Tuesday 29 July 2014

Haikai No Ku - Ultra High Dimensionality (Album Review)

HAIKAI NO KU - ULTRA HIGH DIMENSIONALITY cover

Album Type: Album
Date Released: August 20th 2014
Label: Box Records

Ultra High Dimensionality - track listing:

I. Dead In The Temple (09:24)
II. Strung Out Beyond The Rim (09:23)
IV. Blue At Noon (09:02)
V. Void In Aimless Flight (07:52)
VI. Unbroken Reign Of The Violent Yagu (04:16)

Album Info:

Box Records is proud to present the second full length album from Newcastle, UK brain-melters Haikai No Ku. Following last years outstanding début 'Sick On My Journey' on Burning World Records the three piece stepped into Blank Studios to record their follow up, a 40 minute pilgrimage through 5 mind-altering tracks.

By now avid fans of doom and psychedelia will be familiar with Mike Vest's (Bong, 11Paranoias, Blown Out) patented hyper fuzz guitar shrieks and damaged feedback. In Haikai No Ku he is joined by Jerome Smith (Female Borstal, Charles Dexter Ward) on bass and Sam Booth (Foot Hair, Bin, Obey) on drums to deliver a burgeoning psychedelic doom trip of the highest grade.

Band Members

Jerome Smith – Bass
Mike Vest - Feedbacker Guitars
Sam Booth – Drums

Review:

Haikai No Ku released one of the best if not the best début Noise Rock/Psychedelic Rock albums of 2013 with Sick On My Journey. The album truly pulverized me with it’s style of Noise, Doom, Drone and Psychedelic Rock overtones being played at a loud violent level for 45 mins or so.

Well 12 months on, Haikai No Ku are back to continue that journey with their 2nd full-length record – Ultra High Dimensionality. 39 minutes of even more twisted Doom, Drone, Psychedelic Noise Rock riffs to prove why Haikai No Ku are masters of nightmarish noisy based feedback that would have BORIS or Mainliner running for cover. This album should come with a Government Health Warning to advise people how violently loud the mood becomes.

First track – Read In The Temple – once again sees the band playing by their own rules with each band member trying to play the lead role within this dangerous power trio. Mike on lead guitar is on fire as he lays down a barrage of spectacular noisy guitar riffs that Jerome and Sam match on bass and drums respectively. The album walks a fine line between drone based doom metal vibes and distorted slabs of heavy heart-pounding noise with enough power to shatter your body to dust.

As with their début album, this will take a few listens to get the overall feel of the album. It is not an easy album to listen to as Haikai No Ku add different styles and ideas that will potentially put many people off. However, that has always been Haikai No Ku’s intent in releasing music that is different to everything else.

Second track – Strung Out Beyond The Rim – carries on the instrumental brutality from the earlier track. Haikai No Ku pound the heck out of their instruments as they turn the noise way up to dangerous levels once again. This takes the listener into a violent psychedelic world where each passing second lasts a lifetime. Haikai No Ku slowly destroy every shred of sanity you may have and turn you into an emotional shivering wreck.

Haikai No Ku unleash more sonic warfare on 3rd track – Blue At Noon. They blend ambient-based noises with psychedelic riffs that even had me feeling dizzy at times. A brutal and uncompromising track unleashes attack after attack of heavy pounding distorted riffs that can be described as deafening and painful at times. However, I still loved every warped and disturbing second of it. Haikai No Ku take no prisoners with this track. Trust me. A loud and violent offering will leave you in a cold sweat questioning what have I just witnessed.

Void In Aimless Flight and Unbroken Reign Of The Violent Yagu draws this album to it’s natural and violent conclusion to prove why Haikai No Ku are in a dangerous league of their own. Ultra High Dimensionality is another excellent album from this demented hard-rocking power trio. If you want an album that challenges you and dares to be different, this is the album for you. Another masterpiece from Haikai No Ku.

Thanks to Matt at Box Records. Ultra High Dimensionality will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl from Box Records on August 20th 2014.

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Written by Steve Howe