Earth recently unveiled a beautiful collection of early recordings (“A Bureaucratic Desire for Extra Capsular Extraction”) to which many agree marked the band as pioneers of a new sound that has continued to metamorphose ever since. True that with each brand new studio album, they evolve, and it is this willingness to experiment with different sounds and different musicians that has enabled Earth to remain consistently interesting and undoubtedly always unique.

Following the Extra Capsular reissues, Earth's next offering is a brand new studio album, “Angels Of Darkness, Demons of Light 1”, a fine testament to the fact that they have come a long way since 1989. Drawing on inspiration from both British Folk-Rock bands the Pentangle and Fairport Convention and the North African Tuareg band Tinariwen, the new material, while still ‘heavy’ is much more fluid and melodically oriented, less dense and more textured and nuanced. It contains greater improvisatory interplay between the musicians.

On one hand the new album acknowledges previous recordings, sonically it cultivates the jazz infused Americana presented on The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull and as a further nod to the past, Earth returned to Avast studios to work with producer Stuart Hallerman (Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Built To Spill, and Earth2!) again. On the other hand, there have been some significant changes which have given birth to yet another new sound, the main change being the line up and so joining Dylan and Adrienne on the album is cellist Lori Goldston (Nirvana, David Byrne, Black Cat Orchestra, Laura Veirs) and Karl Blau (K Records, Laura Veirs, Microphones) on electric bass. The touring band will feature Dylan Carlson, Adreinne Davies, Lori Goldston, and Angelina Baldoz on bass.

Songs ‘Father Midnight’ and Hell’s Winter’ definitely retain some of their former glory on the Bees Made Honey... whilst the cello, though subtle at times, adds a more haunting tone to songs ‘Old Black’ and ‘Descent to the Zenith’ which are so powerful that they have the ability to move one to tears. It is the album's closer and title track which is the boldest step in a new direction for Earth, utilizing the complimentary tones of cello, electric bass and Dylan's guitar, leaving the notes to hang contemplatively in the air before Adrienne's drum beats finally emerge. The repetition throughout the song is seemingly simplistic, though as we all know by now, there is absolutely nothing simple about holding a note or beat for as long as Earth do.

There are many breaths of fresh air in this new record, many hopeful tones and drones as well as more eerie ones. One thing is for sure, this incarnation of Earth excels all expectations.

Angels of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1: Arriving February 2011 from Southern Lord Records.

• Adrienne Davies - trap kit and percussives featuring sea hooves and satans’ knuckles
• Lori Goldston - cello and devices
• Dylan R. Carlson - electric guitar and devices
• Karl Blau - electric bass guitar

• Produced by Stuart Hallerman, D.R. Carlson, and Adrienne Davies
• Engineered by Stuart Hallerman
• Recorded and mixed at Avast Studios.
• Seattle, Washington. April & July 2010.
• Mastered by Mell Dettmer at Aleph Studios. October 2010.

For more information: http://www.thronesanddominions.com