Skinwalker ‘Abyss’ Digital EP 2014
Skinwalker are a drone/ doom band from the US. They make occult music, inspired by all things paranormal and that was something that I find very compelling. I have taken my time digesting this album and I’ll take you along on my findings.
The journey begins with ‘Book Of Law’. This is a track influenced by the ways of High Magic. A spaced out drone emerges, occasionally interspersed by glittering soundbits and supported by heavy synths. I imagine a dark universe before me, where every now and then a short flash of light breaks through. I sense the formlessness of chaos and the potential it holds. I almost feel I can form this into anything I desire with my Will. After some minutes the voice of The Great Beast is heard. Every Man and every Woman is a star and so are you and so am I. Aiwass be praised and likewise so Hadit! Love is the law, love under will. Hail Babalon!
For the track ‘Nightshade’ the band has made an attempt to capture extra dimensional beings on tape, using the EVP’s they got by using paranormal research equipment and mixing them into the track. There is a steady uneasy drone, swelling, retracting and interlaced with a lot of radio crackle and static but voices emerge from the hiss. These ghastly sounds remind me of Dutch cult act Apator. The overall feeling of this track is one of unease and listening to this on headphones could cause serious paranoia and anxiety attacks.
‘Seer ’deals with telekinesis, telepathy and mind control and I think more so about how it is being used by the media to dumb us down. A hypnotising metallic drone causes the air to vibrate differently than before and gruesome vocals break through the noise. Here a sense of terror almost takes hold of me. Luckily I have a trained mind, but this is some strong mind altering and fear inducing sound that is manifested here. Around four minutes in a sample of a guy preaching against television kicks in. He works for television and speaks about how they tell you whatever you want, how they fill you with their lies. A strong sample that not only gets a point across but also fits in perfectly.
‘Terminal’ is about endtime prophecies. A heavier drone sets in and a slightly deformed voice speaks to us about how we will all end. Various ominous samples paint a picture of the unavoidable end of humanity, of nuclear bombs falling from the skies and of clouds of nuclear dust suffocating all life. In the end, emptiness remains.
I am normally not a big fan of drone, but when a band comes forth with such a clear vision on what they want to present us with and succeeds on making me feel whatever it was they wanted to get across, even I can be impressed. I found this album to be quite intense, a bit short with a running time of some twenty minutes, but intense and something worthwhile.
Label: Self Released
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp
Scribed by: Kevin Kentie
