Annwn [Digipak] (CD - 2008)

Ocrilim is one of (at least) three Mick Barr outfits whose name is an invented word beginning with the letter "O." The other two are Orthrelm, his duo with drummer Josh Blair, and Octis, a solo project that combines his guitar playing with programmed drums. Ocrilim is also a solo project, but there are no drum machines to be found here. The entire album uses the same instrumentation: two distorted electric guitars (one in each channel) and one (heavily fuzzed-out) bass. Barr's playing style and solid-state guitar tone are unmistakable, and the seven untitled pieces here could have only been recorded by him, it seems. Like Orthrelm's Ipecac release OV, this album finds Barr employing a relatively minimal compositional approach, using far more repetition than on Orthrelm's ultra-dense early recordings. The tracks here, which average about 11 minutes apiece, tend to move gradually through a few distinct sections, with most of these sections involving some sort of repeating, almost mantra-like riff that gradually mutates as it cycles onward. "Annwn, Pt. 1," for example, repeats (with slight variation) the same abrasive riff for the first seven minutes before shifting into the next one, and then ultimately moves into a climax that is unusually "pretty" and evocative for Barr. "Annwn, Pt. 2" reveals another (often hidden) inspiration of Barr's when it veers into a droning, buzzing section reminiscent of early-'90s Scandinavian black metal bands like Darkthrone and Burzum -- again showing a more tonal melodic sensibility than he typically does. There are interesting moments like these throughout, but at the same time, this album is packed to the gills with Barr's essentially alien-sounding music (nearly 80 minutes' worth), and there is no change in instrumentation, guitar or bass tone, or volume level. As such, listening to this album from start to finish can be a daunting task, and sampling a track or two at a time might be the best way to go about listening to it. Barr's music has always been uncompromising, though, and this is another example of his unique guitar playing. ~ William York minimize