i know, i know. too long between posts. i’m back with a vengeance and blah blah blah. the truth is, i’ve been spending way too much time trying to be this guy.
more soon.
karol doom.
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i know, i know. too long between posts. i’m back with a vengeance and blah blah blah. the truth is, i’ve been spending way too much time trying to be this guy. more soon.
Dec
21
2009
SHORT FILM: field tripPosted by: karol in films, non-fiction, tags: animals, city life, common folk, corporations, interviews, non-fiction, politics, short film, torontoFORMAT: Digital DIRECTED BY: karol orzechowski SCREENINGS: coming soon… For more information about field trip, please see the mini-site.
Dec
19
2009
REVIEW: Salome - s/t LPPosted by: karol in music, reviews, tags: impending sense of dread, metal, music, reviews
![]() It’s become something of a common conceit in certain strains of metal: slow = doom. For the most part, I agree. Slow does indeed equal doom, and the slower and more sludgier the music, the more doom is conjured.
Still, it’s worth considering that maybe, just maybe, tempo isn’t related to some sort of a sense of approaching evil, or ever-present evil, or even a past evil lurking in the recesses of our collective memory. Maybe the slow and sludgy pace of doom metal can simply be an attempt to draw aural attention to the space between notes, the dynamics of a snare drum and bass drum, the hiss of a cymbal hit with ferocity. Or maybe I should shut up and put on a black t-shirt (sure, I have plenty) and get evil.
Salome’s self-titled LP opens with the sound of a TV, or a radio, or some other form of media white-noise (black-noise?), and a decidedly un-metal riff being played. Maybe we’re hearing the sound of Salome guitarist Rob Moore noodling on his guitar as he watches TV. Within :30 he moves to the jam room and the opening riff of “The Vivification of Ker” starts playing, completely obliterating everything in it’s path. Enter Aaron Deal on drums, taking his sweet fucking time, letting us hear every open hi-hat hit and every ride bell ding ding ding. And then Kat starts singing.
To call Kat a vocalist is to completely undermine her ability to make yr blood simultaneously boil and turn to ice. She manages to be guttural without sounding like it’s put on, like so many other metal vocalists. Her vocals are anger, fear, dread, and yes, doom, all in one. What is she singing about? With no lyrics to guide me, it’s hard to tell, but I think if I was pressed I could make some educated guesses.
With all of these pieces in place, Side A of the LP is a must for fans of Black Sabbath, early-to-mid era Melvins, and 16th century woodcuts of torture scenes. Things go from slow, to double time, to slow, to SLOW. Side B of the record, the 22-minute monster track “Onward Destroyer” begins with a slow (!) and swampy riff that unfolds and mutates over the course of the first eight minutes, and then returns to its original form. Kat’s vocals here are especially terrifying. This song, too, contains my favourite two moments on the record. At about 13min and 17min, the song’s main riffs disintegrate into a squall of controlled and sickly harmonic feedback, some of the best I’ve heard. Ever.
All in all, an amazing record. And I think it’s worth saying again that I don’t think slow necessarily equals doom, especially here. There’s a horrific and hideous aspect to these songs, sure, and that’s part of the aesthetic. Still, I think it’s worth saying that maybe it isn’t so much that these songs are slow and therefore doom-laden, as they are unhurried and therefore meditative. I won’t go so far as to say this is trance metal, but there is a deliberate and measured approach to the performance of these songs that makes them far more vital than other doom that I’ve heard.
Dec
18
2009
PHOTO STORY: Toronto BLOCK THE TORCH! Rally…Posted by: karol in bloggery, non-fiction, photography, tags: anarchism, city life, corporations, impending sense of dread, law enforcement, media crit, non-fiction, photos, politics, protest, surveillance, toronto
this blog post is pieced together from my recollection and documentation of the fast-moving events from last night. for a more articulate and complete retelling, check out the official torch block blog. also, for an eyewitness report from someone who wasn’t actually a protestor, but who provides some good insight, check out nealj’s livejournal entry. PLEASE NOTE: reposting of photos is welcome, but MUST be credited - “photos by karol orzechowski / decipherimages.com”
Dec
17
2009
REVIEW: Cartel - Cycles CD…Posted by: karol in bloggery, non-fiction, reviews, words, tags: bullshit, impending sense of dread, music
I tried to warn them. When I got an e-mail from Wax Records asking me to think about doing some giveaways for the new Cartel album, I replied very frankly: “i only review vinyl, and i only review stuff i like.”* They sent me four Cartel cds anyway. I can’t review this record. Literally, I can’t review it, because I just can’t listen to it. I get about :30 into it, and I break out in hives and get a nosebleed. I think I’m physically allergic to it. The reason I only want to review things I like is because, really, no one needs bad press, and I don’t have time to write about things I don’t like. I’m sure some people will think the Cartel album “rocks” or “rolls” or “doesn’t fuck yr ears with razor blades.” Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. So I’m gonna leave this one to the experts. I am not an expert in pop-punk (?), and I don’t have the knowledge to place this record in its historical context. And hell, even if I could, I’m not sure that I would want to spend an hour of my time trying to do so. I’m busy like that. So, to be honest and fair to Wax, I’m gonna do some giveaways. I’m doing a double giveaway! I’ve for four (4) copies of the new Cartel album / hi-tech plastic drink coaster “Cycles.” Whoever can write to me first and tell me why they love or hate Cartel, will get a copy / coaster. Trust me, this is an excellent album / coaster. If you love pop-punk, yr gonna shit yr pants over the slick awesomeness of this album (especially the first :30 of it). If you hate pop-punk, yr gonna love how awesomely this plastic disc works to keep yr coffee table drink-ring free. write to me at everyoneisdoomed {AT} gmail {DOT} com p.s. no links in this post. if you really care, you can find the links yrself. *This was a bit of a dodge. I don’t actually review anything. But I’m starting today. |