Splits are a funny old thing. One side might be terrible, one side might be great, the other side completely overshadows the other, both sides might be awful, neither side makes any sense when put with the other or, in the case of this Botanist and Palace of Worms split, both sides might be complete polar opposites and yet somehow perfectly in sync at the same time. It’s some kind of magic.
The two artists behind this release have been in talks to do something together for a while (see our below interview with Otrebor of Botanist) and as such the themes and currents running through their tracks align and give us a deeper insight into the Bay Area’s black metal scene. While Botanist treads the unconventional path, Palace of Worms sidles along a more orthodox route but the two projects throw curiosities into their music – Botanist via those incredible dulcimer parts and Palace of Worms through gorgeous synths and uneasy clean vocals – and both move forward from their previous releases into new territories and sounds.
Botanist‘s last outing was the incredible IV: Mandrogora and moving past that record, the project takes on new angles and melds them into the sound that is unmistakably that of Botanist. The band has a instantly recognizable aura and its in the utilisation of unconventional instrumentation and a voice that cuts through the growing atmosphere that Botanist comes to life. Hammered dulcimer plays off drum beats and the mind behind it all, Otrebor, throws an odd vocal pitch over it all in order to bring first track “Tillandsia” to deadly fruition. Driving push the song ever forward and it pulses with a heady sadness – quite a feat considering there’s no fancy guitar work – but the melodies are clear and Botanist is constantly evolving and changing as the music flows from this odd mind.
“Senecio” introduces an entirely new dimension to Botanist and the inclusion of harmonized, clean vocals as well as softly spoken sections is unnerving and unexpected. The otherworldly nature of the act comes through ever more clearly on this song, and it’s deeply unsettling at times as the eeriness of the music embeds in the brain and creates all manner of odd and curious visuals. It’s a trick that Botanist has always been able to pull off, and something that follows into the final song on their side – “Trandescantia Pallida” – with slightly stepped back choral-like lines that segue into that spoken style and then switch back to the more “normal” tones that we are used to hearing from Botanist. The Hanging Gardens of Hell kicks with a strange, esoteric vibration that twists and turns and strives the reclamation of the natural world from the scourge of man.
Palace of Worms was last heard from around this time in 2012 with another split, that time with Mastery, and it’s evident that the intervening year has done much to build Palace of Worms sole member Balan into a formidable presence in the one-man-black-metal sphere. The three tracks we hear Ode To Joy are draped in orthodox black metal tones and more modern takes on the genre – from the keyboard strikes and vocal style on first track “Ode to Joy (Hurrah, The End Draws Nigh)” that evokes Beherit in its opening moments, to the punk-driven drums and a guitar solo that sits in “King Leech” and pays homage to latter Darkthrone material. Palace of Worms has many faces, and they are all showcased on these three new tracks.
“King Leech” is swathed in darkness and the track is certainly the most “classic” sounding of the three. Rasped vocals sit in front of simple, buzzy guitar lines and heavy bass drum kicks before the whole style changes and morphs into an off-kilter, black and roll passage that’s surprisingly fun – unexpected, but defiant and strong.
“Twilight of the Idols (For R.B.)” writhes in Beherit-esque tones again yet brings black metal screaming into the modern era with electronic glitches and odd little passages of dissonance that swirl and clash in a maelstrom of contrasting sounds. This track sits well against the Botanist side of the split as it has the element of the strange at its core and Balan has dredged up a multitude of unusual offerings in order to drive the song into ever more reaching landscapes. Palace of Worms has many faces, and they are all showcased on these three new tracks and the inner workings of the mind that created them is laid bare for all to hear.
Buy the LP from The Flenser and/or a digital copy on bandcamp.
BOTANIST INTERVIEW
Some background:
Otrebor recently contacted me as he’d done an interview with Noisey in Germany and wanted to have a translated version (and was unable to obtain it from them) so that a wider audience may also read it. We had a lot of back and forth in terms of wanting to keep the identity of the original interview intact without it seeming like we were “ripping it off” and hopefully this is something that we have managed.
As such, the interview that follows is loosely based on the one conducted for Noisey. I have changed/added some questions and Otrebor has restructered his previous answers to fit a new flow. The final question remains intact as Otrebor was very keen to keep it and so I fully credit Noisey for that. Enjoy.
CVLT Nation: Hi Otrebor, thanks for talking to us. Can you tell us a little about how the split with Palace of Worms came about?
