Desolate North
Encyclopedia
Desolate North is the debut studio album
by the funeral doom metal band Celestiial
, released by Bindrune Recordings in 2006. It comprised the five tracks from Celestiial's demo, Ashen, combined with three more tracks recorded separately. It was written and performed entirely by Tanner Anderson, the sole member of Celestiial, and was never written to be an album or to be performed.
The recording of the album was also done entirely by Anderson, and was done in three parts. Firstly, the material for Ashen was recorded at the rehearsal space he shared with the black metal band Azrael
, then the three extra tracks were recorded at the same place, and then the hard pieces were recorded at Anderson's home.
The album received mixed reviews—some critics claimed it was fresh and a new sound, while others argued it was very similar to music already available. The music itself has been described as extremely slow, with various woodland sounds, such as running water and footsteps. Many people have drawn a comparison to dark ambient
through sound, and black metal
through imagery.
, of whom Anderson was, at the time, a member. Anderson stated that he does not remember how long this recording took him, as he slept there after finishing the recording, but described that space as being perfect for the recording as there was nothing there to distract him.
As everything was recorded and played by Anderson, the only option was to record the album in layers. First, he recorded the drums, using a drum kit
. However, he was unhappy with the way they sounded, and so re-recorded on a drum machine
. The next layers to be recorded were the guitar, bass and vocals, with other sounds being added later.
Of the other three songs, one was recorded at the same place in early 2005, and the other two, the harp
songs, were recorded at Anderson's home. He has said how this was the most difficult part of the recording. As it happened, Anderson misplaced his microphone
stand and so recorded those two songs with the microphone tucked under his chin. Despite the hindrance, Anderson claimed that the microphone picked up everything, and he was happy with the result.
Anderson has described the process as giving the album a "raw" sound, and he has hypothesized that it is because of the raw sound of the album that critics have described his work as having influences from black metal
. Although the album has been criticised because of its production by some reviewers, others have praised it as having the right sound. However, a different reviewer even praised the album for its high quality recording, explaining that it "is not raw, necro black metal at all."
s, and syncopated drums
(with liberal use of cymbal
s). These sounds are also backed up by more traditional instruments, such as harp
s and Native American
flutes. Additionally, sampled sounds, such as footsteps, water, birdsong, and wind are used.
Celestiial is a funeral doom metal band. However, Desolate North has been described as taking the genre in new directions with comparisons to ambient
, goth
, experimental
, and dark folk music being made. The music has also been described as meditative
and medieval.
Anderson admits that there may be death metal
influences in the vocals, but says that it was not a conscious design, and that the music does not have any other similarities to death metal. He claims that there are no black metal
influences. He says that describing Celestiial's music as folk
is a bad idea, as folk is such a broad, vague description as to make it meaningless. He says that what he is creating is neither folk, nor traditional, and even the harp songs are not traditional works, though they are influenced by the traditional music of the United Kingdom and traditional Irish music
.
Desolate North uses imagery very much based around nature, with natural sounds sampled in the music, and imagery involving woodland, and, as one reviewer put it, "the scary places that we all fear when the lights are out". Bindrune recordings describes this affinity for nature by saying that "Celestiial was created to mirror mysticism
in nature."
Some critics have talked of a black metal
influence in imagery. Anderson responded to the claim of black metal influence by stating that he does not know why people compare his music to black metal; he hypothesized that it is simply the raw production of the music, or the double 'i' in the band name.
Anderson was once asked about whether there were any pagan beliefs in Celestiial. He responded that Celestiial "is romanticized Paganism with very real Pagan values behind it." He talked of how Celestiial celebrated paganism and the natural world, but that paganism is often viewed as something that it is not.
. Reviews varied in terms of the originality of the music—while some claimed that it was new and inventive, others said that it was very typical funeral doom metal. Negative reviews and comments talked about the poor production and guitars, and the lack of speed in the music, combined with the monotony of the sound. One reviewer said that the lack of speed meant that the music could not be counted as heavy metal, to which Marty Worm, of Bindrune Recordings, responded "If you were expecting "riffs" or definite hooks, then I can understand the disappointment. Desolate North is all about vibe... some get it and appreciate this album, others don't."
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the funeral doom metal band Celestiial
Celestiial
Celestiial is a one-man funeral doom metal band from Minnesota. The band consists of Tanner R. Anderson, who has been, and still is, a member of several other bands. Celestiial is known for making use of numerous instruments in its music, combining traditional folk instruments with more modern...
, released by Bindrune Recordings in 2006. It comprised the five tracks from Celestiial's demo, Ashen, combined with three more tracks recorded separately. It was written and performed entirely by Tanner Anderson, the sole member of Celestiial, and was never written to be an album or to be performed.
The recording of the album was also done entirely by Anderson, and was done in three parts. Firstly, the material for Ashen was recorded at the rehearsal space he shared with the black metal band Azrael
Azrael (band)
Azrael is a black metal band from Minnesota, USA, formed by Lord Samaiza and Algol in 1999. In 2000, their first demo tape entitled "Virulent Darkness" was self-released by the band. In 2001, their second demo tape "Unto Death" was self-released. In early 2002 Azrael released an extremely limited...
, then the three extra tracks were recorded at the same place, and then the hard pieces were recorded at Anderson's home.
