LA OTRACINA "Blood Moon Riders" LP on Holy Mountain out NOW!

Cover artwork of the HIGHEST magical order by the wonderful Maura Arraj! An all around aural and visual fantasy experience!

Here is the official label description:

Don't be fooled by the King Diamond-style logo. This liberation of inverted progressive surf rock from psychedelic epithets plays like a fan-fiction account of Dick Dale's meeting with Sonny Sharrock at Amon Dueuel II's rehearsal space to discuss the "post-rock" epidemic. Unlike so many other instrumental soundtrack bands who employ ho-hum, choose-your-own-adventure tactics, La Otracina sticks to the rails of their own twisting corkscrews and spine-snapping dives. This work does not lend itself to the standard-fare apathy of background music. Blood Moon Riders is its own ride, with its own ticket, and the doors are locked after take-off.

Pinch some headphones to your dome and situate the rest of your form into a beanbag as you navigate the fibrous landscape of a black-light poster. The tracks flow from a subtle new-age contingency to violent bouts with Laotian street gangs. Remember to pack a sack lunch and strap on a machete before mounting this electric buck-bot. Don't fret--the intention has always been to crack open your skull or drown you.

You can preview some of the tracks here: 
http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=146578&highlight=146584 ....

This release is available at your favorite hip record shop or online store or from the band for $18 US/$23 World via PAYPAL to colour_sounds@hotmail.com
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REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS

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Raven SIngs The Blues Blog
http://ravensingstheblues.blogspot.com/2009/01/la-otracina.html

La Otracina, wasting no time between releases, have landed back at home on Holy Mountain with Blood Moon Riders.In true form the band continues its mastery of ethereal space rock,stretching billowy clouds of smoke over a terrain of formidably pummeling rock. The band, always a stunner live, has begun to seamlessly translate the expansive qualities of their work to thestudio environment. Their ability to further the current generation of"prog" beyond mere nods to forefathers in the krautrock and psychedelic scenes is unparalleled, with the band folding elements of free-jazz, surf, and ambient music into their sound. Surprisingly this sees theband back off of their recent addition of vocals to their last CD-r,but as usual they are quite adept with an all instrumental arsenal.Thankfully Holy Mountain is putting this one down on vinyl, which only seems like a natural format for a band so deeply entrenched in layered sonics and prog revelry.

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The Ear Conditioned Nightmare
http://earconditionednightmare.blogspot.com/2009/01/la-otracina-blood-moon-riders-holy.html

Just got a nice batch of Holy Mountain releases thanks to Adam Kriney (thanks, Adam!), previously drummer for Owl Xounds but today focusing his seemingly endless supply of energy toward psych(otic) rock unit La Otracina. Having started back in 2003 with long drifts of psychedelic explorations, La Otracina has since honed its approach into something more overtly post-rocky. Fear not though--unlike so many of those technically savvy post-rockers, La Otracina has maintained every sliver of its psych expansionist approach. It's merely filtered it into direct bouts with the form as it bathes in its waters.

The LP opens with the longest track on the record, the over 15 minute "Inner Mind Journey." Starting where the Amboy Dukes' similarly situated "Journey to the Center of Your Mind" left off, the trio pursue vast realms of burning psych rock. Kriney's drums hone in on the same kinds of shapes as King Crimson's Michael Giles without sacrificing himself over to mere technical prowess. Guitarist Ninni Morgia similarly uses his chops to his advantage as he wields shards of burning riffage. Evan Sobel's bass holds the whole thing together beautifully, elastically winding around within the pyrotechnics. The whole thing just goes on and on, never running out of steam as it floats about like smoke curling among the flames. Definitely appreciation and knowledge of their form here too, it's not too far off from the same explosive potential that groups like Flower Travellin' Band and Amon Duul II had.

"Ballad of the Hot Ghost Mama Pt. 1" provides a brief respite from the onslaught of the opening cut as it lightly drifts about in near zephyr-like swells. More like their earlier material, the piece is a total zoner as cymbals build and the guitar's beautifully phased out tones echo across the work's outer parameters. The following "Zunblazer," if the name weren't indication enough, is another entrance head first into total riff dementia. Morgia's guitar opens with vast waves of tone before Kriney and Sobel join in to provide a pulse for the building loop work. When it all comes together, it's total krautrock burner style, unapologetically, head-knoddingly rad.

The second half of "Ballad of the Hot Ghost Mama" comes next, continuing in its first half's direction while building on its feel. A little less aired out than its sister track, it still provides shelter from the all-out onslaughts of the more rocking numbers. Thick wah'd drones undulate about as if they will continue forever. Instead the veer down into the closing "A Drifted Memory," which spends its first half mucking about beneath a thick layer of fuzz, like hearing the middle of some Pink Floyd epic on the very edge of radio service. The second half kicks in with the most overtly proggy bit on the disc. Total riffology as a two chord line is explored and kept aloft by the taught rhythm section beneath. Soon that too dissipates into a cloud of soft warm light that slowly turns to red, then blue, then black. It's a beautiful ending that poises you for another listen. Really nice work from a trio whose sonic potential seems near limitless. 

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Psychatrone Ronedakk Blog
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=33386560&blogID=466072949

More great new sounds from another fantastic band & cool record company! This time it's a real vinyl artifact from Holy Mountain records called Blood Moon Riders,by La Otracina....

Here this hot and heavy band blazes from the start on Inner Mind Journey,not too unlike the Bevis Frond's live guitar work here.  Heavy riffs start out churning and then blast straight into the sky with speedy accuracy,switching back 'n' forth from the "speed riffery" to that churning theme riff for a great 15 minute ride!

Ballad of The Hot Ghost Mama (part one) takes a lighter hand here,with a more Eddie Hazel type of mellow funk-a-psych-en-telechy,...a tease for side two's "part two".  Very pretty,boys,very pretty!

Side B starts with Zunblazer,....and yes it's starts out all sun-staring stun guitar with a pounding drum drive as snakey guitar lines pull you into the mindset of the high desert,that is until the main riff bursts like beams of sunlight into your thirsty brain.
Now it's on to part two of Ballad of The Hot Ghost Mama ,which is another deep space excursion with a bit more of a far eastern sound this time out. Flowing stroboscopic guitar is complimented with rolling drums until the echos take over in something like an Amon Duul burn out/fade out.

The last track here A Drifted Memory is one of my favorites .  That sun-staring shimmer/drone guitar comes simmering out of your speakers like a heat-haze mirage until a speedy riff barrage of desert rock like style lifts you out of your revelry and onto the wings of the music's main theme, flying you along over strange but beautiful landscapes until a sudden crash of effects takes you right into a soundscape of lost time.  Echos and metallic effects along with backwards guitar sound just like what the title suggests,and finally things go right back into that sun-staring trip the track started with!  It's a perfect little trip for the mind.  An excellent ending to a really great album.

Now again I have to suggest that if you like Acid Mothers et al,you go straight out and buy this disc...and of course see the band live too!

Yes,another great release from Holy Mountain too.  Another fine reason to support indie music from cool labels like this one.

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Mentes De Acido
http://www.mentesdeacido.net/discos/l/re-laotracina2.html
Reseña de Sergio Ramos

Con este excepcional título (que no puedo dejar de asociar al western del gran Robert Mitchum), nos llega el nuevo disco de La Otracina, que viene a demostrar la hiperactividad galopante que padecen sus miembros. A su multitud de proyectos paralelos, ediciones artesanas en CD-R, vinilo o cassete y sus coqueteos con otras músicas como el free jazz, La Otracina añaden un nuevo disco con el sello Holy Mountain, responsable de editar esa maravilla que es "Tonal Eclipse of the One", que nos sirvió a muchos para conocer la particular forma de entender la psicodelia de estos neoyorquinos.

Los que conozcais los anteriores lanzamientos del grupo (aquí teneis la reseña de The Risk of Gravitation), ya sabeis por donde van los tiros, pero si hay algo que caracteriza a este grupo es el inconformismo y la búsqueda de sonidos nuevos. A grandes rasgos podríamos decir que "Blood Moon Riders" conserva la base psicodélica y espacial de "Tonal Ellipse of the One", pero sin dejar atrás los sonidos más duros que veíamos en "The Risk of Gravitation", aunque a diferencia de este último, Blood Moon Riders es un disco totalmente instrumental.

El disco consta de 5 temas con un cierto nexo de unión, buscando el dinamismo, sin dejar que el oyente se acomode. Tres temas largos y en medio de ellos las dos partes de "Ballad of the Hot Ghost Mama", más experimentales, con protagonismo de sintetizadores y efectos de eco en las guitarras para conseguir ese sonido espacial tan característico de La Otracina. Uno de los puntos fuertes es la labor de Adam Kriney, batería, compositor y único miembro fijo a lo largo de la historia del grupo. Como batería es capaz de alternar momentos de perfecta comunión con el bajo de Evan Sobel, de una pegada impresionante, con partes más intimistas y experimentales, inspirándose en la batería de los grandes nombres del free jazz (Sunny Murray, Rashied Ali, etc.) y de gente como Klaus Schulze. Sin duda una de los fuertes de este grupo, que no creo que se valore en su justa medida, es esa labor "subterránea" de la batería.

