Tower Levels XV & XIII presents Gods of Leeds by Forest Altar. Forest Altar is one of many projects by Sean E. Ramirez, also known for the Whitehorse, Black Leather Jesus and Thin Mountain. As the moniker suggests, this particular project is the harsh noise soundtrack to some dark, woodland rituals. 

The album consists of two side-long slabs of controlled high-end feedback, caustic low-end rumble and samples that I should probably be familiar with, but I couldn’t quite discern.  The release comes as either a C32 in a painted vinyl box, or a digital release- I'm reviewing the latter. Both versions can be found here 

The first untitled track features tightly constrained screeching feedback that at times sounds like a train hitting the breaks on metal rails. Screeching and piercing at times, Mr. Ramirez really works that feedback. Underneath that palette of sounds, is a good thick rumble that starts out slow to mid-paced but builds in intensity as the piece transpires. Throughout the track an indiscernible (at least to my ears) sample plays but fades into the backdrop to near imperceptibility. 

The second untitled track stays within the same realm. Low-end vaporous, billowing static rumble collides with something that sounds like a hand crank channeled through a fuzz pedal. Thick battering ram bass and crispy static ramp up through the duration and an accompanying sample increases in volume acting as another instrument.

Overall Gods of Leeds offers 30+ minutes of dense and caustic harsh noise that is an excellent entryway into Mr. Ramirez’s latest(?) project. I hope there is more to come.