The Cosmic Dead – The Exalted King (2013)
The Cosmic Dead’s 2013 The Exalted King is a case in point- slick, commercial, AOR music is not going to be part of the dialogue here. The album is a hard rock space-map into the deepest and darkest end of the new inter-space revolution.
Inter-space is defined as the emptiness or void between two known destinations. In other words, a journey or exploration of an unexplored portion of the external and the internal worlds. If you listen closely, you can hear it as soon as the needle hits the groove. Combining the traditional rock instruments that are guitar, bass, and drums with synths and the sparse use of loops and electronics, the band creates a uniquely haunting experience that is ghostly, hypnotic and often even spiritual. Imagine the hard rock thump of classic Hawkwind with a deep drone groove running throughout the backdrop.
At the forefront of the sound is the cutting guitar technique and tone. Despite the traditional structure of the band, the album does nothing in a traditional or conformist manner. Nothing here is a retro or a put-on. This isn’t guitar playing in any traditional rock form. Instead, the instrument stretches the definition of ‘guitarist’ into something much more individualistic with the instrument screaming, shrieking and sparking its way through the darkness of the dense musical atmosphere, acting as a guiding light for all the others musicians to follow. Bold and brave. The playing lays out an organic sound with a blistering hypnotic noise, the sound is unrelenting, dark, and oddly beautiful.
The drums and bass follow suite, the synth pulsating, vibrating and pushing the music. The drum beats and rhythms created are pure voodoo. Everything is unorthodox. No machines here or slick production techniques. These are skilled practitioners and players exploring the musical depths of their instruments. It’s an incredible joy to hear and experience, and a reminder of what creative thought can accomplish without the use of expensive recording techniques and soulless studio trickery.
The most striking hallmark of The Cosmic Dead’s music is the massive heaviness and power of the playing. Again, following very much the footsteps of Hawkwind in this regard. But instead of a massive space-jam, the band creates a metallic space-drone that is much more Kosmische Musik. The sound is never background space-pop or ambient, never slick or corporate. The musicians take their exploration to the highest level imaginable, while remaining fully accessible, challenging the listener at every opportunity, and also fulling that challenge.
The Exalted King is an album that seems to reinvent itself with each listen. There are only three tracks total here: “The Exalted King”, “Anatta” and “Anaphora”. Each track tests the boundaries of improvisational music. All of them pull the listener in strange, often uncomfortable directions. It’s not just that you hear new portions of the track, it’s as if the track itself has morphed and reformed into something new through the use of repetition and improvisation. Each track takes an organic form; consuming a portion of the listener’s environment and changing colors as the atmosphere around it changes. The title track is a 35 minute sprawling drone that you wish would never end, exploring the emotions of loneliness, paranoia and, ultimately, serenity within its lifespan.
by Shawn Ciavattone
Had several listens since yesterday, that’s a fantastic record. Thanks for pointing me at this!
So glad you enjoyed it. Gets better and better.
Stoic doom, awesome!!
Doom is maybe a good description. Some parts of this album remind me of Sleep’s Dopesmoker.
Shawn,
Cavernous, dark depths in this exploratory, experimental, kosmische musik. Dig the guitar tones. I envision these cinematic, droning spacescapes as the soundtrack to a dystopian, post-apocalyptic, psychedelic, psychotronic sci-fi film. This has been one of my favorite discoveries that you’ve shared.
So glad this album captures your imagination. The music here is unlike anything else I have discovered. Hearing it for the first time was like a reunion with a best-friend I didn’t know I had. I’ve mentioned in other comments that this album is a good contrast (or antidote) to DSOTM. It’s everything that album claims to be.
Sounds absolutely fantastic! Thanks for the heads up!
Thank you so much for your comments. This is an easy album to love. And it opens up a little more with each listen.
Hi Shawn,
The definition of inter-space fits perfectly with the sonic world that this band is trying to create. We got Hawkwind’s hard rock and the legacy of Kosmiche music (two known worlds). The space between them is missing, and this is where this record enters.. brilliant!.
I’ve always been dragged to these kind of passion and originality inside a band, so I’m sure that this record won’t dissapoint.
Great review 👍
Thank you, Octavio. This is a record that’s really hard to define. Which is great. I’m convinced that this is a group of musicians who set out to explore sound and music You can almost think of this as an extension or contrast to the article on DSOTM. TCD is experimental psychedelic music that really is beyond the boundaries. Everything that Darkside lays claim too. I also love the thick feeling of hot paranoia Leg just below the surface.
I’m just listening now while driving. Trippy and otherworldly with bones, a perfect drug album. Would love to listen to it in a cave in a pitch black night and see how it reverberates in the night. Very beautiful review.