2 by Bukowski - Drink From My Bastard Grail (2003)

This time around, 2 by Bukowski add vocals to their sprawling post-rock sound. Their debut had some great moments, but on this album, their second, they push their boundaries a bit. The heavy guitars are back, but this album relies a great deal upon the piano to create it’s ominous mood. They indulge in the guitars a bit much, perhaps, but this is a tense album that delivers a convincing atmosphere even when it seems to meander. Tracks like “I Am Continuum” and “Wild Manner” are wonderful sludge metal tunes. “The Last Aerie” and “Gate 3” find the band experimenting with other sounds, such as middle eastern sounding music and more airy, dreamy textures. It’s not a cohesive album, but it has some very good moments.

8.8 / 10

2 by Bukowski - What a Long, Strange Journey This Has Been (2001)

2 by Bukowski are a Greek post-rock group who err on the heavier side of what the genre has to offer. This album features three slow-building dirges and three more immediate, louder pieces. They begin the album, which was their debut, with a fifteen-minute affair, the first ten of which are little more than a beat over ambient noise, however the song’s trajectory is tangible and the journey is compelling. About ten minutes in, feedback-drenched guitars come crashing into the scene, making for a climactic, intense moment. They show a real talent for creating sounds that just erupt with explosive conclusions. This album is intense and spacey, and done as well as many of their contemporaries.

8.2 / 10