapist metal that was paired back to it's most elemental core. Three tracks, played ultra slowly and spread out over an hour, Earth 2 is an essential work that manages to combine the experimental work of avant-garde minimalist composers with Black Sabbath. Originally released on Sub-Pop in 1993, Earth 2 was essentially unmarketable, but has become a clear cult favorite since. Even the Melvin’s at their height never played anything this slow or this heavy, it’s as ambient as Brian Eno’s early work, and yet heavier than anything that came before, loaded with feedback, fuzz and the magnificence of doom and grimness played as slow it is possible to play. This is mainman, Dylan Carlsons’, masterpiece, he’s gone on to make further Earth albums, and these too are magnificent, although very differently focused. You can’t better this. Without this there would be no Sunn O))), no Corrupted, No Black Boned Angel… the list goes on. Earth 2 gave everyone an excuse to slow it down, make it heavier and to just breathe. Essential.