WEAKLING Dead As Dreams (tUMULt) 2lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Finally, after countless setbacks and delays tUMULt is finally ready to unleash the posthumous debut from (and, thus, swansong of) San Francisco's most cult black metal act, Weakling.
This record was cursed from day one, with the gods conspiring to keep it buried and forgotten (not to mention Weakling's initial insistance that only one copy be pressed, and that copy be given to some kid in Europe, and tUMULt's initial plan of burying all the copies, and selling maps, forcing customers to dig up their copy of the record...anyone who wants to get their copy this way can contact Andee here at the store and arrange something along those lines with him). However, we have overcome the production gremlins, and the record is now available!
Despite their local, non-forested, non-wintry origins, Weakling was a band capable of destroying the best Scandinavia has to offer (as this author witnessed upon two occasions, when Weakling had the honor of opening the San Francisco shows by Norwegians Mayhem and Enslaved, and proceeded to make both bands look like punk rockers in comparision!). All this without any of the ignorant posturing or hackneyed corpsepaint of their peers.
Ghastly, anguished vocals and bloodchilling keyboards combine with dual trebly buzzsaw guitars and inhuman trance inducing drumming to create an atmosphere of utter grinding grimness. Weakling draws upon 90's black metal in the Norwegian tradition (especially the raw and primitive likes of Darkthrone, Burzum and Immortal) and then creates uniquely fucked song structures of epic length (20 minutes per, in some cases).
And, like the best music, Weakling also transcends genre. In some ways, 'Dead as Dreams' possesses elements that can be considered akin to the avant garde, experimental creations of the Swans, Skullflower, Steve Reich, or even Yoko Ono. Imagine an extensive, utterly mesmerizing Hermann Nitsch piece, composed for black metal band.
It's a suffocating soundscape of riffing and drone. Subterranean satanic art rock that equals metal. Nihilistic, depressive and never ending.
Featuring Josh from The Champs (new record on Drag City in the fall) as well as drummer Lil' Sunshine from local death metallers Sangre Amado.
This is the super limited double lp version (the cd will be out in three or four weeks). It is a double lp on high quality black veined, red vinyl, housed in a breathtaking black and blood red gatefold. Everyone who bought that Earth LP off the last AQ List should seriously consider investing in this as well, that is if you think you are no weakling. We are not engaging in baseless hyperbole when we say: this should likely be crowned black metal album of the year.
Essential.
