Crone
Endless Midnight
Waylon Recordings
Crone, a name often given to a woman who possesses some form of magic or wizardry, also finds itself the calling card of former Isis bassist Jeff Caxide’s new solo project. There’s certain symmetry to that since the new Crone release Endless Midnight is a magical record. I don’t say that to be pretentious, I say it as a statement of fact. Endless Midnight creates textures and soundscapes that are so lush they sound, for lack of a better term, magical. These instrumental passages have the ability to lift you out of yourself and carry you away. It’s an audio dream state, a place where your imagination can take over. So many bands dictate the terms of how you appreciate them. Crone doesn’t, it surrounds you with the sounds it wants and allows you to figure out what the record is to you.
Jeff Caxide has always been an important figure in music. During his time in Isis, Caxide wasn’t just the bassist he was a major part of their sound. Taking lessons from that, Caxide steps into a leadership role with Crone. He composes, orchestrates and builds ethereal structures that seem to really be alive. These aren’t songs; these are musical movements, something more akin to classical music than metal. Endless Midnight opens with “What You Dream Of”, an eleven-minute journey into an aching nothingness that consumes you. Caxide is a master of minimalism. He can take the smallest part of the keyboards or strings and layer it over itself without getting boring. He understands that part of what makes this music special are the notes and how they interact with each other.
“Ghost City” is the most haunting song on the album. It feels like the theme to a lost civilization, that scene in the movie where the camera pans through the empty streets and the survivors contemplate the destruction. Caxide blends samples of what sound like talk radio blurbs into this sea of tranquil harmonies. As the tension of the moving keyboards and the voice come together, Caxide releases a single strumming guitar line. It’s dissonant and perfect, the way Thelonious Monk uses his piano, Caxide uses the guitar. Then the song slowly fades out and these sounds separate themselves. “The Silver Hammer” is my favorite track. It’s a simple manipulation of various tones that come across like whale song, evolving into something epic and celebratory. This song feels like you’re beneath the ocean in the darkest part of the night, but you’re safe and just enjoying the majesty around you. Yeah I might sound like a pretentious fop but it’s the truth. Jeff Caxide is making emotional music here, music that nourishes the soul.
The title track also pushes these buttons. It literally sounds like the hour just before dawn. If you can stretch your mind out and try to imagine what it would sound like as the sun slowly rises and casts it’s warm light across silent darkness, then you’ll understand “Endless Midnight”. I love that Endless Midnight is a headphones album. Nobody does that anymore, nobody makes a record that you can sit and listen to with headphones on, eyes closed, and just sink into the sound. This is the audio equivalent of being on good hallucinogens, ones that just present you with a good trip, a trip without fear or reservation.
Caxide was smart on Endless Midnight by welcoming help from old friends. Former Isis band mate Aaron Harris plays on the album as does Cliff Meyer (Isis/Red Sparrows) and John LaMaccia (Candiria). Isis frontman Aaron Turner also lends a hand with some beautiful artwork. With all of these additions, Crone is still all Caxide and Endless Midnight is his statement. The record has secured a space on my ten albums of the year list and may take out Battles, Iwrestledabearonce and a few choice others for the top spot. It’s albums like this that give me faith in music again.
CRAVEONLINE RATING 9.5 OUT OF 10
Review of The Atlas Moth on Page 2...
