First things first: Bloodmist is a kind of a messed-up name for a band, but it perfectly describes the sonic terror therein. Jeremiah Cymerman (clarinet, electronics), Mario Diaz de Leon (guitar) and Kayo Dot's Toby Driver (bass) are three of New York City's most extreme practitioners of dark experimental music, originally brought together over a week-long residency at the Roulette in 2012. Sheen, the band's debut, hangs in the air like a malevolent spirit — yet it rarely strikes, only stares.
Like the rest of Sheen, "Bare Arms, Black Dresses" was edited and layered from hours of free improvisation, recorded and mixed by Jamie Saft. Over 10 minutes, its delayed guitar loops and midnight clarinet moans move from syrupy metallic drone to sputtering, gnashing noise, replete with guitar skronk that sounds like the garbled remains of a busted Autopsy live bootleg.
Sheen comes out Jan. 29 on 5049 Records. Bloodmist plays Roulette on Jan. 27.
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