Locrian

Locrian's new seven-inch is a further move in the direction of epic post-rock. The stars align perfectly here as the band create a dramatic cosmology rather than a simple set of songs. Like a Beckett play, the EP's two tracks are two acts in a grand existential movement towards nothingness. "Dorst Ist Der Weg" is a melancholy, melodic number in the vein of Helms Alee. The song is a cover of German electro-prog band Popol Vuh, known for a heady avant-garde sound and contributions to a number of Werner Herzog soundtracks. Locrian's "Dorst Ist Der Weg" is a bigger, thicker, more contemplative song than Popol Vuh's original. The track moves slowly, building upon a repetitive riff towards a sublime abyss of dismal screams. If "Dorst Ist Der Weg" is a contemplative movement ending in disintegration and incoherence, "Frozen in Ash" is the resulting fragmented chaos. With little more than a series of echoing screams and droning feedback, the track is a sea of sonic waves. As if offering a nostalgic glimpse of a previous world, the song's trembling dissonance breaks near the end, offering a faraway-sounding acoustic chord progression. This seven-inch proves that Locrian are a trio to be reckoned with, creating some of the best heavy cerebral music around.