Dead Angel

This release is interesting for all sorts of reasons. To begin with, it's a side project of Michael Page (better known for his involvement in Fire in the Head), and it also doesn't hurt that, on first glance, the sound is obviously influenced by classic drone-rock bands like Skullflower. Closer listening reveals, though, that Sky Burial, while sharing some of the droning sound of its more well-known predecessors, has a much different (and far less rock-oriented) spin on the shape of sound. As the band's name suggests, Sky Burial is less about rock-related drone and more about swirling, dark-ambient funeral processions. The six tracks (with titles like "To Mock A Killing Bird," "Distant Dissonance Disappearing," and "Frostfire") span a bit over 45 minutes and sound less like individual songs than movements in a longer and more epic piece. Dark and rumbling, filled with carefully-selected hypnorhythms buried in the ambient clouds of sound, and well worth hearing. There are times (especially on "There Are Dragonflies at Dawn") that make me think of Cold Electric Fire, at least in terms of the tonal color and juxtaposition of sounds. Needless to say, this is a swell, swell thing. Note that this silkscreened cd-r is limited to 150 copies and comes enshrouded in a stiff paper sleeve of sorts (with pix and liner notes) inside a heavy hand-sewn canvas pouch.