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REVIEWS
End of Message
Utah Virgin (Remix)
The Cliff House Jumpers
Watching
The Final Result
Obsession
Downs, Part Two
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REVIEWS
15 Degrees Below Zero
Under a Morphine Sky
Force of Nature Productions
Posted: Wednesday, August 23, 2006
By: Ilker Yucel
Editor
By: Ilker Yucel
Editor
A harrowing assortment of apocalyptic noise pieces with slight moments of rhythm and melody, like shards of light shining upon an audio field of ruin and devastation.
15 Degrees Below Zero released the Morphine Dawn EP in late '04, it was intended as a teaser for Under a Morphine Sky, yet contained within those four tracks was enough dark ambience and industrial noise to appease those with an ear for such audio onslaughts. Now, with this album finally released, listeners are treated to nearly 50 minutes of some rather intense multi-layered soundscapes. Sprawled across these seven tracks is a veritable labyrinth of sonic textures, leading one through peaks and valleys of dissonance and discordant sonic intrigue, with only the vaguest notions of "music" coming into play.
Beginning with "End of Message," we are introduced to the sound of 15 Degrees Below Zero with shattering noises accompanying a thunderous bass pulse before the ringing strums of guitar come in, offering a trite but welcome melody amidst the chaos. Think My Bloody Valentine meets Coil, and you'd have an idea as to the sound of this track. A remix of "Utah Virgin" brings us into even more abstract territory with its moaning waves of feedback and crackling industrial beats hidden beneath the mix. "The Cliff House Jumpers" is propelled by an overdriven marching beat as well as some deep brassy drones that, while monotone and simplistic, keep the listener grounded in a false sense of familiarity. The track goes through several rhythmic changeups that permeate throughout the rest of the CD. Through most of Under a Morphine Sky, the tracks are dictated by scathing fields of bleak ambient noises, creating a soundtrack to a nightmarish apocalypse. Gut-wrenching are the mangled devilish vocals in "Watching" and the attacks of static and flanged noise in "The Final Result." However, there are some shards of light upon the devastation, in the form of occasional bell-like synth arpeggios and stringed pads, truly creating an impression on the listener of dissipating clouds in the ever graying sky. The CD ends with "Downs, Part Two," in which manipulated strums of acoustic guitar resonate above vibrating pulses of electronics that eventually fade into silence.
Most assuredly, 15 Degrees Below Zero's sound is not for everybody. The noises inherent in Under a Morphine Sky will test the limits of one's interest and tastes, and certainly what one would be inclined to describe as "music." Noise music is indeed a subtle form of art; one has to consider the dynamics of sound design and rhythm to keep one’s attention, and not simply create aimless noise for its own sake. 15 Degrees Below Zero seem to understand this dichotomy, and while it's arguable if they’ve succeeded with Under a Morphine Sky, one can hardly accuse them of complacency. It's easy to detect the meticulous effort the band has put into this album, with each track undergoing various shifts in mood, not unlike a symphony. If you can see the sun through the decrepit sky, then you'll very likely find a sense of enjoyment in 15 Degrees Below Zero.
Beginning with "End of Message," we are introduced to the sound of 15 Degrees Below Zero with shattering noises accompanying a thunderous bass pulse before the ringing strums of guitar come in, offering a trite but welcome melody amidst the chaos. Think My Bloody Valentine meets Coil, and you'd have an idea as to the sound of this track. A remix of "Utah Virgin" brings us into even more abstract territory with its moaning waves of feedback and crackling industrial beats hidden beneath the mix. "The Cliff House Jumpers" is propelled by an overdriven marching beat as well as some deep brassy drones that, while monotone and simplistic, keep the listener grounded in a false sense of familiarity. The track goes through several rhythmic changeups that permeate throughout the rest of the CD. Through most of Under a Morphine Sky, the tracks are dictated by scathing fields of bleak ambient noises, creating a soundtrack to a nightmarish apocalypse. Gut-wrenching are the mangled devilish vocals in "Watching" and the attacks of static and flanged noise in "The Final Result." However, there are some shards of light upon the devastation, in the form of occasional bell-like synth arpeggios and stringed pads, truly creating an impression on the listener of dissipating clouds in the ever graying sky. The CD ends with "Downs, Part Two," in which manipulated strums of acoustic guitar resonate above vibrating pulses of electronics that eventually fade into silence.
Most assuredly, 15 Degrees Below Zero's sound is not for everybody. The noises inherent in Under a Morphine Sky will test the limits of one's interest and tastes, and certainly what one would be inclined to describe as "music." Noise music is indeed a subtle form of art; one has to consider the dynamics of sound design and rhythm to keep one’s attention, and not simply create aimless noise for its own sake. 15 Degrees Below Zero seem to understand this dichotomy, and while it's arguable if they’ve succeeded with Under a Morphine Sky, one can hardly accuse them of complacency. It's easy to detect the meticulous effort the band has put into this album, with each track undergoing various shifts in mood, not unlike a symphony. If you can see the sun through the decrepit sky, then you'll very likely find a sense of enjoyment in 15 Degrees Below Zero.
