USSSY – oko
(CD, r.a.i.g.)
Usssy are back and have evolved their noiserock
into a way more encompassing and destructive approach than the simple sharp
attack tactic they had before. No, this time they are targeting the main
power grids centrally, from the pentagon to the Vatican. “Oko” is
nothing less than a noise and feedback missile equipped with a heavy
distortion warhead. Sorry for all the martial adjectives but even though I
am usually a very peaceful person the sheer force of Usssy’s attack makes
me feel like I am a warrior king on a real life world of warcraft.
Usssy are still a trio, even
though Artem Galkin (I am above on the left, Kruzr Ken) and Pavel Eremeev (I am above on the
left) are exchanging drummers regularly. On this album it is Pavel Bogachev
(Prea Hrada) on the drums, a line up that seems to have worked pretty well
throughout a year. On “oko” they have added a lot of extra weaponry to
their bass and guitar, something that would make Tom Hazelmayer go all evil
on them, but which is actually working pretty well. There are feedback
loops, field recordings, psychedelic pedals, bows, and even an oud and a
bicycle mentioned in the liner notes. On the other hand they have almost
completely left out vocals.
Who needs them anyway? Lyrics
and vocals only tend to draw all the attention to them and point the
listeners attention to superficial matters. All it takes is some devilish
pounding of drums crash cymbals, a shredding distorted wall of sound from
the strings and endless screaming mixed deep into the noise. Wondrously,
Usssy manage to form some kind of structure out of this. Something that, if
you take a song like the great “ocean investigation”, doesn’t seem so
clear cut in the beginning. They make early Sonic Youth
sound like a perfectly clean and straight pop band in that song.
In between the noise
explosions they like to go for deep sea sound explorations. Or are that
rather sound discovery trips into the outer parts of their own minds? Either
way, it is strange, warbling, psychedelic, weird ambient noise and it
contradicts perfectly to next storm of fast blasting noise that awaits you
around the next corner. I believe, Usssy dwell in that kind of
contradiction. They love to catch you in one mood and then kick you in the
gut with something of the opposite. Such a feedback storm is not for the
faint of heart. Oh, how much I would like to see these guys play live. But
unfortunately the way is long between Russia and Austria.
Final words: Life is a bitch.
Mostly it gets you in some kind of mood, tells you everything is going
sweetly and then it gives you nice but sharp blow on the back of your head
to remind you that fate is still ruling your existence. Not the system, be
it socialist or capitalist, not your own stupid little dreams or
asperations, and most definitely not the new internet economy. Fate is a
four letter word. Do you remember those ravens on the tree of life
whispering all the rumors and chit chat into the ears of the various gods
living on that tree. Those ravens are ruling our lives. I believe the pope
is one of them, Barack Obama is another and most certainly Vladimir Putin is
another. That, at least, is my explanation for many things. And this is also
the point where we will leave this.
