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Magick Is Love - 79%
I am a huge fan of Current 93, so seeing David Tibet appear on a split with another band immediately piques my interest. I am, however, only slightly acquainted with Om, having only listened to one full-length, “Pilgrimage,” but this split is not irrelevant to the band’s discography in any way. It’s in the nature of a split to accomplish a few tasks: to allow the bands involved more exposure by being associated with one another, to allow the release of material that otherwise has no place on the full-lengths, or to signify a working relationship between like-minded artists. “Inerrant Rays of Infallible Suns (Blackship Shrinebuilder)” does all of these things, while providing excellent music in the process. Despite being only around seventeen minutes in length, the music is more substantial than what you might find on most splits, though the release isn’t altogether essential.
“Inerrant Infallible (Black Ships at Nineveh and Edom)” is Current 93’s contribution. It may not be of the folk style that fans are used to, but it is still every bit as hypnotic and overwhelming as the tracks on their full-lengths. In terms of overall approach, the songs lies somewhere between “Black Ships Ate the Sky” and “Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain.” Guitar feedback and a bass guitar follow a single swaying motif that has the cadence of a rocking horse, which escalates to cacophonous proportions, as more and more sounds enter the mix. Even though there is no percussion (except for one or two instances of a tambourine), the music takes on a static-like sound to fill the space.
David Tibet’s performance is much tamer than the theatrics of, say, “Lucifer over London” or “Horsey” or just about any folk song he’s ever done. His style is a bit of an acquired taste, given how absolutely unique it is, and “Inerrant Infallible” stays true to it. David Tibet’s appeal is that he doesn’t really sing—at least, not in the typical sense of the word. Instead, he takes on high-pitched ramblings, which incline toward the hypnotic monotony of a monk chanting. “Inerrant Infallible” is anything but bombastic, but the repetitive bass guitar and vocal motifs make for a captivating experience. Current 93 has always been about magic, about losing oneself in the music, and in “Inerrant Infallible” David Tibet rides a rocking horse to the apocalypse along a route of astral projection.
Om’s “Rays of the Sun / To the Shrinebuilder” is more recognizable to fans of doom and stoner metal. Bass-heavy and crunchy, the song is psychedelic but dirty. The drums keep the music plodding along, only to dropout entirely for slower sections. Still, this is not a tense song, nor is it crushing. “Rays of the Sun / To the Shrinebuilder” is more meditative than anything else, but the production isn’t so non-confrontational that the music just seems to drift away from the listener. Om’s mission is spiritual, and so the track’s atmosphere must necessarily command the listener’s attention, while remaining hypnotically repetitive.
Al Cisneros’ vocals are more musical than David Tibet’s but are just as monotone and rambling—in a good way. They are deep but decipherable in a sort of half-spoken, half-sung manner. Om are in the business of conjuring up out-of-body experiences, and all aspects of their music melt together in accordance with their mission. The vocals become just another instrument, melting into the bass as the music flows like viscous fluid in all directions.
As is the case with most splits, “Inerrant Rays of Infallible Suns (Blackship Shrinebuilder)” isn’t incredibly essential. Even though their contribution is great, what Om have to offer here can be heard on their full-lengths, in which the band has greater room to operate. For Current 93, on the other hand, their contribution is unique to this release, though peripheral to the band’s discography as a whole. If you’ve listened to Om, then you know what to expect, but the inclusion of Current 93 just might open a whole new interest in a completely different but related genre. Both bands compose like sorcerers, and so their collaboration makes for a doubly enchanted split.
