Throne

Album Review

When the press materials compare the band to "a group-groped Helen Keller too drugged out to protest," you know it's going to be hard to assign a rating to the album. Also when the liner notes consist of nothing but a citation to a Bible verse (Daniel 7:9 — "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head was like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire"). And also when the album consists almost entirely of the droning sounds of damaged synthesizers, tortured samples, and twisted guitars, occasionally punctuated by unexpected thrusts of rudimentary rhythm. The album's most interesting track is the first, "Jrone (Three)," which features the eerie vocals of Caitlin Cook as well as floating fragments of chimes, bells, guitar feedback, and one-note bass. This is the kind of music that really resists analysis or critique — either you respond to it on a visceral level, in a way that has nothing to do with craft or form, or you give it about one minute of your time before moving quickly and nervously on to something else. And yes, it's on the Load label — how did you guess?