Otrebor: The Hanging Gardens of Hell’s origins began when I approached Balan in 2011 with the idea of doing a split record. It was my intention to make an album that represented some of the new wave of Bay Area black metal (bands like Mamaleek, Mastery, or Pale Chalice also came to mind). The album was originally about twice as long, but Balan and I either cut our song lists down or re-recorded material outright so the lot could fit neatly on a single vinyl disk. We all think it was the right choice.
I was also honoured to have Balan filling in at the last minute on dulcimer for our first tour, in October of 2013. We played seven dates with the mighty Behold… The Arctopus through the west coast of The USA and Canada, culminating in our performance at the Fall Into Darkness festival in Portland. This show was beyond any of our expectations and we are grateful for the opportunity.
CVLT Nation: Who is “The Botanist” and how does the other person, Otrebor, fit into the grand scheme of the project?
Otrebor: The Botanist is the project’s titular character from whose point of view all the songs are told. From the band website: “The songs of Botanist are told from the perspective of The Botanist, a crazed man of science who lives in self-imposed exile, as far away from Humanity and its crimes against Nature as possible. In his sanctuary of fantasy and wonder, which he calls the Verdant Realm, he surrounds himself with plants and flowers, finding solace in the company of the Natural world, and envisioning the destruction of man. There, seated upon his throne of Veltheimia, The Botanist awaits the time of humanity’s self-eradication, which will allow plants to make the Earth green once again.”
Otrebor is my stage name. It’s the name I chose when I began my involvement in Ophidian Forest, the name I use when doing studio work (like for Ordo Obsidium), and it is the name of the musician who channels the essence of The Botanist, who in turn is channelling the essence of the divinity of the Natural World and acts as the speaker for its vengeful spirit. When you read a Botanist interview, it is with me, Otrebor. The Botanist speaks only on the records and during the performance of the material on stage.
CVLT Nation: Following on from that, how do those sides of the project reflect upon your own, “real world” persona?
Otrebor: I am not The Botanist, but he speaks through me. For this to be, there must necessarily be an intrinsic aspect to my outlook on the world and mankind’s place in it that has led this expression to emanate from my being.
CVLT Nation: Does The Hanging Gardens of Hell have any overarching themes and if so, how they fit into the flow of Botanist releases?
Otrebor: The concept/theme of this recording is hanging plants. Tillandsia, Senecio, and Tradescantia Pallida are all such plants, or are used as such. The Hanging Gardens of Hell was the original intended title for the first Botanist full length, which was then changed to The Suicide Tree based on the strength of the image of the Cerbera Odollam. It was fitting and exalting to name the first EP with this original name, and to do it further justice by giving all the plants mentioned in it a unifying characteristic.
CVLT Nation: Your songs and philosophy seem to suggest that mankind itself is doomed, is that something that you hold a powerful belief in?
Otrebor: If by doomed, you mean mankind is on a path of waste, misuse, arrogance and unconsciousness that will knock the natural order off balance, resulting in scarring of the environment and the ultimate eradication of the human species, then, yes, we are. It is already well underway.
CVLT Nation: What then does The Botanist suggest we do in order to save ourselves?
Otrebor: Everything we know will at some point cease to exist, with our own existences being some of the first in line. Saving the world is intrinsically linked to our cessation of unconsciousness, of self-entitlement, of self-importance, of the notion that we are islands that live on a separate plane from plants and animals. It is intrinsically linked with the perception of the Natural world as being our most tangible manifestation of the divine, and as such, it must be revered, or at least respected. If it is not respected, it will destroy us and move on unhindered.
CVLT Nation: Isn’t it too much of a moral statement though to say that we should save the world? Isn’t the world or nature fundamentally indifferent?
O: The world simply does not need saving. Fundamentally, Nature is not a defenceless child. Humanity, in all its bumbling, destructive power, will never be able to do so much damage to destroy the world — it can only mar it temporarily. Nothing that humanity can come up with and throw at Nature will ever equal the fundamentally superior power of Nature itself. Just as we do not have the power to destroy it, we likewise do not have the power to save it.
When the damage to Nature becomes great enough, Nature will simply rise up in its own way and sweep away the merely annoying oppressors, and eventually reset its natural balance again. From destruction will be rebirth. This notion is the basis for The Budding Dawn, and is the underlying sentiment of the title track of the second record, A Rose from the Dead.
