Nothing on Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light II is as daunting as the first part’s 20-minute title track. However, that does not mean that this is easier to jump into; like past Earth albums, this is a body of work that demands constant attention. One of the band’s greatest assets is their patience, which allows for the development of songs that don’t have a traditional flow or any heightened build-ups. Try to tell Earth to pick up the pace, and they just continue to stay the course, with sly smiles to boot.
Cellist Lori Goldston is an integral member to the vision guitarist Dylan Carlson has with this album. She is not some session player paid by the hour, but a centerpiece of somberness that envelops whenever she appears. The cello on “Waltz (A Multiplicity Of Doors)” saunters in with the glide of a lifeless corpse, often times overshadowing the guitars and minimal percussion. Without the cello, the dreariness would not be as massive.
The band have mentioned in interviews how improvisation played a role in these recording sessions, and that organicness is clear to hear in the way these songs are laid out. The songs have a starting point, but beyond that seems unclear. The variation is lacking, which may tune out people used to kinetic riffs and one twist after the next. Calling something “music to sleep to” could be labeled an insult, but Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light II has that soothing lull to it perfect for background music late at night.
Though nothing more than an accompaniment to the first part, Earth isn’t just pulling a Metallica and releasing B-sides and leftover material as a full-length. While both may have similar themes and sonic touches, Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light II has an identity all its own. “Sigil of Brass” is one of the shortest songs the band have done in years, largely consisting of a lone guitar strumming lightly in cohesion with Goldston’s cello. Carlson’s soft touch on guitar is the sail casting Earth along the murky tides of “His Teeth Did Brightly Shine.”
With a shorter running length, Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light II is not as cumbersome as Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light I became near its end. This album feels tighter because of that, though if the first one didn’t have much appeal to a listener, they will have the same reaction to this. Earth have come a long way from the hard-to-digest drone of the early days, and have found new life in dropping the distortion, while returning to their roots of spaced-out drone/doom.
(released February 14, 2012 on Southern Lord Records)
