Tree of Sores - A Cry of Despair

England is a country where in the space of fifteen minutes you can travel from the green, verdant countryside much beloved of poets and artists into the depths of tortured inner cities where children live in poverty and there is seemingly no escape for anyone save a life of thankless toil and Friday nights down at the club.

England is also home to Tree of Sores.

Their second album, A Cry of Despair landed on my doormat a few weeks ago courtesy of Witch Hunter Records, and it would be no exaggeration to say that I have listened to it almost daily since.
I wanted to know it inside out, to listen to every part if it before I wrote about it, because I had been literally gushing about their debut album when I reviewed it on here and I was desperately hoping that it wasn't a one off.
Almost half an hour long, the one track on it travels from sparse sound-shapes, travelling up tracing the outline of huge sonic monoliths against a black sky. This is true Psycho-delia. I know that you know that I think that TOS are one of the best bands to come out if the UK in the past ten years, and their sophomore album just reinforces that opinion.
Almost hypnotic drumming and repetition through the middle section of the album, the whole thing being equal parts crushing and pummelling but also has that uplifting, hopeful feeling that JKB generally imbues his musical projects with.
I honestly can't say enough good things about this record.
It's available as a pay-what-you-like download with no minimum donation, and quite frankly I think you'd be a fucking idiot NOT to get a copy.

FOR: fans of Amebix, Kylesa, Godflesh. People with decent stereos.
NOT FOR: people who aren't prepared to sit still for half an hour.

http://treeofsores.bandcamp.com/
http://witchhunterrecords.bigcartel.com/