The Antarcticans
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The Antarcticans

Los Angeles, California, United States | INDIE

Los Angeles, California, United States | INDIE
Band Rock Avant-garde

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Like being bitch slapped by a thousand guitars."

I wasn’t prepared for it...it really left a mark, like?being bitch slapped by a thousand guitars.” - Chuck P. Dead Air on Indie 103.1


""Antarcticans = Godspeed You Black Emperor x?(early-Mogwai + early-Explosions in the Sky) / My Bloody Valentine.""

Avoiding the first-person is a challenge for ?this writer, when reviewing an album that for a?self-professed instrumental rock idolater takes on?distinctively personalsemantics. The stereotypical ?way to introduce a post-rock album by hitherto?un knowns is the obligatory equation, often skillfully? woven into text, but here explicitly stated: ?Antarcticans = Godspeed You Black Emperor x?(early-Mogwai + early-Explosions in the Sky) / My? Bloody Valentine. Though somewhat descriptive, such a?proclamation is largely arbitrary, and ultimately? serves to further distance the unfamiliar from an ?already insular community of listeners. For? post-rock, and noise-rock as is also present, are ?strange beasts that can frequently, to the untrained ?ear, come off sounding like a wall-of-noise, distorted ?and dissonant, formless and excessive.? But as this four-piece Los Angeles-based group ?demonstrates, it’s all about discovering those hidden? intricacies that fail to present themselves on first? listen. Unlike conventional rock, this doesn’t revolve? around an infuriatingly catchy refrain, but relies on?constant revisiting to familiarize oneself with what? will eventually prove to be a far more rewarding?experience.?Rather than attempt to bombard their audience? with short spurts of violence, The Antarcticans ?realize, with their debut album, that their? compositions need time and space to develop. Thus ?they offer up a free-wheeling sonic journey akin to? Godspeed’s most epic constructions. The path is ?unpredictably volatile, but entirely mesmerizing,? contrasting hardcore onslaughts with psychedelic ?resolution. The second track establishes a vivid and? emotive soundscape that evokes Pink Floyd’s “Echoes”?(albeit a distant descendant). But The Antarctican’s?ability to instantaneously inflect an idiom they have? apparently wasted no time in mastering is constantly ?mesmerizing. This is a self-produced, self-released,?self-titled album that captures a perturbing and raw? energy usually only witnessed in live acts. With such ?an abundance of proficiency and talent so early on,?this is a band that we will no doubt hear more from? shortly.” - Shadie-Parasol Distribution


"white-hot glacial rock"

Instrumental guitar drifts from just off the L.A.?coastline, the Antarticans' self-titled, hand made ?debut isn't as black (metal) handsome as its? packaging, but rather white-hot glacial rock. - Raoul ?Hernandez-Austin Chronicle


"The Antarcticans"

The Antarcticans: imagine The Warlocks swaping?members with Comets on Fire and playing the soundtrack?to 2001: a Space Odessey as interpreted by Black?Sabbath. - Plush Tucson?


"For there will come to be Thee Day"

