SOLID WOOD REVIEWS (no promos were sent out)
.by Stephen O'Malley
Petrified piece of slightly harmonic ridden postrock lain dissonant in the feedback fields. Nice gatefold sleeve with abstraction polarizing the audio.
.by Jukka Matilla (Degenerate zine/Stumm)
After the rugged feedback fest of Solid State, the Gateshead/Newcastle Upon
Tyne based four-piece Marzuraan return with Solid Wood to solidify their
position as the underdog of the post-drone/noise rock/crawl core scene.
Solid Wood reveals yet another perspective to Marzuraan's unique sound with
the emphasis switched from mind-piercing feedback and monolithic repetition
of riffs to a more harmonic and brooding approach. The warmer yet
undoubtedly equally heavy sound can be experienced throughout the first two
tracks Punch the Goat and Beating Them Off with a Stick where the sluggish
rhythm, softly overdriven guitar and pulsating bass create a hypnotic
texture, contrasted by the tortured and necroid vocals, sounding like the
inferno of passed away black metal vocalists in one man. Bad Flange makes a
brief return to the feedback driven punishment of earlier Marzuraan
recordings and definitely represents the most ominous and tormenting moments
on this album. Nice Wang fills the final minutes of Solid Wood with a
seemingly soothing atmosphere of melodic guitars yet eventually the
intensity grows and reaches its climax with just the final gasps of the
delirious vocals remaining.
By friend Chris Alpino:
finally, i got my hands on the new MARZURAAN 'solid wood' LP released by Kult of Nihilow (US buyers take note that Shifty Records is carrying the LP for $14 which may be ppd and is the cheapest i've found it thus far). now, truth be told, i haven't played the 'solid state' CD in quite sometime, so i can't really compare the two albums, but trying to describe this will be somewhat hard. to begin, the vocals are somewhat tortured which contrasts sharply to the music. the music is among a slow/ mid- tempo style of dirge doom with lots of melancholy melodies and lush passages strewn through out. while maybe not as heavy and crushing like some of their contemporaries, the varied, hard to explain style definitely sets them apart. i hear hints of Black Flag and Bl'ast! like riffing in a few songs, albeit devoid of either band's up-tempo exuberance. the production is pretty raw with an overall warm feeling which i dig. the liner notes state it was recorded live in the studio on a 100 budget with no overdubs. despite those facts are given, it should be noted this sounds far and away from that of a demo recording. packaging wise, Kult of Nihilow aren't really ones to go cheap on packaging and this one, while not as carried away like the Boris 'the thing that soloman overlooked' LP, has a nice, bi-fold rear cover with both sides of the sleeve adorned with somewhat psych looking art. the record is housed a black, polyvinyl lined dust sleeve and the simple, one sided insert uses a beautiful spot silver ink. i'm not quite sure as to how many were pressed, but knowing KON, there's probably 600 or less copies out there (all i believe on black wax). one nice surprise was to see my name on the thanx list... definitely threw me off, but it was much appreciated. i can only assume it's because Pete (guitarist) and i have done some CDr trades in the past and talk regularly via email. so props for the props, haha. so to sum it up, if you're getting bored of what some doom oriented bands have to offer these days, i'd point you in the direction of this LP as it's one of the more varied albums i've heard in recent times.
From Aquarius records catalogue:
A brand new black hole slab of metallic tar from Marzuraan, part of the NWOSMDGS, aka the New Wave of Slow Motion Doom Grind Sludge!!! Taking their sonic influences from the holy trinity of Boris, SUNNO))) and Earth (specifically Earth 2) and taking their name (presumably) from pre-Khanate outfit OLD, the UK's Marzuraan deliver their own brand of doom drone. With a raw, very live sounding production, Solid Wood deviates a bit from the recent spate of sludge releases, as Solid Wood infuses its slow motion apocalyptic dirges with mournful melancholy melodies, warm washes of guitar, and a darn near post rock shuffle. A lot of Solid Wood sounds like a heavy metal Codeine, or a seriously beefed up and tuned down Low. Sure it's crushing and heavy as fuck, but it's also dreamy and blissy as it lopes lazily through a haze of thick guitar and dense sonic reverberations. Occasionally the crush outweighs all else. but more often than not, this is one of the dreamiest prettiest pummellings we've received in a long long time.
Exquisitely packaged (as wilth all things Kult Ov Nihilow) in a strange gatefold half-sleeve, with a striking silver ink on cardstock printed insert and a full color poster.
