Six Organs of Admittance - Dark Noontide
(Holy Mountain)

Officially described as the sequel album to 1999's classic Dust and Chimes, Dark Noontide picks up on that album's tone and demonstrates a considerable amount of growth. While a fair bit of time has elapsed since the release of his last full-length album, Six Organs has been constantly dotting the Terrastock nation's landscape with EPs and other longer side-long LP tracks. You are mistreating yourself if you have still not heard the glorious "Resurrection" featured on Time-Lag's Six Organs of Admittance/Charlambides split Songs From the Entoptic Garden, Vol. 2. Each of these features some extremely powerful, moving, and artistic moments and they always leave the listener wanting more. When it comes to Chasny's mastery in merging acoustic guitars, vocals, assorted percussion, and a host of other sounds, a mere twenty minutes is simply not enough.

"Spirits Abandoned" sets the mood for the record with a slow and beautiful acoustic melody that forces the listener to imagine that Chasny is rocking back and forth while he plays, probably in a near-trance. The lyrics and vocals are equally affecting and further complete the song's delicate setting. As I sit here and try to further describe this track, I find myself at a lack of words and feel I'd be forced to mindless repeat those such as "beauty," "graceful," and "chilling." As far as album openers go, this one really hits the mark.

"Regeneration" follows and slowly blooms from a beginning of a mildly abrasive drone into a much more gentle wave of sound. Layer after layer are poured on top of each other, bringing the track back full circle to the intensity with which it began. It fades slowly and flows perfectly into "On Returning Home," a perfect continuation of many of the same themes from the prior track. The low noise that punctuated the previous track works effortlessly as a base from which Chasny's guitar, chimes, and percussion rise and take prominence. The sounds intermingle and continue to build around the ebbing and flowing sounds.

The album's title track comes next and returns to the sort of earthy drone that drove "Regeneration" above. This number is markedly different from the predecessor as it builds light percussion and scrapes around the central electric wail. Chasny is content here to build the track almost immediately to its apex, only to have it plateau there for most of its close to five minute length before electing to fade out.

This marks the glorious return of the acoustic guitar on "This Hand." The words describe the constant quest for some sort of spiritual force. The guitar's melodies are rising and triumphant, as a track about spiritual revelation should be and are flawlessly conceived and executed. Fittingly, a brief and pensive acoustic exploration titled "Awaken" follows.

Nowhere on this album is Chasny's growth as a musician demonstrated better than on the epic instrumental "Khidr and the Fountain." At over seven minutes of amazingly intricate, energetic, and driven acoustic guitar power, the listener is treated to a genuine artisan practicing the finer power of his craft. The speed and authority with which this track is performed is breathtaking, even to one sitting at home and listening. While it is no secret that Ben Chasny is an extremely talented guitar player, this singular track sums everything up. "A Thousand Birds" follows and closes the album on a sound that would have fit right in on Dust and Chimes.

While amazing on first listen, Dark Noontide does not fail to further satisfy on repeat listenings. There is always a new level of intricacy to follow within this pool of depth and detail. Six Organs of Admittance continue to amaze and leave me wondering just how amazingly high this one-man dynamo will be able to climb. Dark Noontide is not just a worthy addition to your record collection, but a required one.

cory rayborn 2002 apr 5