Initially seen as something of a curate’s egg on Sub Pop, Earth have gone on to be one of the most influential bands of recent years, spawning the entire dronecore / death metal scene (Sunn O))) etc.) as well as helping to mould the likes of Mogwai, Jim O’Rouke and (if their reverential appearance on the recent ‘Legacy of Dissolution’ LP is anything to go by) even Autechre. Back with their first proper album for 9 years (‘Hex; or Printing In The Infernal Method’), Earth seem eager to discard the overly distorted sound that has come to stereotype them, preferring instead to embark on a journey through “black Americana”… Woooh. Possessing an almost bluesy feel, tracks such as ‘Land Of Some Other Order’ and ‘The Dire and Ever Circling Wolves’ whilst sounding like chapter titles in a Stephen King novel, are nowhere near as skull crushingly intense as Earth’s reputation may have you fearing. Referencing Merle Haggard, Duane Eddy and Roy Buchanan, Earth seem to have hit on a fertile seam, with the overt optimism of the harmonica layered ‘An Inquest Concerning Teeth’ and the bourbon twang of ‘Lens Of Unrectified Night’ testament to their confidence and talent. Unwilling to rest on their laurels, ‘Hex…’ is the sound of a band reshaping their legacy.
