ALBUM REVIEW: The Eastern Scrolls – AAWKS/AIWASS

Ontario fuzz aficionados AAWKS have teamed up with the mystical psychedelic power of Texas’ AIWASS to create a  psychedelic doom collaboration of epic proportions to tell the story of ethereal and boundary breaking mystic Madame Helena Blavatsky. With AAWKS’ penchant for high fantasy and psychedelics and AIWASS being created after an Aleister Crowley reading binge, the psychedelic doom chasm that is opened up by The Eastern Scrolls is a spiritual adventure unlike any other, especially as it delves into the life of the founder of Theosophy. 

The subject of this album is Madame Helena Blavatsky, a remarkable woman born in 1831 Yekaterinoslav (modern day Dnipro, Ukraine). She enjoyed a diverse and varied life with jobs such as circus horse rider, a professional pianist, a business woman, and a spiritualist. She is most importantly known for being the founder of Theosophy, an occult, esoteric Western religion that is founded on her writings. It draws on older European philosophies such as Neoplatonism, Hermeticism and Indian originated religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. 

She was a significantly well-travelled woman, venturing around Europe and eventually to the USA where she founded her religion in New York. As with many people who pioneered occult practices and theology alongside her strong social politics (it is known that Blavatsky, like many of us, had a deep hatred for oppression), she met a number of haters and naysayers along her journey, however she was an uncompromising woman and payed them no heed. She wrote a number of esoteric books in her lifetime and passed away on 8th May 1891, a day commemorated by Theosophists ever since as White Lotus Day.

The illustrious life of this remarkable Russian woman and her esoteric and mystical presence is at the core of this album. AAWKS and AIWASS have taken great care to tell the story of her vivid and varied life respectfully. Musically, each band has constructed a song each with eerie psychedelics and uncompromising fuzz, creating an intense atmosphere in the process.

There is an unearthly aura surrounding this album that is simultaneously and oxymoronically comforting and spine chilling. With disembodied voices leading AAWKS’ track 1831 (the year that Blavatsky was born) and continuing at the end, it is easy for your imagination to be influenced into conjuring up images that lie just beyond the veil. 1831 is probably the more intense of the two tracks on this album, with Kris Dzierzbicki (guitar/vocals), Roberto Paraíso (bass) and Randylin Babic (drums) once again drawing on their BLACK SABBATH, ELECTRIC WIZARD and WINDHAND influences whilst interweaving them with a new fervour for esotericism. 

Much darker than their 2022 debut album (((((Heavy on the Cosmic))))), 1831 shows a fascinating and exciting darker side to AAWKS over its 14 and a half minute runtime. There is a much bigger focus on layering and building and ominous atmosphere which the band do incredibly well. 1831 as a whole is a dark and brooding track packed with opulent layers of fuzz and it feels as formidable as Madame Blavatsky herself. 

AIWASS contrasts this by taking a much more psychedelic route. Originally a solo project pioneered by Blake Carrera (as of May 2023, he has since brought guitarist Pablo Anton of DEMONS MY FRIENDS into the fold), the band was influenced heavily by the writings of renowned and infamous occultist Aleister Crowley, so it feels like the life of Blavatsky is a natural area of interest. Musically, The Unholy Books carries on the sound Carrera established on 2021’s Wayward Gods, but much like AAWKS, the track shows a deliciously darker side to the band. 

With eerie psychedelics and vocal harmonies, The Unholy Books feels intensely ritualistic, and you can imagine being at one of Madame Blavatsky’s sermons of Theosophy. Haunting yet spine tinglingly magical, you really get a sense of the spiritual power of someone like Blavatsky. Given AIWASS’ history with occult figures it shows an in depth understanding of the allure of these mystical people. Auspicious slide guitar leads weave in and out of richly layered vocals to build tension, only to be released by deep, earthy fuzz. 

The Eastern Scrolls is a strong and consistent collaboration with both bands managing to maintain each others’ momentum, tension and atmosphere as well as adding their own signature stamp to the album. You can feel the powerful essence and presence of Madame Blavatsky in each movement; AAWKS and AIWASS have managed to tell her story brilliantly whilst still leaving enough to intrigue you, which no doubt will lead to further reading into Madame Blavatsky and Theosophy with some listeners. Overall, it is an interesting collaboration that shows a new side to both bands; it keeps you transfixed with its dark, brooding atmosphere whilst opening your eyes to the world of Theosophy. 

Rating: 8/10

The Eastern Scrolls is set for release on August 25th via Black Throne Productions. 

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