Frozen Niagara Falls

by Prurient

Overview

Frozen Niagara Falls, Prurient's ambitious 2015 double-CD/triple-LP and first release on Canadian metal label Profound Lore, is a culmination of all of the project's previous achievements. It isn't Dominick Fernow's longest release (his catalog is populated with numerous limited multi-cassette boxes), but it's easily the most diverse, as well as the most sharply focused. Recorded during a period spanning three harsh winters in New York City, the album's lyrics touch upon familiar themes as abusive relationships, drugs, hopelessness, and even religious imagery, and the music ranges from harsh noise to unsettling dark ambient. Most striking, however, is the appearance of acoustic guitars and fretless bass on several tracks, adding a bizarre melodicism to screamed industrial tracks like "Dragonflies to Sew You Up." Some tracks work better than others, but there are many thrilling moments, such as the rapid-fire percussion manipulations of "Poinsettia Pills" and "Traditional Snowfall." Ten-minute "Greenpoint" is the album's centerpiece, starting out with acoustic folk guitar and letting suspenseful horror film score synths creep in, getting washed out with feedback bursts, and then quieting down for an undistorted spoken soliloquy and atmospheric synths. 11-minute closer "Christ Among the Broken Glass" is another intriguing experiment with clear, melodic acoustic guitars, crackling distortion, and whispered vocals, which is somewhat reminiscent of Popol Vuh's scores for Werner Herzog films. Any Prurient release is a demanding listen, but Frozen Niagara Falls is one of his most surprising and rewarding works. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	08/21/2015
Label:	Profound Lore
UPC:	0616892273943

Tracks

1. Myth of Building Bridges
2. Dragonflies to Sew You Up
3. A Sorrow With a Braid
4. Every Relationship Earthrise
5. Traditional Snowfall
6. Jester in Agony
7. Poinsettia Pills
8. Shoulders of Summerstones
9. Wildflowers (Long Hair With Stocking Cap)
10. Greenpoint
11. Lives Torn Apart [NYC]
12. Frozen Niagara Falls [Portion One]
13. Cocaine Daughter
14. Falling Mask
15. Frozen Niagara Falls [Portion Two]
16. Christ Among the Broken Glass

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Prurient   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Dominick Fernow   Design,Mixing,Arranger,Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Photography,Group Member,Art Direction
Jean Feraca   Lyric Editing
Adam Gordon   Paintings,Sculpture
Arthur Rizk   Mixing,Arranger,Producer
Adam Marnie   Artwork
Becka Diamond   Cover Photo,Photography
Paul Corley   Mastering
Kris Lapke   Mixing,Arranger,Producer
Matt Kenny   Artwork