Few words from Julian Copes head heritage:
The Newcastle University show (Wednesday 22nd February) will showcase Marzuraan, the Tyneside proto-doom band whose first album SOLID STATE (Traqueto Records 007) featured a fabulous cross-shaped package designed by Sunn0)))s Stephen OMalley. Although that debut was excellent, look out for their brand new (and even more highly-achieving) new LP SOLID WOOD on the Finnish label Kult of Nihilow (Kult 12), which descends into then occupies a sort of rural Khanate territory, more outdoor than Dubin & Co.; and features a truly delightful centre-opening LP sleeve like that of Ash Ra Tempels 1971 debut.
SOLID STATE REVIEWS
From Aquarius records catalogue:
Chances are, you probably haven't heard of the UK's Marzuraan. But if Earth, SUNNO))), Khanate, Boris, Corrupted, Eyehategod and others of that ilk mean anything to you, then you will probably want to add Marzuraan to that illustrious list of low-end, slowed-down, heavy-as-hell heroes. This is the band's debut cd from last year, that we recently tracked down in enough quanity (we hope) to list. Marzuraan wear their influences on their sleeve -- quite literally, in fact, as this disc comes in a nice cardstock package that folds out into a cross, designed by none other than Stephen O'Malley of SUNNO))) and Khanate. And the band's name is derived, we're pretty sure, from song by James Plotkin of Khanate's old band, OLD. So, no surprise then (only expectant satisfaction) that this starts off (and continues) in doomy dirge mode, heavy and sludgey, definitely very Earth-like, but live-recorded at high volume for maximum murk and grit and distortion. The proceedings are mostly instrumental, although what sounds like the snarl of feeding zombies breaks out at least once, to terrifying effect. Could almost be a battle between the vocalists for Caninus and Hatebeak!
Mainly, though, these folks are all about crushing you with their droning ambient metal riffs, as helped along by the sparse plod of the drums, and the constant presence of feedback, feedback that reaches a pinnacle on the third track "Martian Dub". By the end of the disc, though, Marzuraan have also gotten into some really nice lo-fi, distorted post-rock psychedelia, that then freaks out into an improv frenzy at the finish... Five tracks, one full hour. The raw production really works for this (they're not quite the Doktor Kettu of doom-drone, but close). We'll certainly be on the lookout for a limited edition (of course! argh!) double LP from these guys which we're told is upcoming.
Marzuraan "Solid State" CD from www.aversionline.com
7/10 - [Traqueto]
I believe this act is from the UK, I assume named after the OLD track of the same title, and the Stephen O'Malley layout is certainly indicative of what's in store here. The disc comes in a nice digipack sleeve that folds out from all sides into the shape of a cross with tons of busy layering of tight line art, deep reddish purple coloring, abstract imagery, a repeated woodcut image, and one panel with significant texts (I'm not sure what it represents) crammed in so tight you can barely read through everything. It definitely has the O'Malley aesthetic, as does the band's pulsing, droning, Sunn-esque heaviness. Each of these five compositions (averaging about 10 minutes or more apiece) was recorded live in the studio, which isn't a circumstance to cringe at when it comes to this stuff. I actually find this disc to be more interesting and effective than much of what Sunn has done more recently because it's hypnotic and loose but still has enough of a structure to latch onto and follow, not to mention there are some superb melodic moments that have a bit of a Godflesh undercurrent to them. For the most part expect bashing percussion alongside thick and massively sludgy detuned guitar/bass instrumentation (you can't really differentiate much between the two it's so dense). To change things up the drumming does let up at times in that the hits get softer and even sparser (needless to say the tempos here are damn slow), and the guitar/bass chords also slow down and break apart at times, leaving lots of breathing room. "Death Dirge Has Come" is a fitting title for track in which the distortion is so thick that the chords break down into fits of feedback as they sustain forth, not to mention introducing some borderline ridiculous "vocals" that could very well be hyper distorted samples of barking dogs or squealing monkeys (my money's on the latter, these sounds ain't human). Admittedly I find these textures to be the weak link in this piece but thankfully they don't make a return on the rest of the disc. There are a few more ambient moments where the sounds emitted become less obviously derived from stringed instruments, but these passages aren't too commonplace. "Feel My Need (Vengeance)" is one of the most melodic (still subtly) and ambient tracks, and actually my favorite on the disc, as is closer "Reoccurring Nightmare", which uses a lot of riffing in higher octaves than most of the other rhythms, bringing the thick melodies farther to the forefront. Despite being recorded live everything sounds fine. My only small gripe would be that the disc could stand to have been mastered a bit better to secure a louder output volume, but the dry percussion sound and open, resonant mix work well. It's on the overly thick side, and certainly has a certain gritty luster, but of course that makes perfect sense when it comes to this style. I'd wager that most any fan of Earth, Sunn, and that whole droning sludge quotient would be into this. In my opinion this record is stronger than most of Sunn's later work, so I would hope that these guys will get the proper amount of attention from that audience despite possessing significantly less "name power" (which shouldn't matter in the least).