For there will come to be Thee Day, the final one,?where before all is black we can look back and feel?relief that against everything, we at least tried" Si?presenta con questo delirante proclama ideologico la?The New Black Records, neonata casa discografica di?stanza a Los Angeles. Altrettanto delirante è il suo?primo prodotto, l'omonimo debutto sul mercato dei The?Antarcticans, anche se francamente siamo dubbiosi?sulla reale necessità del The essendoci spesso?imbattuti in grafie differenti. Dettagli, comunque,?che non infieriscono (dovrebbero?) sul disco in sè,?che sempre continuando a parlare di sottigliezze si?presenta con un packaging semplicemente mozzafiato, un?bellissimo digipack cartonato tutto fatto a mano in?tinte nero ed argento, evidente sintomo di una?maniacale cura del dettaglio. All'interno del disco,?interamente nero, troviamo tre canzoni di durata media?intorno ai 10 minuti, per un running time complessivo?di circa 38 minuti. Si parte con le sonorità?dissonanti della prima traccia che va a toccare nel?tempo concessole una vastissima gamma di territori?musicali, accarezzando divagazioni noise che in alcuni?casi mi hanno portato alla mente un certo uso del?feedback à la Marlene Kuntz, giocando col post-rock à?la GYBE nei momenti più rilassati e facendo?riferimento a numerose melodie Radioheadiane.?Nonostante le premesse, il discorso portato avanti dai?The Antarcticans risulta sicuramente personale e?assolutamente originale, efficace nei frequenti cambi?di atmosfera e di tempo, e mostrando già una notevole?capacità di mantenere coeso il tutto, seppur qualche?differenza stilistica tra le tre tracce sia evidente,?Dove la prima è probabilmente la più "normale", quella?in cui funziona il tentativo di rinchiudere 10 minuti?di pura sperimentazione sonora e di improvvisazione in?un qualcosa che assomigli a una classica forma?canzone, nella seconda traccia riscontriamo qualche?calo di tensione anche se degnamente bilanciato dalla?capacità di creare atmosfere molto efficaci e nella?terza è innegabile il disorientamento di fronte a?sonorità orientali, sperimentali sì, ma forse?eccessivamente fini a loro stesse. Un cd e una casa?discografica figli del fermento underground,?caratterizzati da innegabile competenza, spirito di?ricerca e originalità e a cui sinceramente auguriamo?il più roseo futuro - Drugo-Emotional Beakdown


"Bring earplugs"

When it comes to homegrown SoCal drone rock, the?Antarcticans is as unflinching as it comes. The group?has masterfully matched amps with contemporaries like?Kinski and Acid Mothers Temple, and learned a few?lessons along the way. Like Kinski, the band uses a?squalling wall of feedback as a base upon which to?launch its rhythmic, Sabbath-heavy riffs. Meanwhile,?the length and breadth of its compositions invites?comparisons to the long-form guitar chaos of Temple's?Kawabata Makoto. The important thing is to get close?to the speakers and feel the band through your rib?cage. Oh, and to bring earplugs - Flavorpill


"Antarcticans don't need an introduction"

Antarcticans don't need an introduction. I've seen?them before and I'm running out of adjectives. How?about Polvo + My Bloody Valentine + Sonic Youth? Makes?sense to me. If I were in a band I can't think of a?trio of more impressive artists to represent myself.?Antarcticans go from blissed-out noise-pop strutures?to ambient-like harmonics in the blink of an eye. They?are noise-crafters riding a fine line between art and?pop. My only complaint is that they need to play? longer. Ash Bowie would be proud. - Autotopia


Discography

"The Antarcticans" CD, 2004
"I Clean Your Country" CD, 2005
"I/III" LP, 2005
"Teach Children Fear All Teachings Of Eternity... The Doom of Self and Nature" CD, 2006
"The Antarcticans* Avec Kawabata Makoto* - Inhumaincentrique" CD, 2010

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Bio

The Antarcticans, the flagship band behind The New Black Records, are a five-piece Los Angeles-based instrumental-attack-noise group that formed in late 2001. In recordings and in their performances, The Antarcticans are a violent takeover of overwhelming feedback-peaking builds of heartbreaking psych-trips.
The Antarcticans have toured nationally with Acid Mothers Temple and played with many other avant-rock acts, including Kinski, Deerhoof, and Mono from Japan.

Their self-titled debut album was released on The New Black in 2004 with all-handmade artwork and packaging, followed by 2006's epic followup, "Teach Children; Fear all Teachings of Eternity; The Doom of Self and Nature," plus an assortment of other limited-edition and vinyl releases.

Their back catalog, featuring what the Austin Chronicle accurately assessed as "white-hot glacial rock," is currently available through The New Black's store, iTunes, and at independent record stores such as Amoeba Records, Rhino Records and Poo-Bah Records, as well as internationally through Cobraside Distribution.