TUESDAY DEC 13, 2016
Dendera Bloodbath
The world of Dendera Bloodbath is compact and claustrophobic. Her industrial soundscapes close in on the listener with stark clarity, yet the erratic pulses induce curiosity, like a Discovery Channel program from an alien world. Every extraterrestrial melody from her new EP, Xaoate, unlocks another mystery of the night.
To anyone familiar with Virginia Bliss, the artist behind the Dendera Bloodbath stage presence, this ambitious release is no surprise. Bliss has a knack for experimental theatrics, an endless supply of creative energy, and the ability to use a power drill as more than a stage prop. In addition, the songwriter/producer is the head of the Clandestine Ritual record label.
Xaoate is a shift away from the gothic darkwave of Bliss’ previous record, Queen of the Cauldron Born, towards noise-infused ambience. The pop undertones and traditional song structures are now buried deep beneath the commotion. This doesn’t mean Xaoate is any less complicated than Dendera Bloodbath’s previous work. This EP is both a strong step forward and a look back to the layered beats of her first record, wr wr wr [ankh]. Most notably, the lyrics have been replaced by eerie synth notes which lie dark and heavy on the tracks like grimy odes to ’80s horror scores. Unsurprisingly, Bliss named Moog pioneer Wendy Carlos as one of the main influences on the EP, but she also drew inspiration from Leapt by Radio People. At its most noisy, Xaoate may draw comparisons to Pharmakon’s Abandon, but where Pharmakon is tragic and violent, Dendera Bloodbath is darkly playful.
Over email, Bliss explained the album as a chaos magick charm in which the song titles indicate the intention behind each piece. Each of the five tracks — “Health,” “Legacy,” “Soulmate,” “Triumph,” and “Riches” — were written so that both Bliss and the listener might acquire each particular attribute. The intention behind the record isn’t simply some press release factoid, but changes the listening experience and the perception of the album’s structure. In this new lens, the songs morph from ambient journeys into cosmic assembly lines where the spiritual intersects with the physical.
Often EPs are footnotes to strong careers, but for Dendera Bloodbath this is a bold statement, central to her artistic evolution. To speak of the success of the record as a charm in regards to health, riches, or any other song title may be premature, but one thing is certain: Xaoate is an absolute triumph.
The world of Dendera Bloodbath is compact and claustrophobic. Her industrial soundscapes close in on the listener with stark clarity, yet the erratic pulses induce curiosity, like a Discovery Channel program from an alien world. Every extraterrestrial melody from her new EP, Xaoate, unlocks another mystery of the night.
To anyone familiar with Virginia Bliss, the artist behind the Dendera Bloodbath stage presence, this ambitious release is no surprise. Bliss has a knack for experimental theatrics, an endless supply of creative energy, and the ability to use a power drill as more than a stage prop. In addition, the songwriter/producer is the head of the Clandestine Ritual record label.
Xaoate is a shift away from the gothic darkwave of Bliss’ previous record, Queen of the Cauldron Born, towards noise-infused ambience. The pop undertones and traditional song structures are now buried deep beneath the commotion. This doesn’t mean Xaoate is any less complicated than Dendera Bloodbath’s previous work. This EP is both a strong step forward and a look back to the layered beats of her first record, wr wr wr [ankh]. Most notably, the lyrics have been replaced by eerie synth notes which lie dark and heavy on the tracks like grimy odes to ’80s horror scores. Unsurprisingly, Bliss named Moog pioneer Wendy Carlos as one of the main influences on the EP, but she also drew inspiration from Leapt by Radio People. At its most noisy, Xaoate may draw comparisons to Pharmakon’s Abandon, but where Pharmakon is tragic and violent, Dendera Bloodbath is darkly playful.
Over email, Bliss explained the album as a chaos magick charm in which the song titles indicate the intention behind each piece. Each of the five tracks — “Health,” “Legacy,” “Soulmate,” “Triumph,” and “Riches” — were written so that both Bliss and the listener might acquire each particular attribute. The intention behind the record isn’t simply some press release factoid, but changes the listening experience and the perception of the album’s structure. In this new lens, the songs morph from ambient journeys into cosmic assembly lines where the spiritual intersects with the physical.
Often EPs are footnotes to strong careers, but for Dendera Bloodbath this is a bold statement, central to her artistic evolution. To speak of the success of the record as a charm in regards to health, riches, or any other song title may be premature, but one thing is certain: Xaoate is an absolute triumph.
Troubled Teeth
First band from earth to win a Lamoonie award, which is of course the Fraisfurr galaxy y network braincast one of the more popular braincasts in the whole grey parallel dimension.Discovered Pangea, Voted most influential to Count Olaf himself. Elected both Principal and treasurer at every elementary school everywhere. First band to defeat an ancient underground dwelling civilization with intentions on over throwing the topside of Earth. The original creators of The twilight Zone back in 1862. First to discover caveman bones, resurrect them, create a serum that makes it invulnerable to all diseases, then watch said caveman die again to the next ice age in 2364. Directed the movie Omega man but weren't credited because the government grew wise to whereabouts, Gave birth to seven endangered species after a Mexico Wednesday,original ideologist behind Scientology
in short, idle hands are the devils playground
Want to get weird? We got ya baby......
First band from earth to win a Lamoonie award, which is of course the Fraisfurr galaxy y network braincast one of the more popular braincasts in the whole grey parallel dimension.Discovered Pangea, Voted most influential to Count Olaf himself. Elected both Principal and treasurer at every elementary school everywhere. First band to defeat an ancient underground dwelling civilization with intentions on over throwing the topside of Earth. The original creators of The twilight Zone back in 1862. First to discover caveman bones, resurrect them, create a serum that makes it invulnerable to all diseases, then watch said caveman die again to the next ice age in 2364. Directed the movie Omega man but weren't credited because the government grew wise to whereabouts, Gave birth to seven endangered species after a Mexico Wednesday,original ideologist behind Scientology
in short, idle hands are the devils playground
Want to get weird? We got ya baby......