Album Details

• Artist: Earth
• Album: A Bureaucratic Desire For Extra Capsular Extraction
• Label: Southern Lord
• Year of Release: 2010
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2010-10-18

Previously only available on an obscure EP and a later release, these songs comprise the first recorded sessions by the legendary Earth. Ground Zero for the development of Drone and Stoner metal, Earth and these 1990 Smegma Studio sessions still sound as large and holy as they did back in the day. To say that "A Bureaucratic Desire for Extra Capsular Extraction" is essential is like saying that it might be cool to keep The Bill of Rights.

The slow, sludgy two part "A Bureaucratic Desire for Revenge" viscerally deconstructs the classic Sabbath crawl and extends it to unbearable heft and power. The fact that so much similar music has followed in Earth's wake does not diminish that power. The minimal, plodding "Ouroboros is Broken," at eighteen minutes plus, never loses your attention. Dylan Carson's mighty, minimal and meditative tone is overwhelming and awesome in the original meaning of that tired word.

Other tracks are equally mighty, from "Geometry of Murder" to "German Dental Work" to "Dissolution 1," ever track is a history lesson and living weapon.  , "A Bureaucratic Desire for Extra Capsular Extraction" is key listening for the understanding of the origins of Drone metal and of the importance of Earth in the history of rock. It would be hard to think of a more necessary purchase this year.

User Reviews and Comments