Running time - 60:08, Tracks: 5
[Notable tracks: Feel My Need (Vengeance), Reoccurring Nightmare]
Marzuraan-Solid State CD from www.daredevil.de
Seems that Ambient Doom is on the rise. After Sunn and Earth the next big thing in the huge Doom universe. I must say I like the guys of Marzuraan more than Sunn, cause theres a lot of cool slow riffing going on and if I say cool slow riffing I mean the real heavy riffs....not to forget the feedback carpet Marzuraan is laying. This CD is like an A-Bomb in your mind...first the explosion and a then the contamination of your brain. Five looooooong tracks are waiting for the fan of sad downtuned heaviness...sick stuff, but so damn goooooood. If you like the above named bands...you cant do something wrong. All this in a cross shaped cover designed by Mr. OMalley...do I have to say more.
Motherfucker Brutal music spitzine
http://mbms.tomnetweb.com/
Marzuraan is a Drone band from England , and drone is pretty damn fucked up to listen to unless you are an elephant with a heart that beats 4 times a minute.Now, this type of music may not be fast nor brutal in a common sense, but it is damn perverted and ill and it really hurts to listen to.Sorta like it's brutal what this music does to the listener's mind than how brutal it really seems like.There's 5 tracks on this disc and i doubt any of the five lasts under 10 mins.I could probably compare the sound of Marzuraan to the Melvins Bullhead era, but this really only goes for the sound.I hear these guys are even slower than EARTH.There ain't no vocals here at all...just sick and slow music that , only on the last track , becomes more groovy in the semi-Black Sabbathesque way, not to mention that , by the time you get to the last track , you'll get really fucked up in the head.
So , I bet this shit "looks" really weird when you're on real badass mocca hash.
It's for fans of stuff out on Southern Lord aswell as the Melvins of course.
I need to swallow a whole pack of aspirins now...
From www.hellridemusic.com
Marzuraan is deep drone from the UK, made loud to be played loud. The band is a four piece, and Solid State is their second official release. Followers of Earth, Loop, Sunn and Godflesh take note this is a band and a record you dont want to miss.
Marzuraan originally formed as two piece by guitarist Pete Burn and bassist Lee Stokoe. This early incarnation of the band was more experimental and sonically abrasive, releasing a five track 70 minute record entitled Mammuthus in 2002. The band has since expanded its ranks to include vocalist Stu Ellen and drummer Rob Woodcock, and Solid State is the product of recordings done in early 2003. Ultimately, this kind of stuff is like Marmite (beef extract spread for toast), golf, or Adam Sandler movies youre either down for life or sprinting in the opposite direction. Drugs help.
The record opens with the 16 minute droner GMT, a snail-paced excursion that unfurls slowly and hypnotically. The deep overtones are pure-Earth, however given the more traditional band format at work, it lands a little closer to Sleep territory as it lopes along. A great opener that progresses deliberately before laying itself to rest like a wooly mammoth in a tarpit. Things get truly interesting on the second track, Death Dirge Has Come, where vocalist Stu Ellen finally appears, shrieking like a hot soldering iron has just been applied to his ghoulies. Ive heard some extreme vocalists in my time, but Ellen takes the cake. It truly has to be heard to be believed. The only non-simian comparison I can make is EYE from the Boredoms.
My favourite track on Solid State is Feel My Need, a more melodic track that suggests mid-90s post rock like Tortoise re-imagined by more grim minds. One small complaint is the crescendo of Martian Dub I gather sonic terrorism is the goal here, but the abrupt shift in levels had me reaching for the volume. Given the sick minds at work here, this is probably no accident.
Overall, I get a sense that Marzuraan is a band to be experienced live. While the guitars and bass lay down a beautiful, warm drone, I found the drum sound on Solid State to be somewhat lacking. Too much cymbal, not enough bottom end. As the recording sounds live off the floor, I cant be too nit-picky in this regard its a common difficulty in the everything louder than everything else world of extreme music that something inevitably suffers in the mix. A promising, enjoyable release all the same, with unbelievable packaging designed by Stephen OMalley.
