Furze – Reaper Subconscious Guide (Agonia Records 2010)

I’m a complete fiend for anything that’s called black psychedelic and doom, so when I heard that this one is a Black Sabbath influenced “black psychedelic doom” project by the cult Norwegian black metal act, Furze, I couldn’t resist investing the time into this one. Along with a massive Sabbath love, I really have dug Furze over the years and listening to this one I can say that this shit blows my fucking mind!!!!!

For starters, Furze is solely Reaper and here he steps away from his usual raw and cryptic Nordic old school for sludgy lysergic riffs and contagious grooves, man…this thing just fucking smokes. There’s a warm rumbling vintage hum throughout the tones of all of the instruments including a Goddamn Glockenspiel!!! This release is just so trippy that it makes me envision wild occult themed orgies as seen through a swirl of turquoise and tangerine haze, sort of like parts of the brilliant Venus in Furs. In fact, this would be a great soundtrack to that flick, as here you get the acid fuzz and weird murderous/supernatural ambience of the film with an incredibly groovy “oomph” that is heavy enough to make your chest feel like there’s an pink elephant sitting on it as you gasp for air in amazement as this album glides all over your body and mind.

Special care has been taken to capture the true Sabbath essence through recording on only high quality analog equipment dating from the 1940’s to the 60’s and 70’s and it shows, this thing is really heavy and thumping all the way. Two versions will be released: one being a very rare purely analog (A-A-A) produced LP which is absolutely essential for experiencing this one properly, and a (A-A-D) produced format for cd.

One last note: there’s still raw elements of Darkthrone-like black metal in some of the riffs and tempos so don’t be surprised to hear some scathing parts encrusted with distortion within these tracks. This will appeal to doom, prog, heavy psyche, sludge heads so don’t pass on this release, from “Earlier than the Third Might of the Cosmos” through to the final “Essential Wait” you will hover and glide subconsciously without a pause. One of my top picks of 2010 and absolutely essential period!!!!!!!

http://www.agoniarecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/blackpsychemetal