Religious Knives - Remains

Religious Knives
Remains
(01.2007, No Fun Productions)
7.0/10.0

Religious Knives is something of a experimental noise super group, pairing percussionist Nate Nelson of Mouthus with MikeBerstein and Maya Miller of Double Leopards. Remains, their first full length CD release, is an assemblage of previously released odds and ends from multiple formats similar to Axolotl's Chemical Theatre. The band's output equals out to a pretty straight forward amalgamation of their sister bands, mixing Double Leopards' heavy spectralisms with Mouthus' junky, trash-compactor delivery. The tracks play out like an ancient Mayan machine where the components don't quite mesh and the gears seem to grind. While this sounds all good for a noise/drone act, the allusion isn't completely favorable. There is something just slightly off that doesn't allow for another Halve Maen or Long Salt. The musical marriage isn't as awry as, say, late 90's rap-rock or anything, but for a genre teetering on a hit or miss aesthetic, a miss can be down right torturous to wade through. Fortunately, the pedigree of this faithful troupe isn't a fluke and Remains manages to keep its head above water. Constantly devious yet slightly apathetic, Remains is for noise enthusiasts only.

-Mr. Thistle