Downfall Of Gaia
This week’s feature is one of my newest favorites, Downfall of Gaia. We got this in a few weeks ago, and it was a long time waiting because records from certain parts of Europe travel REAL SLOW, and I could not wait to get this in the distro!
I have to say I am kind of baffled that these records have not flown off the shelf considering how amazing they are – not to mention they just toured the US in December/January and I thought for sure they would explode!
Unlike all these traditionalists out there that grip about punk being metal and vice versa, I say who cares. This transcends both and if you are a stickler for rules and a safe comfort zone where you can put on a records and say, “this is a pink record” or, “this is a metal record” then yer shit outta luck and you might wanna go hug yer teddy bear and hide behind yer mommy because this band will tear you up on so many levels you probably never recover.
So I am gonna get the band comparison thing outta the way right now. If you are fans of mid period NEUROSIS, early SWANS (Cop/Young God), GODFLESH, YOB and newer bands like ECOCIDE,PANACEA or LINK than this is the band for you. Although get ready because this is all on its own. The closest kin DOWNFALL OF GAIA has is PANACEA. (And if you have not heard of that yer GET IT.! It will break you!) And also I might like to add, if you have heard the Whispers! Compilation (yes I am old) from a while back, you might even say they are similar to Just Kidding!…….
DOWNFALL OF GAIA / IN THE HEARTS OF EMPERORS Split LP
Hailing from Germany, these folks really know how to push the limits of a song and drive it in all emotions and musical dynamics. Their split LP with IN THE HEARTS OF EMPERORS, from Sweden is a testament to the cornucopia of concepts and sounds. This aint no doom/sludge song where they just work a riff (or note) over and over and over (which sometimes can be good but c’mon already) and scream for 20 minutes. There’s some real composition here. No two parts are very the same. It’s kinda like watching a really intense movie where you never know what’s gonna happen and it keeps you hanging on the edge of your seat….only to have an unexpected, breathtaking and “what just happened” ending . This LP drags you through lifetimes of epic and sonic rendering of emotions and experiences.
There are two monumental track s on the DOWNFALL OF GAIA side – 1. These Wet Feathers, and 2. ….Won’t Dry On Their Own. I have to say this is not work that you can just listen to on the fly and absorb it. These tracks not even something you can listen to 10 times in one day and absorb it. They may not be catchy but indeed they are powerful and heart stopping. This is some soundtrack worthy material that delves deep into depths of time, earth and humanity. The range and transition of atmospheric vs heavy and violent is quite pure aboriginal fury yet beautiful and symphonic at the same time.
The IN THE HEARTS OF EMPERORS side is a perfect compliment ……another two very lengthy tributes to the very deepest corners of life, death, earth and the universe, we have – 1. In The Hearts Of Emperors – Marching Into Forever, and 2. In The Hearts Of Emperors – Tears Fall Down In Order To Watch Us Fall-You Are Bleeding, Every Shed Of Light Is Dying. This really lays out some deadly primal pounding and guttural expression, almost like they are channeling the very cries from the center of the Earth. These tracks are a little more relentless in approach than DOWNFALL OF GAIA with slightly less atmosphere to give the soul a break but still heartbreaking and beautiful in the same manner. This pounds like a buncha cavemen ready for the hunt……..
DOWNFALL OF GAIA’s “Epos” LP is equally intense as their work on the aforementioned split. I have no intention of coming up with more redundant descriptions to cover this album….everything DOWNFALL OF GAIA is superb. The only aspect of this release that I find different is slightly shorter songs that are more driving….and there are some parts that remind me of 4AD era deathrock (If you don’t know what that is then you should look it up, or feel free to ask me). But that is just my ear…I feel like every listener has something unique to draw from the works of this band, and I hope more people take the time to do so!
If this all sounds good to you, then you might find these links interesting :
DOWNFALL OF GAIA OFFICIAL
DOWNFALL OF GAIA Facebook
DOWNFALL OF GAIA Myspace
IN THE HEARTS OF EMPERORS OFFICIAL
IN THE HEARTS OF EMPERORS Myspace
IN THE HEARTS OF EMPERORS FACEBOOK
And here are some other bands along these lines that that you might find interesting in our distro:
LAUDANUM S/T 7″
MALEDICERE / UNO ACTU split 7″
TOMORROW’S HELL S/T 7″
LUNGS – s/t 10″
AGRIMONIA Host of the Winged double LP
AGRIMONIA S/T LP
AMAROK S/T LP
EVIDENCE SMRTI S/T LP
MOTHER Through This Disappearing Land LP
NORTHLESS Clandestine Abuse double LP
CHRONAEXUS Algedonic Awakening CD
INSUICIETY Believe And Die CD
INSUICIETY The Cure for the Truth CD
WOLFMANGLER They Call Us Naughty Wolves CD
Thanks again for reading an I hope y’all dig this stuff!
CHEERS!
-Cavey!!!!!
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This place is to expensive for everyone outside the US now 😦
That’s exactly what the American punx have been feeling when it comes to ordering from Europe or Asia for the past 10 years.
It sucks PE used to be great to buy from. $18 shipping for a few 7 inches is ridiculous. Euro or Asian distros have much more reasonable shipping.
Last time I bought an LP from overseas I paid $22 shipping! Complain to the post office about shipping prices and rules. I do!
By the way, PE trades with distros and small labels everywhere, so if you don’t buy form our mail-order, support your local DIY distro and save money on shipping. That’s the whole point of the international DIY network!
I am gonna back Dan up on this one. The United States Post Office has raised prices dramatically, which has forced PE to keep up in order to stay afloat. We have always been fair in our pricing and we still try to be as fair as possible. That being said, if you really wanna give someone a hard time, go to the USPS. We have no control over what is happening with their “economy”.
I would also like to point out that it is really unfair to immediately “point the finger” at PE and automatically assume that we are out to rip everyone off and make a quick buck. What is fair is to maybe ask, “Hey what’s going on? This is unusual!” or something a little less negative. Unfounded and quick to judge assessments is what keeps the punk scene divided and if we would all quit jumping the gun then maybe there would be a little more peace and understanding here.
Profane Existence has put a lot of hard work and money into releases, the zine, and the distro in order to share lots of great things, and we are not getting rich or ripping anyone off. This is a hardworking and sincere collective with nothing but good intentions doing the best we can in this fucked up world.