New Zealand trio The Dead C redefined music with their howling lo-fi guitar soundscapes and improvisational noise rock more than twenty years ago, inspiring the sounds of groups like Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo and Mogwai. Secret Earth, the band’s 28th full-length release featuring a grinding din of detuned guitars, drums, and monotone vocals, is comprised of four long tracks which clearly harkens back to The Dead C’s classic album from 92, Harsh 70’s Reality. Opening track “Mansions” is loud and chaotic with distorted vocals; “Stations” features 16 minutes of even messier noise full of layered feedback, tinny drums and fuzzy vocals. The next song “Plains” gets progressively more distant and distorted, with the lyrics reaching a level of unintelligibility. Lastly, the aptly titled closer “Waves” builds in intensity into a whirlwind of guitars and feedback that carry the song to completion. For those new to The Dead C, Secret Earth is a great introduction to the seminal sound of the art rock scene. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Comets on Fire, GATE, Harry Pussy, Pelt, Sonic Youth, Wolf Eyes, Yo La Tengo