The first solo outing of Julian Cope's Head Heritage webmastercould've come with the tinkling of nepotism's alarm bells, but insteadit brought out the ringing drones of doom. Drafting in Brain Donor'sDoggen, SUNN O)))'s Stephen O'Malley and Cope to help out Holy McGrailshows that it takes more than pagan chic and black clothing to craftclassic drone rock.Head Heritage
For the last few years the creeping love affair with krautrock has beeninforming and warping heavy rock roots into a lengthy freeformavalanche of twenty minute songs. Holy McGrail avoids the well-wornobvious paths of evil hymns and straight psych sides adding outer spaceguitar and spacey synth work to his mix.
Beginning with the most obviously rock of all three pieces “LadyHolle,” the record starts out with a simple stand up beat which soontakes on extra twists and hits lifting itself into a sleeker rhythm. Itmay not the typical Cro-Magnon expected primal stomp but itsinstrumental ritetastic vibe keeps it heavy while adding a pop touch;this is white magic metal chugging over rushing ecstasy whistles.There’s a superfuzzmuff wash over the record and a rhythm guitar on theverge of warping under the static that comes off its self immolatingheat and burning organ waves. The glorious epic finish of guitar andsine wave breaks over the omnipresent hum of its own rise and fall.
The second track “'Quake Appeal” (running for an epic 28:51)favors rumbling cloud drones over any perceptible slowly creepingSabbath heaviosity. This central piece haemorrhages a feedback pulselike a bulging fish squeezing itself gulping for air. This inner spaceworld throbs with hesitating shelves of sound which clip and beginanew, a rash of scattering sub-pulses. A brief riff sinks in (possiblyfrom Cope) and drops out as clicks echo and wash quickly away like thelast sinking whispers of bloody fisted feedback.
The more unassuming cosmic closer “Ur-Cow” (at a much too short 19:59)is a glistening stellar wash of burnt out and birthing shooting stars.There are numerous bursts of night sky sounds which zip over theprolonged undertone of sea-like static as Stephen O’Malley performs histurn through the track with a bled dry subtly and moderate touch. Where“'Quake Appeal” is more confidently engaging on the first handful ofpasses, it’s the closer that shows McGrail’s ear for gradients of soundand blissed out white light beauty. It’s definitely a feat in itselfthat he’s managed to utterly sidestep the colossal shadow of Earth andtheir impersonators to create this debut.
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