From Load of Noise #2
Marzuraan Solid State
(Traqueto)
Since these were going to be doing a split with Manchesters own Atavist I knew this would be heavy and most of all SSSLLLOOOOWWW. Marzuraan are named after an Old song and deal in long dirges greatly inspired by the Southen Records roster and it is worth noting Stephen O Malley handled the artwork for this release. Im no expert on this style of music but this reminds me of Boris in its ability to evoke vacuums of space by constructing songs that last well over the ten minute mark. Solid State is a zero gravity journey across a lunar landscape filled with fuzzing guitars and filthy feedback. All the tracks were recorded live and I think this is the best way a nothing becomes lost in the phase of production. Closing track Recurring Nightmare is my favourite, sounding in places like 5ive and with some increase in tempo (!) and guitar lines that resurrect you from the previous hypnosis.
Review by John Pegoraro (StonerRock.com)
Cool! This CD unfolds into a cross shape! Thats always a good start, even if I havent yet been able to get the damn thing to fold back properly. Of course, the last CD I had that unfolded into a cross shape was Danzigs Danzig II: Lucifuge, which, while good, wasnt something that got a ton of repeat listens.
So how does Solid State fare? Not too bad, if youre a fan of the long, drawn out noise drones favored by bands like SUNN O))) (speaking of which, Stephen OMalley designed the cover). The album sounds pretty live, with sparse, pounding drums and bass, and guitar that creeps up from the murky depths. The second track, Death Dirge Has Come, ends with what sounds like monkeys howling in rage. After a crawling sonic pummeling, its a jarring way of ending a song. The feedback that ends the following track, Martian Dub, is jarring as well, but in a more irritating way.
They recover with Feel My Need (Vengeance), although by this track Im wondering when the vocalist listed in the credits will make an appearance (he does throughout, but with spoken words, and theyre as sparse as the rest of the music). Its still crushing, and almost comes close to being an actual song. The last song, Reoccuring Nightmare, is probably the best of the lot. The droney atmosphere of the previous tracks is still there, but theres also progression to the music.
Like SUNN O))), this isnt going to be for everyone. But for those who take the plunge, you could very well find enjoyment in Marzuraans noise. As for me, this is another CD in a cross shaped booklet thatll get only the occasional play.
Words from the fanatics:
I'm still playing track 4 from the "SolidsTate" CD every day on my way to
and from work. Its massive. I love the whole album but tracks 4 and 5 really
cap it off, they expand into a kind of noise-drone prog mantra, what Rush
might have done had they taken more drugs and had less technical ability.
Hahahhaaa. It actually reminds me of Wishbone Ash: it doesn't SOUND like
Wishbone Ash at all but the way that semi-melodic guitar builds and builds
is very reminiscent of the way Wishbone Ash used two lead guitars to put
some dynamism and grandeur in to their songs. Everybody should own a copy of
"Argus", if only for the cover.
- Chris Walton
Inspired post-jaded hard sounds in the noiserock format. Quagmire of suffering. Not for the faint of God or country, Newcastle UK. Great album
- Stephen OMalley
Punishing necro-drone from Newcastle! The most evil band the north has ever spewed out, even more so than Venom and they wore spikes and leather. Five tracks of slow, painful drone that incite contemplation of why you are on this planet! Dense, rhythmical drone that betters the new Sunn record feel the pain!
-Alastair Mabon
Crushing!!! Ive had this album since the end of August and it still hasnt left my stereo. HAIL MZ!
- Blaine Gay for Marzuraan Elsner
Marzuraan Mammuthus : cd
I remember reading a description of a show performed by Earth lynchpin Dylan Carlson. On this enigmatic occasion all he did was lean his guitar up against his amplifier, walk offstage, and let the damn thing feed back for forty five minutes or so.
And this anecdote is all too relevant.
Five songs in over seventy minutes. Two bass guitars. Nothing else. Nothing. Just tectonic drones that slowly creep from the speakers like the ice age that killed the mammoths adorning the cd sleeve. Seismic throbs and measured squalls of feedback. Notes low enough to make you shit your own stomach out. Scraping noises that sound like one of the guitars is being recorded as it is dragged down a shadowy dirt road. Oppressive and claustrophobic. No riffs. No songs. Just a constant homage to the gift of drone. A record that leaves the lasting impression of a dentists drill slowly grinding into an infected molar.
Reference points: Earth. Sunn. The last track on Godheadsilos Scientific Supercake album. The theme being music for people who listen to music as some sort of punishment, rather than for pleasure or escapism.
So all hail to the new lords of the anti-rock. Bow before them, and let them stave in your idiot skull with the noise that they have created. It will be painful, it will be drawn-out. And you will not be smiling as they do it.
Added: October 29th 2002
Reviewer: Alex Deller