Logo
DiS Needs You: Save our site »
  • Logo_home2
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • In Photos
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Community
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • Blog
  • Community

THIS SITE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED AND CLOSED.

Please join the conversation over on our new forums »

If you really want to read this, try using The Internet Archive.

Holy Mountain

Earth Measures

Label: Chemikal Underground Release Date: 14/05/2012

83725
vamos by Sean Thomas May 17th, 2012

There's a section about five minutes into 'Great Monkey' that encapsulates everything great about Holy Mountain.

A bass note is left to hang in the air - isolated and reverberating - after the thunderous, doom march pace of the opening has been blown asunder by a ridiclously tight solo. Hands readjust themselves on the guitar neck and let out a slight scraping sound as they get into position. You can just about make out the band in the background trying to keep quiet. It's the calm before the storm reawakens, and by God, you know what's coming next.

When it hits, it's delivered with devastating precision, clout and weight; a testament to both the band and the producer. There's a depth and richness in the sound that lets so many other rock records down. The bass echoes. The drums are relentless. The vocals emerge out of the mix and fade back into them. The cymbals sound like they're in danger of breaking.

It might seem obvious but it is a trick few bands get right, let alone one with just three members doing their first ever recording session. You could list countless moments in these songs that may remind you of other noise connoisseurs (Part Chimp, MC5, Kyuss, Black Sabbath all spring to mind), but not one in particular from whom they obviously glean influence such is their refusal to stay on any straight trajectory for longer than a few minutes. It's a breathless journey, tinged with humour - as you'd well expect given their song titles and attire on the sleeve.

By the time the long awaited breakdown dissipates, you're a convert to the cause and ready to go again.

Do you know what the best thing about their mini-album Earth Measures is? 'Great Monkey' is the worst track on it.

  • 8
    Sean Thomas's Score
Log-in to rate this record out of 10
Share on
   
Love DiS? Become a Patron of the site here »


LATEST


  • Why Music Journalism Matters in 2024


  • Drowned in Sound is back!


  • Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Year: 2020


  • Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter


  • Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing


  • Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alternative must sees



Left-arrow

Magnetic North

Orkney: Symphony of the Magnetic North

Mobback
83650
83644

Gossip

A Joyful Noise

Mobforward
Right-arrow


LATEST

    news


    Why Music Journalism Matters in 2024

  • 106145
  • news


    Drowned in Sound is back!

  • 106143

    news


    Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Y...

  • 106141
  • news


    Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter

  • 106139

    Playlist


    Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing

  • 106138
  • Festival Preview


    Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alterna...

  • 106137

    Interview


    A Different Kind Of Weird: dEUS on The Ideal Crash

  • 106136
  • Festival Review


    Way Out East: DiS Does Sharpe Festival 2019

  • 106135
MORE


    news


    The Neptune Music Prize 2016 - Vote Now

  • 103918
  • Takeover


    The Winner Takes It All

  • 50972

    Takeover


    10 Things To Not Expect Your Record Producer To...

  • 93724
  • review


    The Mars Volta - Deloused In The Comatorium

  • 4317

    review


    Sonic Youth - Nurse

  • 6044
  • feature


    New Emo Goth Danger? My Chemical Romance confro...

  • 89578

    feature


    DiS meets Justice

  • 27270
  • news


    Our Independent music filled alternative to New...

  • 104374
MORE

Drowned in Sound
  • DROWNED IN SOUND
  • HOME
  • SITE MAP
  • NEWS
  • IN DEPTH
  • IN PHOTOS
  • RECORDS
  • RECOMMENDED RECORDS
  • ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
  • FESTIVAL COVERAGE
  • COMMUNITY
  • MUSIC FORUM
  • SOCIAL BOARD
  • REPORT ERRORS
  • CONTACT US
  • JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
  • FOLLOW DiS
  • GOOGLE+
  • FACEBOOK
  • TWITTER
  • SHUFFLER
  • TUMBLR
  • YOUTUBE
  • RSS FEED
  • RSS EMAIL SUBSCRIBE
  • MISC
  • TERM OF USE
  • PRIVACY
  • ADVERTISING
  • OUR WIKIPEDIA
© 2000-2025 DROWNED IN SOUND