I braced myself before playing Honeysuckle Eyes. Intuition told me that this album would be another moment of “Kollaps“, a deeply moving sonic event when I discovered industrial music for the first time.
Industrial music, much like jazz, blues and middle eastern music, for me has a spiritual connection. From tone and rhythm, it all connects to that root of my ancestors expressing with sound during ritual. There are people who we are connected to who fashioned reeds into flutes as they walked with their tribe into those caves of memory, mourning and mysticism with only the ochre light of fire.
Honeysuckle Eyes hits all those chords in me. Distorted drones, screeching beats, power tool driven riffs composed into a compressed filtered cacophony of psychosis given voice. A calliope made into monstrous, metal fetishist flesh that yearns maniacally for acceptance, Love and peace but, still remembers those steam powered melodies of a pre-transformed past. Harmony seductively fan dances through white and pink noise to leave you wishing for more.
Graham Ferguson‘s voice changes not only resonance and tone during these gyrations of naked revelation but, also in strength and raw power. At times they seem intimate but brittle, awash in loss of control. At others, they seem to be floating above it all like a god shouting from a distant heaven to followers who never listen, much less heed.
Each song stands alone as a unique story, crafted with a story teller’s flair. But, all ten songs form a complete, almost cinematic narrative that begins with shock and falls into dénouement as a wave washes away footprints at dusk.
Honeysuckle Eyes is out today on Bandcamp.
Per SOCCERMOM WITH AN AK‘s directions, all cassette tape proceeds go to Grimalkin Records‘ current fundraisers to support their mission. SOCCERMOM WITH AN AK receives 75% of digital proceeds. 25% of digital proceeds support’s Grimalkin Records‘ label fund so they can continue helping artists make physical releases.
In this afterglow, with Spring air breezing through my open studio window, my scent memory teases flowers in bloom with a sweet scent, my soul feels comforted by these sounds today. As I press to restart, all sense of hesitation is replaced by anticipation because I know that each re-listen of Honeysuckle Eyes will reveal a deeper wisdom.
Paper Phoenix ink 