A solo project from Nathaniel Dominy, whose work with both Gifts from Enola and Prayer Group has earned no small amount of praise on these pages in the past, Kircher was never going to be your run-of-the-mill side project. A clattering, noisy little bastard of an EP, this short, untitled effort is a devastating trip into Nathaniel’s psyche and, like all such records, it carries with it a brutal sense of honesty that forces you to see things through to the conclusion. Released on Sept 29 via Fisher King Records, this all-too-short effort is a work of unholy genius, tailor made for fans of bands like Botch, (early-) Swans, Cave In, and Dillinger Escape Plan.
With its grinding riff nailed tight by Andrew Barnes’ propulsive percussion, the ugly Picking A Scab sets out Kitcher’s stall – a frenetic hybrid of hardcore combined with the heavier end of the alt-rock spectrum, all coalescing to leave the listener somewhat bruised by the time it reaches its conclusion. Opting for a sweaty spontaneity over accuracy, the recording has a raw urgency to it that stands apart from the over-production so often indulged in, and the result is an EP that grabs you by whatever sensitive appendages you care to call your own, keeping your attention to the very end. Next up, Swimmin’ segues directly from its predecessor, stripping away the guitar to focus the attention on Nathaniel’s bleak vocals, delivered in the manner of Henry Rollins channelling Ian Curtis. The untitled third track exists in a world of its own, all harrowing synth noise, primarily serving as a palette cleanser before the spoken-word nightmare of How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Start Eating emerges to draw the listener further into Nathaniel’s world. With the guitar not so much played as strangled (think Kurt Cobain’s unhinged playing on Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip), the attention is once again focused on Nathaniel’s monologue, leaving the listener feeling like an eavesdropper in someone else’s private sanctuary. The riposte is the frantic Sicko, a murderously heavy blast of post hardcore in the vein of early Cave In, before the EP concludes with the ominous synth-scapes of Gone. A fitting finale to an unremittingly dark EP, Gone takes influence from John Carpenter’s evil soundtrack work, the result a gruelling post punk offering that lingers long in the memory.
A darkly compelling EP, this self-titled effort from Kircher is provides a grimy window into the soulof an artist who lies awake at night, tormented by the memories of past mistakes and present regrets. By turns crushing and cathartic, Kircher may not be an easy listen, but it surely is a worthwhile one. 9/10
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