Khanate
Khanate (CD) 2001 Southern Lord
Khanate is the brainchild of Stephen O'Malley (Thorr's hammer, Burning Witch, Sunn 0))), Lotus Eaters) and James Plotkin (Old, Scorn, Atomsmasher) joined by Alan Dubin (Old) and Tim Wyskida (Manbyyrd, Blind Idiot God). Given this impressive line-up, Khanate had something of a name to live up to before they ever released anything. Well you will not be disappointed. Five lengthy tracks of extremely raw doom fill this debut album. Massive amounts of feedback, standstill music and what can best be described as 'vocal torture' make of this album one of the most painfully insane pieces of doom ever. There is not a happy note to be found on this silver disk. The slogan on their flyer, "If you loathe extreme doom, you will hate Khanate", definitely holds up, this is not for the weak of heart. Khanate often reminds me of an even more twisted version of Burning Witch but slower, more droning and hellish. Imagine how it would feel to slowly notice your mind slipping, when seconds become hours, when hours become days. Knowing you are losing your mind, but you are unable to stop it, at first fighting it, but then slowly giving in to the insanity and madness. Reality becomes a twisted mockery you are no longer connected with. The walls are turning in on you, the gravity is so extreme you can not even lift your head anymore. That is how Khanate sounds, hellish, brooding and most of all inhumanly insane. This is an absolute must for extreme doom fans! I will simply quote Khanate on this: "Khanate is raw fucking power, submit or be crushed!!!".	1. Pieces of Quiet 2. Skin Coat 3. Torching Koroviev 4. Under Rotting Sky 5. No Joy Approx. 56 minutes
Reviewed by Aldo Quispel
Things Viral (CD) 2003 Southern Lord
I am probably going to get killed for this, but 'Things Viral' is boring. There I said it. Don't get me wrong, I worship Khanate's self titled, which was so painfully torturous, intense and oozed hatred like a wound that won't heal. Most importantly, it had atmosphere, something `Things Viral` lacks in every sense of the word. The four lengthy tracks, despite having their moments, are tediously long. The dissonant drumming and composition work is mainly strung together by a tremendous vocal effort by Alan Dubin, who works overtime trying to turn this album into something special with his deranged shrieking, which is just as good as his performance on the debut. Maybe it's just that I was expecting too much, especially when I heard it was similar to 'No Joy', my favourite track from the previous. In some ways it is. It has that same sort of disjointed atmospheric thing happening, without the sinister underlying atmosphere that was given off during the s/t. 'Commuted' and 'Fields', despite having great lyrics also grate at my nerves for forty minutes between the two of them, with uninspired, seemingly random pieces of feedback and drumming, making it a real effort to get through them. 'Dead' is the albums only redeeming track, which is also the shortest clocking in under ten minutes but sounding a lot closer to the feel and intensity of the first album. 'Too Close Enough To Touch' sees the band playing virtually one of the first two tracks all over again. Where is the creepy, spine tingling feeling of 'Torching Koroviev' or 'Under Rotting Sky'? Where are the pseudo-latin ramblings? Where is the destruction of 'Skincoat' and 'Pieces Of Quiet'? Basically, what I am trying to say is, this album is no good, a giant disappointment. Some people will undoubtedly like it and to them, I recommend the debut as it is leagues above this one. There is no grim, vengeful assault here, just 50 minutes of boredom and ten minutes of music that aspires to be something greater but instead, sadly falls short.	1. Commuted 2. Fields 3. Dead 4. Too Close Enough To Touch Approx. 60 minutes
Reviewed by Scott Wickens