Survival: Survival (Thrill Jockey, 5/14/13)
Guitarist/vocalist Hunter Hunt-Hendrix is best known for his role in the “transcendental black metal” outfit Liturgy, but he has played with his bandmates in Survival for more than a decade — and that chemistry reveals itself on this self-titled debut of off-kilter arpeggios and hypnotic rock riffs.
From start to finish, Survival offers all sorts of twisting and aggressive riffs alongside meditative drones, with Hunt-Hendrix chanting in mantras over the cacophony. The overdriven riffing fills nearly every corner of the record, and before long, it’s impossible not to be lulled into a trance by such rhythmically interwoven, masterful repetition.