Black Leather Jesus — Rider

Rider is a new two-track release from the long-running US noise collective Black Leather Jesus- which has among its membership names like Richard Ramirez, Sean Matzus, Scott Kindberg. The release comes as either a c60 or digital download- with the sound focus very much on painfully warbling & searingly droned-out noise craft.

Release artwork wise we have an old black & white picture of a bare-chested man in a leather hat- so as with all of the projects releases there is a very homoerotic feel. Both the tape & digital release are still available for purchase from  here 

This release was recorded around a month ago utilizing elements & sources from both band members in Pennsylvania & Texas.  It takes in two tracks which hit near the thirty-minute mark.

So up first we have “Part 1” This opens with a painfully hovering blend of mid-ranged drone ‘n’ slow motion fork, which is lightly bayed by a foaming ‘n’ frothing mix of low-range clutter ‘n’ shred. As the track moves on the mid-range drone comes very much to the fore- and this has a rather forlornly oscillation church organ quality about it.  By the mid-way point the mid-ranged drone is more buried- with at the forefront of the sound being a mix of sowing ‘n’ lightly shred static tonality- all creating a feeling of thick & suffocating sonic presence. As we move towards the end of the track the wavering drone feel has returned, but it’s slightly more warped & wavering in its attack.

Moving onto “Part 2” we open with a blend of a sustained, slightly buzzing drone- which is fed over by a tight, yet faint selection of locked clutter ‘n’ gallop. As the track processes this rather forlorn warbling organ tone starts to rise, and very slowly oscillate – there is this very much an undercurrent of analogue unease about the whole thing, which brings to mind ones face being pressed close up to a dustily buzzing & purringly warm ageing amp.  By around the mid-way point, the searing elements of the drone & sound mass have grown- as we start getting these hovering sustains & dwells- at points we get the addition of either mid-ranged chop wow,   or cluttering feast.

Rider finds BLJ pushing their dense & pressing drone noise sound into more waveringly warping &  forlorn places- for a rather compelling two-track ride. It’s great to see this collective still active and going after its nearing thirty-five-year existence.