Lesbian is a Doom Metal Band from Seattle, USA
The members are
Arran McInnis
Dan LaRochelle
Benjamin Thomas-Kennedy
Dorando Hodous
LESBIAN - FORESTELEVISION
Wow, this is pretty ambitious. Even if you judge this by the ludicrously epic stature of some of the things we cover on this blog, this is still pretty fucking ambitious. But Seattle's Lesbian (the band, not the only lesbian in Seattle) are apparently full of ambition. Maybe just as much as their lungs might be full of something else.
This is not an album in so much as it is a piece of music, almost classical in composition and scope. Like if Beethoven did doom. That's just what 'Forestelevison' really is, a near 45 minute long single track record that is as immense as the horizon is wide. It's a pretty amazing experience.
It's quite an unconventional approach, even in today's world of extreme this and that. Many bands will play a single note for an hour and think they are Sunno))) , but they really aren't. It takes balls to set out and attempt to pull off a feat like this. Balls and creativity. You HAVE to keep it fresh, and they manage that in absolute spades. It's a voyage of discovery, and variation, and it just plain rules.
The best way to describe this whole thing is to start with the simplistics. Lesbian play doom and drone, with a bit of a prog / psych twist. There are some classic metal flourishes here and there, the sort of soloing that would keep Maiden in Boeing jet rental, but it's bread and butter is the doomier side of the slice. All the instruments are crisp in the mix, and the vocals dance between blackened influences, to clean, to everything inbetween. There really is that much going on.
I don't even know where to begin in regards to potential highlights. It seems redundant to focus on set pieces or timed intervals, as everything is just as relevant as everything else on display here - absolutely nothing is left to chance and nothing is without merit. You need to soak in the entire recording for the winding journey it is intended to be. Epic, grand and vast, it'll take you to the edge of the abyss and back multiple times over.
'Forestelevision' is an absolute MUST for fans of the experimental, of doom, of drone and anything with great vision. Lesbian are undoubtedly the future of the sound, and I cannot recommend this highly enough. Easily a contender for album of the year and utterly essential. Whatever you do, get into this. Let it sink it's hooks into you and carry you off into the mist. You absolutely won't be disappointed.
Written by Matt Fitton
Thanks To Transition Loss Records for sending ourselves a promo to review. The album will be availabl to buy from June 25th 2013.
Check The Band From The Links Below
BandCamp
