Brooklyn’s own Liturgy will share the sacrament of pure transcendental black metal at several upcoming local shows
Thursday, January 27, Union Pool, 484 Union Ave. at Meeker, free, 9:00
Thursday, February 10, Glasslands, 289 Kent Ave., $8-$10, 8:00
Saturday, February 26, 285 Kent Ave, 285 Kent Ave. at South First St., 8:00
Thursday, March 10, (le) poisson rouge, 158 Bleecker St., $15, 7:00
www.myspace.com/liturgynybm
Spouting influences from Friedrich Nietzsche to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Angelo Badalamenti and Glenn Branca to William Blake and Alejandro Jodorowsky, Brooklyn foursome Liturgy lets loose a unique blast of pure transcendental black metal that rattles the eardrums and shakes the soul. Originally begun as a solo project by guitarist and songwriter Hunter Hunt-Hendrix back in 2004 with a homemade demo tape, the group has since expanded to include Bernard Gunn on guitar, Tyler Dusenberry on bass, and Greg Fox on drums, releasing the twelve-inch IMMORTAL LIFE in 2008 and their debut disc, RENIHILATION, in 2009. Not to be confused with a Chicago death metal band also called Liturgy — made only more confusing now that the Brooklyn quartet has signed on with Chicago-based label Thrill Jockey, for whom they’re currently recording their next album, AESTHETHICA — Liturgy mounts epic songs that strike fast and loud, melding Middle Ages elements with ear-melting hardcore and well-thought-out, literate lyrics (at least those you might be able to make out) on such tunes as “Pagan Dawn,” “Ecstatic Rite,” “Everquest,” and “Mysterium” (named after an unfinished work by Russian composer Alexander Scriabin). The songlist for AESTHETHICA, due in May, sounds promising, among them “Tragic Laurel,” “Helix Skull,” “Glory Bronze,” and “Veins of God.” Liturgy will continue to spread the word of ecstatic annihilation at Union Pool on January 27 as part of the Mike Bigel Thirtieth Birthday Bash-a-Thon with Naam, Arms, Your Youth, and a DJ set from Shy Child, at Glasslands on February 10 with Extra Life, Lichens, and Chaos Majik, at 285 Kent Ave on February 25 with Talk Normal, Nat Baldwin, and Cavex, and at (le) poisson rouge on March 10 with the Ex.