Perhaps we should instead view “saving” the world as “preserving” it, and in particular, preserving it for ourselves, as it is the most essential piece of our very existence as a species. Think of a simple analogy of a group of creatures living on a plot of land that yields edible plants. If the creatures misuse the resources, and consume them to the point where the plants can not renew themselves, the creatures will die. Their remains will help renew the soil, which will eventually give rise to something new and balanced, as Nature intends. Witnessing the clear-cutting of a forest or the extinction of a species is tragic and a crime against Nature. But it is a crime also against us, for without Nature’s balance, our most basic means of survival is taken away. It is only when mankind as a whole can put aside its detrimental sense of self-importance and can learn the true lesson of Nature — that we are all but humble parts of its grand scheme — which every living being will benefit.
CVLT Nation: Where does your inspiration come from in terms of reading and research? Do you spend a great deal of time learning about the things you write about and how did that passion come about?
Otrebor: I’m not entirely sure where this all comes from. It just comes from somewhere, and it is of the highest importance that I do this work. Botanist is not the first or only entity to champion the importance of the Natural environment. There is more and more of them all the time. Just as we have automatic biological systems to help combat sickness and wounds, it is as if Nature has its own set as well, and that is manifesting itself in an increasing amount of people feeling a primordial need to do something to fight the good fight, to at least go down swinging while the bulk of humanity brings about its own downfall.
CVLT Nation: You recently completed your first run of live shows, as you mentioned previously, could you tell us a little more about how you found translating your work on record into a live performance and how you found the musicians you worked with? How was it collaborating with other people as you’re someone who usually works alone?
Otrebor: The biggest thrill I’ve felt while working with others in this project was the initial time of our running through any given song in practice — that the sense of urgency and the importance of the artistic message of Botanist’s music was so powerful to manifest four other individuals (two of whom must travel 400 miles each way to practice with the band) to learn the music’s intricacies and alien idiosyncrasies. This was a humbling, touching experience; important moments that help to strengthen my belief that Botanist goes beyond remarkable, creatively progressive music, to something whose artistic statement has a clear, powerful message that applies to the world.
Credit: M.S. Waldron
You’ll commonly read how one-man bands don’t work with other people because they loathe it. While working as a one-man band for sure is less stressful and allows for a certain artistic freedom of flow, Botanist was more a one-man band out of necessity than choice. The story needed to be told, and it wasn’t going to happen unless I did it all myself. Now that the world is increasingly feeling the importance of the creation, more and more people are being drawn to it.
As to how I met the other live musicians, The Quietus ran an interview in which I said making Botanist a live band was a scenario I welcomed. One D. Neal read that interview and contacted me, as he was a black metal enthusiast who also played dulcimer. When we met, it became clear that there was an underlying strong energetic alignment that we shared. But it wasn’t until Neal found the second dulcimer player, R. Chiang that the live plan was truly in motion. Chiang’s dedication and gusto in the pursuit of being a career musician and of creating and promoting revolutionary art is an inspiration.
With the main core of dulcimers and drums in place, it was then a question of finding a bass player and harmonium player. Bezaelith, aka Elizabeth Gladding, and I go back years, and Botanist fans may recognize her name from the Lotus Thief track she contributed to the Allies disc. That she has a remarkable singing voice was a nice added bonus. A. Lindo’s name is as familiar from Allies too, as he did the vocals on the opening song, by Cult of Linnaeus. He’s turned into a fine frontman, as his physical presence and energy, particularly while playing his atypical instrument, provides a fierce and alien impact to the live shows.
Neal couldn’t make the tour, so Balan worked hard and filled in. He did a great job. It worked out well and then when Bezaelith was unable to continue touring, Balan stepped up to fill her duties on bass which is a more natural instrument for him. He and I have been talking about some ideas to make the bass more eerie and esoteric, more buzzing and baffling… more fitting with the tagline from tUMULt’s description of Botanist.
Translating the recorded work to live took some adaptation. For example, the first two records feature no bass guitar, but three dulcimer parts. So the bass guitar plays the lowest of the three parts. “Quoth Azalea, the Demon (Rhododendoom II)” features a lot of bowing, but pulling that off live is more problematic than it’s worth, so those parts are reproduced on harmonium. Then there’s the issue of what vocals I can actually do while simultaneously playing the drums, which was resolved by Lindo’s excellent competency and performance ability.
CVLT Nation: How do you view the political situation in the US? PRISM, drone wars, the economic situation and so on?
Otrebor: Everything is of some importance, like my having lunch today or whether the garbage gets picked up or not. However, if mankind’s actions lead to a world where Nature revolts and takes action against us, all of these issues will be swept away just as easily.
Thank you for your time,
Otrebor
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REVIEW + BOTANIST INTERVIEW appeared first on CVLT Nation.