BORIS
Smile
(Southern Lord)

HELLBLOCK 6
Nuclear Age
(World Eater)

AHLEUCHATISTAS
Even in the Midst...
(Cuneiform)

GLOOMY SUNDAY
Beyond Good and Evil
(Solitude Prod)

SQUALORA
S/T
(Wantage)

BUSH TETRAS
Very Very Happy 

(ROIR)

POPULATION
REDUCTION
At the Throats of Man Forever

(Tankcrimes)

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The first thing that strikes about Even in the Midst…, Ahleuchatistas’ fourth full-length, is the stunning artwork that graces the cover, back cover and every single page in the insert. It got me to thinking about the state of the record industry and about how with all this loss of importance of full recordings because of the power of downloads and therefore singles, artwork will also lose prominence as a part of a complete artistic product. I know the word ‘product’ has a bad connotation when it comes down to dealing with art, but for us record collectors, and especially for metalheads, if the music ever boils down to singles exchanged through a computer much of the charm will be lost. No doubt about it. So artwork itself, is an extension of the music, it enhances the product, it’s a visual reflection of an aural message, etc, etc.  And if we take a deeper look into the artwork of North Carolina’s Ahleuchatistas, without a single spin of Even in the Midst…, we’ll come to the conclusion that there are only high expectations of quality but no preconceived ideas of a sound.

The type of music that the Ahleuchatistas make can fall into many categories, but for the most part this instrumental trio seems in a stern mindset of a free flowing improvisational jazz jam band. The rest is extra; the tinges of metal, the spirit of hardcore, the soul of punk rock, the obvious nods to experimentalism are all quite evident when one deconstructs the instrumentation. Take the drumming of Derek Poteat for instance; his incisive use of double bass is death metal to the core, except here accompanied by the clear tones of Shane Perlowin’s guitars (math metal was his axe down tuned) perfectly transmits the odd tempo match ups. Awkward to some, awesome for those like your truly.  With the exception of the more deliberate moments, like the violent heavy spasms and the ever flowing orgasmic seconds past the second minute in “K-Bit”,  the moods the Aheluchatistas go through are all over the place.   The strength with which they strum and beat starts at delicate and stops at brutal, the melodies they write in their minds only make sense in theory but in sound dissolve into thin air and organically fall apart and take shape. Even in the Midst… is the type of album that requires time and concentration, a bit of patience too. So bold music listeners; pop this baby right in; sit back, close your eyes and let it suck you in.

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