Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

The Human Quena Orchestra - A Natural History of Failure [Utech Records - 2010]

The Human Quena Orchestra bring to the table their third full length offering entitled ‘A Natural History of Failure’ on Wisconsin based Utech Records. Following on from their 2009 release on Crucial Blast, ‘ANHOF’ showcases their own unique blend of doom/drone wrapped around intricate layers of dissonant noise and creeping dark ambience. 

Nine untitled tracks make up the release, the first of which lulls you into a more susceptible waking state, with its ritual one hit drum beats and entrancing down-tuned guitar drones, evolving ever so slightly, with swathes of noise that slowly build and build, before bottoming out entirely leaving you adrift in the void. The second piece kicks in, carefully maintaining the flow, only feeding you slight titbits every now again, as if you were slowly drifting in and out of consciousness.

The third track really brings you back down to earth, after the false sense of security the opening tracks provided, all of the individual parts come together to create a grim opus of noised out guitars and distant guttural screams, sounding as if you were just offered a small audio snapshot from somewhere within the earths molten core. A deep feeling of unease pervades each piece; subtle atmospheres combine to create greater impact and depth, there are no gaps in between each track, each one melds into the next seamlessly, taking you on an almost transcendental journey.

Despite the heavy use of electronics throughout the album, ‘ANHOF’ still manages to maintain a very organic feel, probably due to the ritualistic nature which almost borders on the psychedelic, easily dropping from trance like ambience into some truly disturbing pieces without sounding like they are trying too hard to stick to the ‘drone by numbers’ formula of similar works. Fans of Blue Sabbath Black Cheer, Gnaw Their Tongues and Locrian will lap this up, especially with the black metal elements that are entrenched within the walls of sound, as will anyone else looking for something just that little bit beyond the pale. The only problem I can really find with this album is the fact that it is only 38 minutes long…the journey ends far too briefly for my liking, but serves it purpose, in that it leaves you wanting more…great stuff.

Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

Todd Robinson
Latest Reviews

The Human Quena Orchestra - A Na...
The Human Quena Orchestra bring to the table their third full length offering entitled ‘A Natural History of Failure’ on Wisconsin based Utech Records. Follo...
290324   Piranha - Piranha(DVD)
280324   Typhoon Club - Typhoon Club(B...
270324   Jerzy Skolimowski Collection ...
260324   Latex Choker - Sealed
260324   Occlusion - 59: No Input Wall
260324   Nihil Impvlse - Anabasis
260324   Marta Forsberg - Sjunger För...
260324   The New Boy - The New Boy( Th...
250324   The Stargazer’s Assistant - ...
250324   Liza Lim - Annunciation Trip...
Latest Articles

The Music of Clay Ruby & Burial H...
Over the last couple of decades Wisconsin native, Clay Ruby has been creating some of the world’s finest dark electronic music under the Burial Hex mon...
280324   The Music of Clay Ruby & Buri...
290224   Sutcliffe No More - Normal Ev...
100124   Occlusion - The Operation Is...
181223   Best Of 2023 - Music, Sound &...
051223   Powerhouse Films - Of Magic, ...
181023   IO - Of Sound, Of Art, Of Exp...
210923   Lucky Cerruti - Of Not so Fri...
290823   The Residents - The Trouble W...
110723   Yotzeret Sheydim Interview - ...
250523   TenHornedBeast - Into The Dee...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2023. Twenty two years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom