Hangedman Vol. 1 cs comp.

Ever wonder where Seattle's noise-friendly mystics and granola-eating folk-doom vegan hockey-mask artists are at? Well, there'r all right here on the HangedMan Vol. 1 cs comp. J-card is screened and even appears to be embossed. 2 sets of liner notes indicate artist and track titles.

MegaBats - "Lawbreaker" kicks off the comp with a gleaming track of murky ambient synthesized bliss. Richard D. James couldn't have done it better himself.

Kristian Garrard - "Iced Axe IV" earthy machines, throbbing hearts, streams of consciousness. Ethereal harmony puts zen in motion.

Karnak Templers - "Spiral Chasm" ritual string worship mournful of thyself.

Josh Medina - "Scotch Broom" guitar-vocal-folkl, conceived by firelight in the absence of moon beams.

Them, There - "Ghostwood" blending cello, wind, and bleak guitar to formulate an exquisite aesthetic.

Side B

Demian Johnston - "And Then it Drags Across the Bottom" is Demian's most successful attempt at sounding like Blue Sabbath Black Cheer to date. Well played.

Inh Halentropy - "Arp Grey Magic 2600" lo-fi beat machines and spooky thermionic leads pre-dates dub-step.

Thunder Grey Pilgrim - "Iaospel" láðspel  actually. Classical black metal picking and strumming with disgusting vocal oddness.

Nightjar - "Bottom Road" even more crusty black metal guitar.

Sokai Stilhed - "City of Love" an enjoyable gem weaving together of backwards flute and loop manipulated vocal frolics. Fun stuff.

Demian Johnston - "rhey of guernica" on Dead Accents

Demian's screen printed cover is this iconic drawing of a skull with a dripping jaw, crucified on an upside-down anarchy symbol. There are T-shirts sporting this logo on them somewhere out there as well. bad ass.

A1 - some sorceristic sludge, slow like molasses, and o))) so heavy. aggravated vocal rasps set against mammoth  low-end riffage of grueling feedback. a faint and simple drum beat turns it into an anthem of wide open Doom.

A2 - melodic guitar-picking loop builds layers and drones to create a gentle breeze rustling through a delicate wind chime effect. slowly over time, more and more tender guitar creaking woes are introduced to the ever so softly repeating wall of loops. The collage builds up steam, feeding off of errand pick-up disturbances and interrupted fret damage. It's a real sleepy jam and the tracks' dub'd kinda low, so have it cranked or you just might miss it all.

B1 - Ominous swellings of progressive power-chord dronage drive into deeper and darker waters. That wind-chimey guitar loop eventually works its way back into the mix and its like dejavu, nostalgically evoking  flashbacks of your old haunts on side A. Heavy.

B2 - When you get your hands on a copy of this tape, just ffw to the middle and flip it to side B for immediate satisfaction. Joined by Andrew Crawshaw on drums, DJ pulls out a most righteous offering of slow death. This track is your master, you are the willing slave begging for a long stint of slow, steady beating. And just when it it's starting to climax; the tape's over. Awe fuck! Easily my favorite Demian Johnston hit ever. gimmie more. more more more more more more more of this.  

Demian Johnston "fallen timbers" c51 out on Dead Accents

Dead Accents have output a steady stream of highly coveted low-run releases over the past few years, but I've taken a real shine to this one. The labels co-founder, Demian Johsnston picks up his guitar and does no wrong. With no guitar picking wankery or noodle-neck fretting, Fallen Timbers is a nice long sprawling drone induced by long-term exposure to the cold and grey Seattle winters. His guitar gently weeps mournful shoegaze sorrows of pure Black Doom. The track was recorded live by label mate Andrew C in front of a live audience, but you wouldn't know it if it weren't fer the applause at the end. Timbers Fallen is much shorter, and credited as being made up of live sound clips. It pretty much sounds like the same stuff, like maybe it was made of of a few clips of the practice jams before the show. It's a cleaner & crisper recording that finds its way into a slightly heavier reign. Got to be the most exemplery Demian Johnston recording out there if you ask me. Program repeats on the B-side. Only 23 exist and they rule.