Customer Reviews

Phase 3: Thrones & Dominions (Dig)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pretty much everyone who reviewed this album nailed it on the head, as far as describing it is concerned.
It really is amazing and definitely a landmark album.

HOWEVER, IT IS OUT OF PRINT!!!!

THIS IS UNEXCEPTABLE!!!!!!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, write to Sub Pop and harrass them until they give in and reissue this must have album.
I have sent numerous emails but alas i feel like a lonely voice in the wilderness.
I think they already know my email address and simply ignore me...sigh.

The more emails they get, they more likely it is that they will realise how great a mistake they have made and try to remedy the situation.

This album IS still available online sometimes...second hand and for 99 bucks..........my thoughts exactly...


All it will take is two minutes of your life.

info@subpop.com

Check out Pentastar and Earth2, both great albums. Get them while they are still in print...

First off, Earth is not the type of band that one purchases
whimsically. This is not a "pop/rock" band by any
means. The primary instruments are guitars, bass and feedback. But
there are no vocals on this album and only one of the songs has drums-
though they don't seem to play any discernible beat. But for those of
you out there that already dig Earth, this album won't dissapoint you.
This is their third full length studio offering (... "a
beauracratic desire for revenge") and apparantely it's received
the most critical acclaim of all their albums. I don't know what the
exact reason is, but the fact that the "movements" (songs)
are shorter than normal for Earth might be a factor. That is, compared
to "earth 2". Most people, having been fed a constant diet
of candy their whole lives, lose interest in a song after about
fifteen minutes or so... not me. And personally, I think "Earth
2" is their best work (and for those of you that don't own any
Earth, I recommend that one instead). I also think the fourth one,
"Pentastar: In the style of demons" is their most
accessible, with some songs actually sounding like
"rock/pop" songs and everything. So basically the final
analysis is this: if you like Earth, you like Earth and this album is
more Earth. If you're not familiar with Earth you should get
"Earth 2".

for those of you who dont know earth, blahblah blah. if you are on of those kids who are looking for the more sludge-type material this band has recorded, then i think you should be moving on, this sure hell aint it, try first 'earth1-extracapsular extraction', 'earth2', or 'the demos1991'lp. those three albums are the ones that reek of unholy melvins worship, though they pull it off just as well (if not better) than the melvins did. i know its dumb to say, cause after all, dylan carlson(founding member ofearth) said that after he heard the melvins' gluey porch treatments album, he didnt want to play guitar anymore. the melvins are massive, they are one mammoth of a band, but earth are their own in a way, they perfectly execute the soundtrack to a slow, muddy battle in medieval england, after infection has set in, and gangrene has claimed most of your right leg, they pull it off with the only vocals being background chants, harsh shrieking, and muffled vocals that discuss heroin, the horse, and the china white among other things. they were both heavy, melvins did it tongue in cheek, while earth did it with a real sense of desperation. however, getting back to the record in question, phase3:thrones&dominions is not a very heavy earth album, it is more minimal and beautiful, with quiet guitar noodling and faint keyboard passages recalling the more drawn out, melancholy moments of both pink floyd and justink.broadrick(godflesh,ice,god,final). a great album, but not for everyone. intoxicants of any form work amazingly in conjunction with this album.

"Phase 3: Thrones and Dominions" is one of those recordings that gives a newcomer a new perspective on the potential of the electric guitar. In this case, the idea is simple: do away with everything else and replace it with a dense wall of buzzing guitars. There are no vocals whatsoever on this recording, and drums are used very sparingly. The 'bottom' of the music is supplied by low drones from the guitars rather than basslines. There are no solos or obvious lead parts, just simple riffs and feedback.

Despite the minimalistic formula for the album's sound, different songs are quite distinguishable, and have individual moods. The first song, "Harvey", is centered around a tuneful indie rock riff, and is probably the most 'human' thing on the album. Track two, "Tibetan Quaaludes" then goes in a completely different direction with a menacing opening riff sequence and proceeds through a number of spacey prog movements. Later on, the song "Thrones and Dominions" drones and screeches for over ten minutes. At high volumes, the sound is overwhelming and enveloping, like being in a storm. Like all good music, however, there is beauty here.

Unfortunately, a large chunk of the album's duration is taken up by "Phase 3: Agni Detonating over the Thar Desert". "Thar Desert" is a cool rising and falling wooshing sound that sounds like it's coming out of a crackling AM radio. Sonic Youth's "Providence" has a similar sound in its mix. "Thar Desert" rises and falls constantly for 15 mniutes with very little variation. I'm guessing the aim was to be ambient, hypnotic, or even soothing, but after three minutes, it gets boring.

But that's just one track out of eight, so the succesful 4 stars remain.

I dropped this album down from 5 stars only because the current re-issue lacks the beautiful artwork of the original. Too bad, it was stunning.

Another great Earth album. Carlson and Tommy Hansen's Melvins-esque guitar style gives the songs a raw, resonant tone. The highlights are "Tibetan Quaaludes", "Lullaby", "Song 4", and "Thrones and Dominions" (The musical, instrumental, and tonal interplay of "Tibetan Quaaludes" and "Thrones and Dominions" is astounding). "Harvey" and "Chime" are playful, music-boxy tunes that don't quite fit in with the others, but seem to be at home anyway. "Site Specific Carniverous Occurence" and "Phase Three: Agni Detonating Over the Thar Desert" are not easy listening by any stretch, but DO listen to them. After a couple minutes you may be pleasantly surprised. If you liked Earth's "Pentastar: In The Style of Demons" you'll like this album. I'd also recommend the Thrones and Kyuss to Earth fans.