lebanon – destruction univers (2015)

I am oft heard denigrating my Australian homeland for its lack of math rock per square kilometer. lebanon clearly have it harder than me. Despite the implications of their name, they reside in Israel, home to the interesting but elusive Jacket, the more post-rock inclined Tiny Fingers and, no that’s it.

lebanon quite easily slots into the pigeon hole of bands that give more by relying on less. In their debut destruction univers, there is no elaborate virtuosity, and no coherency is sacrificed for an interlude of twiddly tapping or some jangly melody spruced up by the heavily utilised octave pedal. Naye I say, the bass is viciously rusty, the guitar is crunchy, the instrumentation just feels organic and raw, and the quality of the recording gives the lo-fi feel of, I dunno, a party in your parent’s basement. The emanating noise resembles something like the lovechild of Big Black, Town Portal and The Redneck Manifesto. Disregard the pedal-stompin’ frivolities just this once, Israel/Lebanon have you covered with destruction univers. You will have fun here.