It’s been over 18 months since I shared Coma Waering with you. Now it’s time to discuss Weighing Souls With Sand, one of the most-beautiful, harrowing contributions to metal genre of the past decade. If you don’t recall the previous post dedicated to The Angelic Process, I’ll give some background information. The duo of K. Angylus and MDragynfly (who were also husband and wife) formed in Macon, GA in 1999 to begin creating self-described “ambient drone metal.” They continued successfully for years with EPs and full-length albums including the aforementioned Coma Waering. In 2007, Weighing Souls With Sand was released.
There are two ways of approaching a record as bold and raw as this one. You can choose to focus intently on the crushing, depressive music, trying to grasp all that flooding your ears and make sense of it all. Or, you can simply let the noise wash over you, lay back and enjoy the bliss. Most of the time I choose the latter option, because to truly unpack the contents of this album can be tough. Amidst the din of super distortion there is a lone voice screaming to be heard, practically pleading for help in the most blood-curdling, beautiful harmony you’ve ever heard. There is no melody to the buzzing and clattering instruments. You have to focus on that unnatural, doomed voice crying out to be heard to capture the lone musical element of this album that is (traditionally speaking) satisfying.
Written as a concept album about the aftermath of a loved one’s death, the ideas of loss, despair and acceptance put forth by the album are — in hindsight — quite chilling. In October of that year, about six months after the album was released, Angylus announced that the band was to be put on indefinite hiatus. A break in his hand had not healed correctly, and he was unable to play any music. Had surgery fixed the problem, Angylus was unsure as to whether or not he would continue the band. In his final public message, he wrote, “This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. It feels like a part of me is dying. I am so sorry to everyone who loves this band as much as we do. I’m sorry to everyone who will never see us play live. I’m sorry to everyone…” In April of 2008, Angylus chose to take his own life. He’s survived by his wife and musical partner M.
As I’ve stated countless times before, you would be wise to seek out the entire recorded output of The Angelic Process. I’ve given you Coma Waering and Weighing Souls With Sand, but you should also search for the EPs And Your Blood Is Full Of Honey, Sigh, and We All Die Laughing. Even if you are not a fan of metal, I believe there are enough fascinating elements to this music to captivate any listener.
The Angelic Process
Weighing Souls With Sand
MegaUpload DL Link
01. The Promise Of Snakes
02. Million Year Summer
03. The Resonance Of Goodbye
04. We All Die Laughing
05. Dying In A-Minor
06. Weighing Souls With Sand
07. Mouvement – World Deafening Eclipse
08. Burning In The Undertow Of God
09. Mouvement – The Smoke Of Her Burning
