Thursday, August 30, 2012

[Review] The Ocular Audio Experiment - The Witch's Whispering Tomes (pt.1 & pt.2)

While I was wandering in bandcamp searching for new music, I accidentally opened The Ocular Audio Experiment's page. I thought what the hell, give it a chance... Thank god for that. The Ocular Audio Experiment go a little further than the usual stuff posted here since it has nothing to do with stoner or heavy rock (ambiguous term but I have to describe it somehow). They're more close to bands like Brian Jonestown Massacre, Asteroid #4, Black Angels, The Warlocks etc. So it's fucking good music anyway. Maybe I should create a small corner here for more "alternative" or different than usual stuff but then I've to extend day to 34 hours or something like that. 

The Ocular Audio Experiment formed by Alex Pollock about 3 years ago. Alex writes and mixes all of TOAE's stuff. They've released several works which I haven't checked since "The Witch's Whispering Tomes" is stuck in my player for days now. But everything, including the current album, is available for download by naming your price.  

Now let's concentrate in "The Witch's Whispering Tomes". It is released in two parts, featuring different versions of the same 12 songs. Part one is an one hour and a half smoke-blowing, dark and heavy psychedelic voyage. It has everything you loved in BJM, filtered and formed through Alex's personal prism. It's true that there are a lot of BJM's clones but Pollock's project doesn't fit in this category. He has a clear vision of what he wants and how to accomplish it. This is pure hypnotic psychedelia! The swirling melodies befuddle you, carrying you in ethereal, colorful, shady places where all your thoughts and worries disappear in a blink of an eye.

In part 2 you're going to find the exact same tunes as pt.1 but performed by a completely perspective. It's like some kind of sinister psych folk got drenched in a well full of dark roots-country ghosts. It would be a superb soundtrack for a spaghetti Western directed by Dario Argento. The offspring of Ennio Morricone and Goblin fusion. 

At this point I may not have an opinion for The Ocular Audio Experiment's previous works but judging by "The Witch's Whispering Tomes" is one of the best bands I've heard this year. Alex is a brilliant musician who not only created a flawless album (part 1) but he also gave birth to its virulent, twisted brother (part 2). It needs a certain amount of skills for doing it successfully and The Ocular Audio Experiment definitely have them. I don't know about you but as far as I'm concerned both parts of "The Witch's Whispering Tomes" compile one of the best albums of the year.

by Thanos

Tracklist:
01. Mind Carver
02. Pretty Girls
03. Their Majesties' Tapestry Of Gloom
04. Elizabeth's Song
05. Living Doll
06. Honey
07. She Transforms
08. Transcendor
09. Blow My Head Off
10. The Slow Road Through Hell
11. Little Sammy
12. I Remember You



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