Yellow Swans

The heavily churning, intensely coarse, totally psyched-out Portland-based power electronics duo Yellow Swans have released a pile of limited-run editions, both by themselves and with obscure labels over the years, all with a "D for Dreamed, Drowned, or Die,” for instance, preceding their name. Psychic Secession marks the second occasion for losing the "D,” and it means serious album business for the second time around. Providence’s always-kicking Load Records offer the home for wide release this time around, having remastered the album from its "noisier” (Load’s quote) Australian release last winter, the first ever by Numerical Thief. Where Bring the Neon War Home, the Swans’ more beat-driven "debut” (for steady rockers Narnack), barrelled over listeners with blast beats and flaming war horses, Psychic Secession prefers to slowly build up steam, drawing out its menacing compositions (and occasional harsh growls) with the pacing of a soldier who derives special thrills from time spent in the shit. Contributing to the duo’s masochistic plans for creating these living infestations of abrasion are, as per usual, a host of other big guns, including Christina Carter (of Charalambides) and Yume Bitsu chief Adam Forkner (who produced the especially acid-cooked "I Woke Up”). Four long-ass tracks of smack from a duo cruising hard with wickedly gelled creative strengths in hand.