Review
The Haxan Cloak
Excavation

Tri Angle (2013) Bob

The Haxan Cloak – Excavation cover artwork
The Haxan Cloak – Excavation — Tri Angle, 2013

What dream like states can you imagine, and how exactly might you reach such a trance? Do you use illicit and not so illicit substances, or are you maybe touched a bit having brushed wings with delirium one too many times? Regardless of how you might enter a waking dream world, what do you enjoy to use as the soundtrack?

Ever since the second full length from The Haxan Cloak was released, my dreams (both waking and others) have at times been dominated by the creeped out beauty that permeates from my speakers and headphones whenever Excavation spins on my turntable; and trust me when I tell you that this is one of those releases where people listen and view the record in a haze of critical kudos and maintain that the album really is as good as people say it is.

There is a general tension and feeling of unease that subtly attacks your senses when Excavation circles the turntable would be virtually palpable if the album was not so completely mesmerizing, and while it has been a challenge to impart any kind of description for individual songs (simply because I zone out all the time whenever I put on the record), there some awesome moments when you can focus on what is playing. Songs like “Excavation (Part 1)”, “Excavation (Part 2)” (this one simply kills with a nice sub woofer), and “The Drop” are more ambient mood pieces, whereas songs like “Mara” and “Miste” sounds as though they could be a soundtrack to a thriller movie or something like The Shining due in no small part to how creepy and effective the tension building is; and yet there is more as “The Mirror Reflecting (Part 1)”, “The Mirror Reflecting (Part 2)”, and “Dieu” sound less like ambient pieces and more like esoteric nightmarish soundscapes.

For quite a while, I considered Excavation to be a good record where I could consistently pop it on my stereo and enjoy listening whenever I wanted; but that feeling or regard for the album slowly gave way to something much more in that Excavation became an album that I found myself subconsciously drawn to popping on time and time again, and just perhaps, that is why I find myself espousing just how great this album is to other people. I cannot just call this album from The Haxan Cloak good any more and have to refer to the record as great instead as it so frequently dominates my listening habits; even when I walk away from Excavation, the compulsion to listen always returns and always has me thinking that I should pop the record on again.

8.5 / 10Bob • December 9, 2013

The Haxan Cloak – Excavation cover artwork
The Haxan Cloak – Excavation — Tri Angle, 2013

Related news

Daily line-ups for Denovali Swingfest London

Posted in Shows on February 26, 2014

Recently-posted album reviews

The Phase Problem

The Power Of Positive Thinking
Brassneck Records (2024)

I spent a good part of the late ‘90s annoyed at the abundance of Ramonescore. I’ll stand by my word: many of the bands of that era were carbon copies that didn’t bring anything new to the format. But time has passed and what was overdone is now a refreshing change of pace. For whatever reason, when I hear a … Read more

Totally Slow

The Darkness Intercepts
Refresh Records (2024)

I find Totally Slow a hard band to categorize. Their brand of melodic, hard punk is familiar and comforting -- rooted in ‘80s hardcore, ‘90s skatepunk, and post-something guitar-driven rock. The press release namedrops Dag Nasty and Hot Snakes, among others, which I think are good starting points. But while it’s familiar, it’s absolutely not a carbon copy. Like their forebearers, the songs … Read more

Steamachine

City of Death
Records Workshop (2023)

City Of Death is the third album from Polish noise makers Steamachine. Having dabbled in a few metal styles over their career, City Of Death has a heavy carnival influence to it which I have to say I really like. It's interesting just how much more sinister things sound when you pump eerie, jingly circus sounds amongst very dark, heavy, … Read more