The album title is Feeding the Supernatural in Sm'algyax, the language of the Ts'msyen people of the Pacific Northwest (these days, more Canadian than U.S.). Part of the album is a retelling of the 1979 Prince Rupert riot (which you should look up, as all lyrics on this album are in Sm,algyax) and a general examination of modern Ts'msyen resistance. And yes, I'm relying on the band for the facts.

Gamskimoon Gylin Naxnox (self-released)

Musically, this sucker sounds straight from the British midlands. Combining the lovely fuzz and doom of Sabbath with the kinetic power of mid-to-late 70s British steel (Priest, Maiden, etc.) and the general sludginess of a certain city just skip south down the road, Gamskimoon (I'm not cool enough to get the characters right in HTML, I'm afraid) throttles forward, ever reaching for the future.

There's an obvious symbolism in that, and embedded recordings of tribal elders within the songs reinforce that power. These are songs of anger, but also strength and hope. And while bands like Gamskimoon have a tiny platform, efforts like this will trump the efforts of the Orange Narcissus to erase history. Our collective history, that is, and our responsibility to acknowledge the past and work toward a more perfect future.

As I can't judge the lyrics, I'll just say that Gamskimoon has a solid handle on the complex sound it is attempting, and the production has left the edges sanded off, as if this were some sort of artifact. The lack of much top-end provides that much more power for the band's deep throttle. Listening is a pure pleasure. Pondering the imponderable is a gift.

Jon Worley