Mind (((O))) Reader / Ksyatriya - TRUTH (2014)
This split brings together the Australian doom duo of brothers Rahul
and Trishay Trada as Ksyatriya, and the more drone-inclined and
mysterious duo Mind (((O))) Reader, from Kuala Lampur, which also
features Trishay as half of the creative team, alongside an individual named eXile. Together, they provide one serious space trip.
Mind (((O))) Reader's dronier side starts
off the journey with a strong cosmic sample, and lays down a few more
in the slow and massive stretches of feedback and resonance which
follow it, all of them integrated fantastically into the structures
of the songs. Excellent tonality and wave-shaping reinforce the
psychedelic imagery of the artwork and song titles, while the
addition of some thunderous drums really galvanizes the proceedings
and brings a titanic sensation of power and force pouring out of the
speakers. As their half of the split continues further, some of the
buzz to the guitar is burned away, while the tunes get tightened up
and generally faster, adding to the sense of progression towards some
higher plane. Though that spine-tingling humming edge to the strings
is never fully lost, everything grows to feel sharper and more
direct.
As Ksyatriya pick up things on the
second half, with an approximation of a deep-space vacuum, they build
on the momentum generated by Mind (((O))) Reader, using the
pre-developed tension to underline the menace of the leading
guitar-work before the bass slams into place. That menace is held
onto as they carry out the rest of their songs, with a hard and
low-pitched sonic edge that digs in deeper and deeper. They also
make use of some excellent audio samples, mixed in organically and
very effectively. After some high-power musical violence, the cosmic hum
resurfaces towards the end, washing over everything and draining
everything into a black hole of sound to close out
the voyage.
The split in its entirety is a fairly
large undertaking, adding up to one and a half hours of heavy reverb
and transformation, but it's also an incredibly rewarding one. There's an enjoyable sense of structure to the whole thing, something rarely found on splits, and the degree to which they develop it puts most concept albums to shame. The band has mentioned that a physical release
might be in the works, so we'll be keeping an ear tuned for more on
that. Until then, you can pick up each part at the bands' respective BandCamp pages. Do it!
~ Gabriel
For Fans Of; Ufomammut,
Major Kong, Bell Witch, Ulver, Thergothon
~
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