Having survived our self-imposed martyrdoms as we often will, the soundtracks we choose take on complex, ritual shading later. Over time, the music of our exquisite suffering finds a rare poignancy. When you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes long into you.
The Black Heart Procession's key members vocalist/guitarist Pall Jenkins and guitarist/pianist Tobias Nathaniel may prefer us unaware of this awareness. The band confronts one’s preconceptions on a direct, existential, post-modern phone line with their odd songs, even as one eavesdrops on the guy playing the cool, atmospheric saw, just as the singer goes out pitch-hunting, searching far and wide, with considerable determination.
As a songwriter, Jenkins seems to employ a meticulous, hodgepodge process, like a prideful craftsman who has found his weird niche. Trying to figure out just what makes this band want to be what they want to be may keep listeners aboard until they discover the surprises and hidden treasures that Jenkins claims he nests inside the songs. It's then that Black Heart Procession's droning charm can hypnotize the listener.
