Concreteweb is a Rock and -especially- Metal-oriented site. But more than once, one of the reviewers comes with something that isn’t quite ‘Metal’. Since we’re an independent site, we can do whatever we want, so if you have a problem with this, please [self-censorship ;-)]
Besides, when we do receive something that differs from the ‘usual stuff’, we are not too idle to not except this stuff. My passion for Funeral Doom, Black and Doom-Death Metal (and some other metalized sub-genres) also initiates an obsession for related, non-metallic sonic possibilities. I’m not the only one, for many musicians from Black or Funeral Doom Metal are involved with Ambient, Industrial, Noise or Wave projects too. The border in between all those genres is very often a thin, breakable and facultative construction, which brings me to the following statement: I am going to review a new album by Theologian. This being said…
Lee M. Bartow is a rather well-known name within the Industrial / Ambient / Power Electronics / Noise-scene. His most known outlet is, I guess, Ultra-Noise / Ambient-act Navicon Torture Technologies, which he put on hiatus a couple of years ago to concentrate on his other projects. Other known solo-projects of him are Love Is Nothing, which he started around 2005, and Theologian, which this review will deal with. Besides, Leech has some projects he runs with dear colleagues from the Power Electronics / Noise / Ambient / Industrial-scene: Nexicon with Mark Kammerbauer (the latter collaborated as guest on some recordings done by Lee, like Navicon Torture Technologies and Love Is Nothing, but he’s best known for his project Fragment King especially, I guess), Körperwelten with Henrik Björkk aka Kremator aka Nordvargr (think: MZ.412, Toroidh, Hydra Head 9, Folkstorm, Vargr and many more), or Xenonics K-30 with Scott Sturgis (of Pain Station / Notime / Converter / Lowness / DBS-fame).
Lee is also the founder / owner of the Annihilvs-label, which features same-minded projects, such as his own ones, as well as, for example, Jarl, IRM, Wilt or The Vomit Arsonist. He’s also known, finally, from the Leechnest Studio (his home studio) and Leechnest IVM, which is his graphic and design art alias, with visual works at the roster for acts like, besides his own projects, IRM, Cenotype, Unter Null, Jarl and Bladh.
Theologian were founded in 2009, after Lee broke up his main project, Navicon Torture Technologies. Like his former main project or the Love Is Nothing-outlet, this one is extremely productive, for having released several hands full of recordings, on vinyl, CD, CD-r or digital, mainly via his own Annihilvs-label, as well as via Crucial Blast, the label that is responsible for the release of this new creation as well. This new album was co-produced by Derek Rush (Dream Into Dust) and mastered by James Plotkin, whom you might know from his mastering services for e.g. Echoes Of Yul, A Den Of Robbers, Alkerdeel or Stumm amongst others. This time he gets assisted by quite an impressive amount of female artists / vocalists to help him out, such as Hecate’s Rachael Kozak, Shari Vari of Void Vision-fame, Kristen MacArthur (Sewer Goddess), Patricia Benitez (Delphic Oracle), Nikki Telladictorian (from Prometheus Burning) and several others.
The former Theologian-material, and the same goes for this new creation, can easily be considered the successorship of Navicon Torture Technologies. It brings a mixture of Noise, Drone, Power-Electronics, Psycho-Grind and Death Industrial, mixing elements from, let’s say, Brighter Death Now, MZ.412, Anenzephalia, Jesu, Lithivm, Today I’m Dead, Atrax Morgue and Maeror Tri. It’s an atmospheric impression of harsh rituals, mixing haunting spheres with artificial nihilism, and all this added by unearthly ambiental waves of sonic spirituality. You might not fully understand this description – I do not either, but it’s a profound impression of impressive expressionism to express my impressions. And since I am a fan of this genre too (see intro), I might have the pretention to state that Theologian are top-notch within this lovely (read: misanthropic, apocalyptic) sub-genre. Enjoy!