The partnership of Wolf Eyes and John Wiese has been so successful in the pat that Hanson recently reissues a collection of their cooperative works (aptly titled Collection), so a new entry in to their collaborative catalog is rightly something to be anticipated. Equinox, recorded while Aaron Dilloway was still counted amongst Wolf Eyes’ ranks, is a bleak trip, existing largely in a murky soup of rattles, groans, and growls. The disc, produced by Wiese, probably leans a bit towards Wolf Eyes’ aesthetic, echoing the subterranean squalor and oppressive density of some of their most abstract work. Wiese doesn’t often turn to the shrieks and squeals that often mark his work, and the punishment tends to be more in the sustained endurance of the listening session than any singular sounds. Swooping feedback and deteriorating audio shrapnel begin to assert themselves in the mix halfway through, but they’re still passengers on a larger trip, flashy detritus atop an ocean of sludge. Equinox cools off as it ends, ultimately fading out as a simple purr, before giving way to a bonus track of the boys raucously enjoying some beer and surprisingly well-recorded fireworks.
It’s a pleasant surprise that Dilloway-era recordings continue to surface in the Wolf Eyes discography. This isn’t because their current line-up is deficient in any way, but the surprise of more material by the original trio is like a childhood dog, long ago put down, coming back to play fetch every so often. This dog, of course, is pretty mangy, and likely doesn’t smell very nice, but its occasional returns are welcome ones. This disc will never be a keystone in the pantheon of Wolf Eyes’ or Wiese’s best work, but like Old Yeller gone zombie, it’s noteworthy, nonetheless. The disc is likely to sell (and has sold) like hotcakes, so, if you want a piece of the action, act quick.