The album received mixed reviews—some critics claimed it was fresh and a new sound, while others argued it was very similar to music already available. The music itself has been described as extremely slow, with various woodland sounds, such as running water and footsteps. Many people have drawn a comparison to dark ambient
Dark ambient
Dark ambient is a subgenre of ambient music that features foreboding, ominous, or discordant overtones. Although it had its roots in the 1970s, Dark ambient emerged in the 1980s and 1990s with the introduction of newer, smaller, and more affordable Effects units, synthesizer and sampling technology...
through sound, and black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
through imagery.
Recording
The album was recorded in three parts. The first of these was to record the music for Ashen, which was done in a wooden loft in the corner of the rehearsal space used by AzraelAzrael (band)
Azrael is a black metal band from Minnesota, USA, formed by Lord Samaiza and Algol in 1999. In 2000, their first demo tape entitled "Virulent Darkness" was self-released by the band. In 2001, their second demo tape "Unto Death" was self-released. In early 2002 Azrael released an extremely limited...
, of whom Anderson was, at the time, a member. Anderson stated that he does not remember how long this recording took him, as he slept there after finishing the recording, but described that space as being perfect for the recording as there was nothing there to distract him.
As everything was recorded and played by Anderson, the only option was to record the album in layers. First, he recorded the drums, using a drum kit
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. However, he was unhappy with the way they sounded, and so re-recorded on a drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
. The next layers to be recorded were the guitar, bass and vocals, with other sounds being added later.
Of the other three songs, one was recorded at the same place in early 2005, and the other two, the harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
songs, were recorded at Anderson's home. He has said how this was the most difficult part of the recording. As it happened, Anderson misplaced his microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
stand and so recorded those two songs with the microphone tucked under his chin. Despite the hindrance, Anderson claimed that the microphone picked up everything, and he was happy with the result.
Anderson has described the process as giving the album a "raw" sound, and he has hypothesized that it is because of the raw sound of the album that critics have described his work as having influences from black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
. Although the album has been criticised because of its production by some reviewers, others have praised it as having the right sound. However, a different reviewer even praised the album for its high quality recording, explaining that it "is not raw, necro black metal at all."
Release
"Maybe six or so copies" of Ashen were sent out to various people, and Marty Rytkonen, of Bindrune Recordings, was the only person attached to a record label to receive a copy. Celestiial was then taken on by Bindrune, something which Anderson has, on multiple occasions, talked about how happy he was with, due to the fact he was an avid reader of Worm Gear (a magazine attached to the label) when he was younger. Despite the fact that Anderson had not written Desolate North with the intention of it ever being released, in 2006, it was released by Bindrune Recordings.Musical style
Desolate North has been described as taking "the template of the funeral doom genre... and disembowel[ing] the formula even further". The album makes use of minimal vocals, instead relying on electronics, guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, and syncopated drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(with liberal use of cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s). These sounds are also backed up by more traditional instruments, such as harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
s and Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
flutes. Additionally, sampled sounds, such as footsteps, water, birdsong, and wind are used.
Celestiial is a funeral doom metal band. However, Desolate North has been described as taking the genre in new directions with comparisons to ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, goth
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
, experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
, and dark folk music being made. The music has also been described as meditative
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
and medieval.
Anderson admits that there may be death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
influences in the vocals, but says that it was not a conscious design, and that the music does not have any other similarities to death metal. He claims that there are no black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
influences. He says that describing Celestiial's music as folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
is a bad idea, as folk is such a broad, vague description as to make it meaningless. He says that what he is creating is neither folk, nor traditional, and even the harp songs are not traditional works, though they are influenced by the traditional music of the United Kingdom and traditional Irish music
Music of Ireland
Irish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th, and into the 21st century, despite globalizing cultural forces...
.
Imagery
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
in nature."
Some critics have talked of a black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
influence in imagery. Anderson responded to the claim of black metal influence by stating that he does not know why people compare his music to black metal; he hypothesized that it is simply the raw production of the music, or the double 'i' in the band name.
Anderson was once asked about whether there were any pagan beliefs in Celestiial. He responded that Celestiial "is romanticized Paganism with very real Pagan values behind it." He talked of how Celestiial celebrated paganism and the natural world, but that paganism is often viewed as something that it is not.
Reception
Desolate North received numerous positive reviews with comparisons to founders of the genre, such as DisembowelmentDisembowelment (band)
Disembowelment is a Australian death/doom band from Melbourne, Australia that was formed in November 1989 out of the ashes of two-piece grind band Bacteria, featuring drummer Paul Mazziotta and guitarist/vocalist Renato Gallina...
. Reviews varied in terms of the originality of the music—while some claimed that it was new and inventive, others said that it was very typical funeral doom metal. Negative reviews and comments talked about the poor production and guitars, and the lack of speed in the music, combined with the monotony of the sound. One reviewer said that the lack of speed meant that the music could not be counted as heavy metal, to which Marty Worm, of Bindrune Recordings, responded "If you were expecting "riffs" or definite hooks, then I can understand the disappointment. Desolate North is all about vibe... some get it and appreciate this album, others don't."
Track listing
- "Into this Earth of Shallow Intent" – 2:00
- "Haunting Cries Beneath the Lake Where Our Queen Once Walked" – 8:56
- "Lamentations in the Citadel of God" – 10:48
- "Desolate North" – 2:47
- "Thule" – 8:08
- "Hinterland" – 2:16
- "Waldlander im Herbst" – 8:59
- "Ashen" – 2:11
External links
- [ Desolate North] at Allmusic
- Desolate North at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...