De los tres temas largos, el que abre el disco "Inner Mind Journey" ya contiene los elementos que marcarán la tónica a lo largo del disco: la mezcla de guitarras con sobredosis de reverb, el bajo potente (con mucho fuzz) y la batería pasando con total naturalidad del modo "Mitch Michell" a ciertos toques "freejazzeros"... Por el contrario "Zunblazer", es un "crescendo" continuo, apoyado en unas bonitas melodías sesenteras, que se repiten continuamente. Un tema original que gana en matices a cada escucha. Y cerrando el disco, el plato fuerte, "A Drifted Memory", un corte que comienza tranquilo, empleando efectos de sonido, creando un ambiente de pesadilla para luego explotar y dejar paso a las guitarras. De nuevo la batería sigue ritmos acelerados, no muy comunes en este tipo de música, que le da un toque muy particular y actúa como auténtico motor de los temas.

Esperamos que esta gente no encuentre nunca la cura de esa hiperactividad y sigan buscando el camino arriesgado en su música. Se lo agradeceremos.

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Discos In Auditos
http://www.discosinauditos.com/2009/02/la-otracina-blood-moon-riders-holy.html

Este es uno de esos discos que llega casi sin merecer mencion alguna. Si lo incluyo es por que es muy bueno. Si lo hago con un poco de mala gana es por que no hay disco. No hay material fisico. No veo la portada mas que en el monitor. Hace un par de semanas recibi un sobre pequeño el cual contenia una tarjetita de negocios. Inscrito habia una direccion de internet y un codigo. Conocia al remitente. Holy Mountain Records se especializan en sacar discos de rock bastante experimentales. La primera vez que vi un disco de ellos era el buenisimo Conference of Birds de Om, los ex Sleep. Desde entonce me he mantenido al tanto. Les he pedido discos pero hasta hace un par de semanas se limitaban a mandarme direcciones en las cuales podia disfrutar de su disco pero bien pegado a la computadora. Asi que, pichula! Al menos este codigo me permite bajar el disco, quemarlo y llevarlo al trabajo, o escucharlo en el carro.

Tambien se me antojo reseñar a La Otracina por que sonicamente se asemejan a Serpentina Satelite, a quienes acabo de postear. Numero uno esta es una banda instrumental. Y numero dos son pura sicodelia dura. Lo que si, este trio de Brooklyn se toma su tiempo. Los cinco temas incluidos aca generalmente empiezan calmados y crean una ola de anticipacion que tiene harta influencia ambiental. Algo del guitarreo parece derivar de las guitarras surf, sobre todo en un tema tan bello como “A Drifted Memory” (escuchenlo abajo) el cual comienza timidamente y luego, casi tres minutos dentro, explota en guitarras cristalinas y bateria adoquinada. Los momentos de freakout son cotrolados, y en general hay mucha estilizacion. Todo claro, moviendose en circulo. De calma desconcertante y conmovedora a momentos de rock sicodelico y nuevamente, una calma que parece avisarnos que todo empieza mal y termina mal. O empieza triste y termina triste. Y en el medio, por dentro, esta lo mejor. Lo mas rico. En otras palabras los temas de Blood Moon Riders son como una buena empanada.

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Foxy Digitalis
http://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/reviews.php?which=4041

The LP opens with a punch drunk rock epic that feels as fresh and ageless as the greatest Flower Travellin’ Band sides. A schizophrenic Mise-en-scène keeps you in swathed surprise for all of a rolling quarter hour. A primary set up of guitar, drums and bass play through and off each other with blissful psych surf-rock shapes. This is exciting instrumental rock that quakes the feeble ‘lounge’ musak of so many post-rock protagonists. Glorious arcs of guitar that wouldn’t feel out of place on an LSC March or Bardo Pond (circa Lapsed) jam abound with tireless creativity. Some of the sickest bass formations are driven by the fingers of Evan Sobel, without feeling trite or glam. The sun-drenched energy and unabashed bravado of this group’s sound has me on my knees, praying for summer evenings and crates of ice-pearled beer.

The pace dissolves to an ambient tremble as you feel a sense of relief after the chaotic primary chunk of sound. Eventually flange guitar sounds echo and search your psyche with drifting moments in a fade-out - always hoped for but never quite realised in some of the greatest psych outings of the late 60’s. This is continued into the third movement, and then tranced upwards with a classic pounding drumbeat under bird-like guitar and liquid bass. Some incredibly contorted squeals are heaped upon a relentless percussion. Then all explodes into a head swaying bliss-out that tumbles with a damn groovy bass line and heart wrenching lead that will have you punching the fuck out of the air!

The final track is drenched in slides of experiment feeling like a lost Ghost classic. Reverb drenched hypnotica is jumpstarted after a few minutes with another killer riff that demands body spasms. The ability to shift so comfortably through various styles and tempos, gives this band the right to embrace and deliver post-rock as a term to be proud of. 8/10 -- Peter Taylor (12 February, 2009)

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Bearcast Music
http://bearcastmusic.blogspot.com/2009/02/la-otracina-blood-moon-riders.html
Written by: Sean Hill
Rating: 7.1 out of 10

La Otracina’s new CD "Blood Moon Riders" opens with one of the longest tracks I have heard outside of a traditional jazz or classical piece. “Inner Mind Journey” is about 15 minutes in length and has a fusion or free-style Jazz/Rock sound. They use sweeping chord progressions and computer enhanced sounds to create a fantastical experience. The initial track flows into the rest of the CD creating a sound track for your inter-galactic voyage. It has an improvisational flavor but can sometimes sound repetitive.

