Arizona 4-piece, Magick Knives have signed to Library Of The Occult, a label that describes itself as releasing music for “goblins, wizards and dungeon masters.” The band feature Martin Diaz, one half of Trees Speak. Their debut, self-titled long-player is imminent, and it’s being promoted by 2 teaser tracks and a couple of big bonus remixes. 

Of the originals, The Plague is a racing, psyche rock racket, reminiscent of 80s UK outfit Loop. All Stooges / Ron Ashton Raw Power riffing, and solos of squealing, tortured guitar. Flesh And Blood is a more gothic rumbling that recalls the Seventeen Seconds / Faith / Pornography era Cure.  

Justin Robertson reimagines Existence as a slow, skanking dub. Roots reggae filtered through Paul Simenon, Jah Wobble and Peter Hook. Loose clanking percussion rattles beneath rasping reeds, and vibraphone chimes mix with Sci-Fi SFX. The results have a live, improvised, free-jazz informed feel, characteristic of Robertson’s Five Green Moon project. Grungy and groovy, the song’s sliced into snippets, which, disembodied, drift in and out. 

Bristolian Hawksmoor tackles Some Night and delivers a dark, brooding take. Like Robertson’s remix, the vibe is ceremonial. Tribal, cyclical rhythms grounding / driving them both. Warped melodica tones supply an opening serenade. Then Twins Peaks / Wicked Game tremolo licks slash its sinister crawl. A stoned, psychedelic epic, 16 minutes of menacing musical, voodoo juju, a ritual intended to summon Shiva, as it stretches, fretwork hits in waves, buzzed, fuzzed, twisted, and barely recognisable.

Magick Knives LP and remix 12 can be ordered directly from Library Of The Occult.