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Krieg: The isolationist / Ash Pool: For which he plies the lash

21/12/10 || Khlysty

Seeing as I’m probably the only staffer in GD who displays an active interest in USBM and considers it as a very interesting and important sub-sub-genre in ze Vorld ov Metal, I decided –after getting the “go” from da Lord- to offer you a double entendre, as we, francophones like to call it. This double review is about the newest records by Krieg (whom I suppose everyone at least knows of) and Ash Pool (a band that I think that no-one really knows about in GD).

Why do I do this? Well, I suppose, because I can. But, also, because I think that it will be interesting to juxtapose Krieg, who represent everything that’s tr00 and kvlt and grvm in USBM, with Ash Pool, a duo that comes from a totally different environment (that of noise/powerviolence) and adds a coupla twists to the tried and true formula of black metal, and see what comes out of it. Like it? Good for you. Don’t like it? Tough, ‘cause I’m gonna do it anyway, although I’ll try to be as concise as possible.

Well, then, “The Isolationist” marks the return of Krieg after a sabbatical N. Imperial (a.k.a. Neill Jameson) took from his main band, to work on other stuff/projects (N.I.L., Twilight, et al). Anyway, Krieg, to me, has always been one of the really real proponents of classic black metal in America and on “The Isolationist” they seem to return to the sound known and revered by quite a few nekro-painted duders all around the world. Listening to this record, I was impressed by how “norwegian” Krieg sounds, from the relentless blasting and in-the-red tremolo-picked guitars, to Imperial’s hoarse rasp-screech-scream.

So much so, actually, that when the band tries to insert some elements of tribal/ambient music into the maelstrom of trad black metal that seems to be their basic m.o., the effect seems totally jarring and it takes a coupla listens to really settle in. I mean, Krieg sounds like a frothing-in-the-mouth, nihilist-to-the-bone preacher of all that’s trad and classic in black metal, and outside influences seem, at first, to be extraneous and irritating. All they seem to need is stamina (for the constant blasting), time (the songs are quite longish, so as to create the proper atmosphere) and venom (properly and fully provided by Imperial) against humanity. Do they achieve their goals? Damn right they do. Are their goals worthy, though? Well, keep that for a bit later.

As far as Ash Pool is concerned, whereas Krieg is the written-in-blackened-stone application of da rulez of black metal, these guys seem to enjoy nothing more than twisting and turning which way said rulez. If you wants a good description of what Ash Pool sounds like, I would gives you this recipe: boil a coupla human bones, big ones with lotsa marrow in ‘em. Now, add to the stinky broth –liberally- a hefty dose of powdered black metal. Let it simmer for awhile. Add a big handful of punk (preferably a mixture of hardcore and d-beat), stir lively, put the lid on and let the shit boil for a few minutes. Now, add a goody pinch of fresh death metal and a small pinch of noise, stir again and turn the fire up. When the soup turns blackgreenredgrey, take it off the fire and throw it on the face of unsuspecting listeners.

“For Which He Plies The Lash” is –I know that this sounds improbable, but that’s how it is- a playful and quite catchy take on black metal. Of course, if one’s a dyed-in-the-wool tr00-grvm-nekro-kvlt type of fan, one’ll probably hate the sound that Ash Pool goes for, but for the discerning listener the band offers quite a few moments of brilliant experimentation within and/or without the black metal parameters. Of course, this whole stew is a bit difficult to swallow, since the songwriting, while smart and generally interesting, ends up being uneven: genius at moments, duller than shit at others. It’s only normal, though: when you try to cram so much info into a certain finite framework, sooner or later said framework would start leaking. So, do Ash Pool achieve their goals? Damn right they do. Are their goals worthy, though? Well, time to answer that for ‘em and, also, for Krieg.

In my opinion, both bands represent the two sides of the same blackened, twisted and scarred coin: Krieg goes for tradition, while Ash Pool for experimentation. Krieg respectfully and capably apply the dictums of black metal, while Ash Pool seem to enjoy turning them inside-out and round-round-round. Krieg is the chilly, frosty, nihilist face of black metal, while Ash Pool is its Joker side, full of twists and turns and experiments and –intentionally or not- hooks. Anyway, the bottom line is that, while both records are not the best shit black metal has to offer, both are quite enjoyable listens, each one with it own merits. So, either with the veterans or with the new guys, USBM still has interesting shit to offer. Which one would one decide to put one’s money on, well, that’s one’s own choice. Anyway, both records get a…

7,5

Information
Krieg
Released: 2010
Label: Candlelight
Website: Krieg MySpace
Band
N. Imperial: vocals
Joseph van Fossen: guitars
Wrest: bass
Chris Grigg: drums
Ash Pool
Released: 2010
Label: Hospital Prods / Tour De Garde
Website: Ash Pool’s fans MySpace
Band
Dominick Fernow: vocals, guitar
Kris Lapke: drums

Information
Tracklist Krieg:
01. No Future
02. Photographs From An Asylum
03. All Paths To God
04. Ambergeist
05. Depakote
06. Religion III
07. Blue Of Noon
08. Decaying Inhalations
09. An The Stars Fell On
10. Remission
11. Dead Windows
Tracklist Ash Pool:
01. Holocaust Temple
02. A Sacrifice Consumed By Fire
03. Big Bang Black Metal
04. Porcelain Cancer Spear
05. White Dwarf Death Mask
06. Dancing Death Masters
07. Moon Rose Over Sobibor
08. On the Rings Of Saturn Adam And Eve Conceive Cain

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