La Otracina appears to be trying to create music and mood at the same time. Their style and ideas are interesting but after over 40 minutes of similar sounds their attempt at creating a musical journey beyond or unworldly experience gets bogged down. The “Ballad of the Hot Ghost Mama Pt.1” did little to reflect a ballad or create ghost mama images. The attempt to give the track a ballad sound fell flat because it took way to long to build up to the climax. The slowness of the piece just doesn’t make it a ballad. “Zunblazer” had the key elements needed to make it an outstanding track and its resolution put it as the best track on the CD. La Otracina is not a typical instrumental CD and incorporates many genres to create their own universe. This would not be the sound track I would necessary use for my universe.

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Dusted Magazine
Still Single: Vol. 5, No. 2
http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/815

New album of expansive, expressive space rock by drummer Adam Kriney’s psychedelic outpost. This guy plays in a number of outfits (Owl Xounds being the one you’ve probably heard the most of) but La Otracina is the most instantly enjoyable of the lot; rounded out by guitarist Ninni Morgia – hot shit if I ever heard it – and bassist Evan Sobel, the five tracks presented here jibe with one another thematically, and build upon the past without necessarily sounding much like it. There’s a lot of Krautrock in Kriney’s drumming, and a great deal of finesse through these five instrumental passages, but these folks have managed to develop a voice within the genre, one which pushes beyond mere imitation into delicate, needling guitar passages, confident soloing, and heavy, non-traditional rhythmic bias. Plenty of ideological left turns enhance a rather traditional, familiar listening experience into something memorable.

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The Silent Ballet
http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/2196/Default.aspx

Score: 7/10

La Otracina
are having a bit of an identity crisis, and for the sake of all those
who are happy to aurally wander through scorched psych landscapes, this
review half serves as my effort to talk them through it. Normally, I'm
of the school that says artists owe their fans next to nothing as far
as expectations are concerned. But, La Otracina are a special case
because anyone with open ears and discerning taste, I imagine, would
find it painfully obvious where the strength of this incredible band
lies.

La Otracina have been a quietly prolific
Brooklyn band for a good five years now. Their mostly self-released
discography is quite lengthy and impressive as far as indie cred goes.
I initially turned on to them with their first Holy Mountain release, Tonal Ellipse of the One.
By all accounts this album is absolutely phenomenal, as it blends
superior elements of the psych-kraut-stoner genres with a pinch of
post-rock. It is a relentless asskicker, which left me hungry for more.
Shortly after adding them to my short list of must-hear bands, however,
they announced a shift in gears, abandoning their expansive and
frenetic instrumental approach for a more straightforward riff-chugging
one, with masterful drummer Adam Kriney taking on vocal duties. The Risk of Gravitation
was then self-released, showcasing this new format, and as much as I
tried to stay open-minded, the band seemed nothing but a shadow of
their former glory. The vocals just didn't quite cut it, and the genius
craft of their woven instrumental tapestries was replaced by some
all-too-obvious riff/meander/repeat shenanigans.

Cue Blood Moon Riders, their second Holy Mountain release. These songs were recorded before the songs on Risk, and while they might be considered leftovers from the Tonal Ellipse days, I find them to be like long lost friends coming home. The five songs on Riders
work incredibly well together. Tracks one, three, and five are the
galloping freak-outs that they do so well, while parts one and two of
the "Ballad of the Hot Ghost Mama" serve as spaced out down time for
the listener to catch his breath and pack another bowl. The highlight
of the album is clearly the fifteen minute "Inner Mind Journey," which
kicks everything off. Think Amon Düül II. Think Comets on Fire
at their most punishing, but on more drugs and with more horsepower.
The song winds and twists its way through the cranial folds of an
acid-soaked brain before blossoming into a spectacular stoner boogie at
the halfway point just to fall apart again into the swirling void. The
epic build of "Zunblazer" is also of notable merit. The pounding toms
push the drone further and further until everything explodes into a
majestic solar bliss-out.

Riders doesn't quite reach the high-soaring quality of Tonal Ellipse,
but it is a clear representation of where this band belongs. I don't
know what reasoning they have for abandoning what they are so good at,
but the only analogy that comes to mind is Michael Jordan trying to
play baseball. Sure, we are all entitled to stretch our wings and
broaden our horizons, but, come on guys - for the sake of good music,
keep it together.-Michael Lutomski

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