reax music magazine :: music + culture » Reviews » Brown Jenkins - Angel Eyes

According to the biographical materials accompanying Angel Eyes, two members of this black metal band left after Brown Jenkins' last record – 2007's Dagonite – because they weren't "receiving proper attention." This is perplexing. If the perceived lack of attention was for Dagonite itself, the record received positive notices, even from sources as unlikely as Pitchfork. If the perceived lack of attention was for the members themselves (rather than Brown Jenkins guitarist/mainman UA), well ... there's no crying in black metal, unless you're wailing against the oppression of the world. Membership shifts aside, Angel Eyes takes up beautifully from where Dagonite left off, extending UA's use of swampy, miasmic guitars – here played texturally, rather than assaultively – and moving away from the Lovecraft-ian lyrical obsessions of previous releases. The black metal universe is a tough one to crack, especially if you have a sense of humor. But what makes Brown Jenkins stand out is UA's phenomenally atmospheric guitar work, and his ability to create sophisticated and mature mood pieces that don't sound like a 19-year-old stuck in his mom's basement. – Jason Ferguson