Our Lady of Blood and Hollow Screaming

On Mahakali, Jarboe explores sonic dimensions encompassing cacophonous metal, dodecatonal structures, raucous rock and atmospheric ambient that are interspersed with acoustic interludes & choral sequences.

Mahakali represents a new direction after her collaboration with the churncore group Neurosis. Her vocals constantly shift shape from demonic growls to piercing shrieks, demented wails and seductive siren songs, morphing from exuberant bellowing through dreamy torch into the chilling voice of a little girl. Track One kicks off with menacing guitars soon joined by hypnotic keyboards & pounding drums before Jarboe enters with a blood-curdling scream, proceeding with wordless vocalizing throughout. The acoustic guitar piece And The Sky Which Was Once Filled With Light briefly brings relief before The House of Void explodes in a mlange of atmospheric feedback, high-pitched chimes and complex drumming, guitar & keyboard patterns as the song unfolds while Jarboe sings & shrieks in synch with the constantly evolving instrumental timbres. The unsettling vocals on Transmogrification include that of a little girl & then wordless vocalizing that creates the impression of massed choirs, ending in distorted spoken words and bark-like panting (which recalls Black Eyed Dog by World of Skin). Classical music meets Death Metal on A Sea of Blood and Hollow Screaming in which an arsenal of vocal styles is unleashed, weaving singly or in clusters through intricate matrices of sound. This outstanding track is a highlight of Mahakali. Of the two duets, the more remarkable is that with Attila Csihar, the Magyar metal merchant associated with Mayhem & Sunn O)))). His guttural growl dances with her soprano on The Soul Continues against an eerie dissonant orchestral blend containing other-worldly warbling & whirring sound effects. Philip Anselmo, the voice of inter alia Down & Pantera, contributes mostly clipped, emphatic spoken vocals to Overthrown, a mantra-like number.

On the subdued Mouth of Flames, an atonal modern classical/orchestral track, Jarboe first sings in Torch mode and after an instrumental interlude returns with a recital. The chilling Bornless has little girly vocals narrating a (Gnostic?) creation myth against a backdrop of spacey effects, edgy guitars & choral vocals. With its complex arrangement and tempo shifts, Ascend seems to be a detour into Judeo-Christian apocalyptics; despite the frightening feedback squalls, the effect is comforting owing to the redemptive theme and the sound of a human heartbeat at the end. I prefer the rhythmic & uptempo reprise of Overthrown to the aforementioned duet, whilst Jarboe's soprano soars through the stratosphere on the demo version of Mouth of Flames before assuming a quality of vulnerability and tenderness. Three elements dominate Kali Lamentation III: symphonic synths, ominous bass drones & the artist's spoken vocals that conclude the journey unaccompanied on the brief narration Empty Mouth. The album covers an arc of emotion from the sublime to the terrifying and from the unnerving to the reassuring. As startling as Meredith Monk on Dolmen Music or the Peruvian singer Yma Sumac, the voice unveils psychic terrain that is (almost) universally avoided in popular culture. This music is not for the average rock fan as its occasional ferocity may unbalance the emotions & exhaust the soul. On Mahakali, Jarboe continues the vocal prowess & striking lyrical imagery evident on her previous solo projects and in her work with Swans, Beautiful People Ltd & World of Skin. Related: http://www.scribd.com/doc/51788151/Blood-Women-Roses-by-Skin http://www.scribd.com/doc/61382311/Burning-World http://www.scribd.com/doc/74619080/Dark-Consort http://www.scribd.com/doc/72404599/Music-from-the-mouth-of-infinity http://www.scribd.com/doc/50620426/A-MYSTERY-OF-FAITH-by-JARBOE