What do you get when you toss members of Jesu, Isis, Godflesh, House of Low Culture, The Lotus Eaters, Mamiffer
nevermind ask the same question but change it to Aaron Turner and Justin Broadrick and his compatriots from Jesu (Dave Cochrane and Diarmud Dalton). In case you have yet to hear, GREYMACHINE (yes, all in caps) is the name of this potential behemoth of sound and aural destruction and this 12" single is the perfect introduction to the group's potential. Vultures Descend' b/w 'We Are All Fucking Liars (Version) is only two tracks (obviously), and the first is one that fans of these gentlemen may already have downloaded for free (as the group made it available to do so quite a bit ago); but the whole package (a classic DJ promo single style) is quite fitting for the first official introduction to GREYMACHINE.
"Vultures Descend" is a brutish and noisy introduction to GREYMACHINE with pounding percussion and swirling white noise washes and discordant guitar chords that somehow allows the bass guitar to cut through the din of the distorted vocals to provide a center for the maelstrom of sound. If this first track is any indication of the uncompromising sound with which the band will be smashing listeners ears, than this is going to be one hell of a ride. "We Are All Fucking Liars (Version)" is similarly caustic with what sounds like programmed drum beats propelling an eerie keyboard underneath some vicious vocals; this track definitely contains elements of the later era Jesu motifs but with a much more crushing take on the sound to create an aural universe where raw dissonance is king (it kind of reminds me at times of the haunting work of Gyorgy Ligeti on the : 2001 A Space Odyssey soundtrack).
Somehow, GREYMACHINE seems as though they deconstruct black metal and incorporate the aesthetic and raw sound into some of the noisier elements of its members' "day jobs" (not surprising considering both Turner and Broadrick's documented affection for black metal) to create something different and unexpected. This single is a nasty slab of vinyl that is dense with multiple layers of swirling sound and aural texture that creates an intense atmosphere which immerses listeners in its roiling cacophony of raw noise. Count me as one that is hooked on GREYMACHINE because of this teaser single; I cannot wait to hear the full-length now.
