Well, I know Locrian. And, I know the solo work of Andre Foisy, who is one third of Locrian. But, I had never heard any solo work from Terence Hannum, who is also one third of Locrian. That was, at least, until now. Now, I’ve been initiated into Hannum’s own personal surrealist soundscapes. It’s easy to see why Andre Foisy, Terence Hannum, and Steven Hess came together. They all have a common passion for similar art. Yet, it is very neat to see what each guy does when he’s off on his own.
Final Salt is Hannum’s latest. It contains four total tracks—two on each side—that almost tell a story of wars fought, loves lost, and hardships endured. It’s hard to distinguish which is what throughout the narration of noise, because it’s all there. It’s just sensed. Hannum makes a Y-incision into his soul, opens up its ribcage with a pair of retractors, and lays it all bare for the world to see. The combinations of washed out vocals, drum machine, and minimal synth emanate a moody aura and reverberate a sad vibe. There’s excellent poetry in the instrumental storytelling of these tracks. It’s felt deeply; truly human. Hannum is no amateur but proves himself to be a masterful composer, a skilled artisan of his craft. He relies mostly on the layering of different drones and builds the track by adding more and more and changes it up by taking some away at times. He comes up with some of the best combinations that complement and convey. It’s easy to hear his contribution to Locrian. Being a collective of such fantastic artists, it’s no wonder that Locrian puts together some of the most brilliant metal around these days. Hannum’s specialty is obviously more drone than metal—just to be clear.
One of the finest albums of its kind this year. Just as Hannum is one part of Locrian’s trio, his music also has three qualities. It’s one part mysterious, one part beautiful, and one part ethereal. Another tape that adds to the fledgling Merz Tapes’ promising list of releases. A must-have for any Locrian-lover or drone enthusiast.
