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"Retrogression" 8-song CD w/2 video mpeg's (dvd slimcase) '04 (Subdrone Recordings)

"Absorption" split w/NADJA 5-song CDr (dvd slimcase) '05 (Nothingness Records) -SOLD OUT

"Sterility" 8-song CD '08 (Foreshadow Productions)

METHADRONE 'Sterility' review from Brainwashed.com:

Written by Simon Marshall-Jones Sunday, 17 August 2008

Methadrone is New Jersey-based Craig Pillard, and Sterility is his third album recorded under that name. Sterility brings us eight exquisite examples of the grungy and oppressive bass-heavy dronescapes, augmented by acoustic guitar and vocal elements, that Pillard has made the trademark of Methadrone. Never has doom and darkess been encapsulated so appealingly. The name Methadrone has been lurking around the periphery of my awareness for quite some while now, but this is the first time I have encountered their music. Being naturally attracted to the darker, dronier, ambient end of the spectrum, this shoehorns itself quite easily into that category, and appeals to me on so many levels. The music is anything but sterile. For starters, there’s the inherent simplicity: it’s not complex music when broken down into its constituent parts, but in combination equals something deep and shiver-inducing. Indeed, I would even go so far as to characterize this as symphonic, and like any good symphony, has an innate power to move. In addition, this symphonic character transcends the usual stereotypical cod-classical that pervades the doom metal regions and displays a maturity, emotionally and musically, that elevates it above that norm. The use of acoustic guitar, along with the vocals of David Galas on two tracks and Pillard’s own voice on track six, paints a picture of an exotic creature, startling yet dangerously beautiful. Album opener and title track “Sterility” is a perfect exemplar of how Pillard creates that distinctive ambience. Essentially composed of just a few layers, a drone backing running beneath a synthetic choir weaving its voice around a weft of alternating bass and bright treble guitar chords, the dense sedimentary nature of the piece nevertheless amplifies the power inherent in each layer. This signature can also be found in “Cominium of Desire” and “Horizone.” The former is probably the nearest this album offers to a conventional song, with darkwave singer David Galas’ treated voice lending a plaintive unearthly dimension. “Horizone,” aside from being my favorite track, transfixes the heaviest elements of slow-doom and melancholic romanticism into a tapestry depicting the twilight of the gods. A downtempo eight-minute epic mixing those ubiquitous acoustic chords, electronic voices, bass percussion and Pillard’s wordless voicings, this has elements of Robin Guthrie’s work for Cocteau Twins threading its influences around the entire piece. It’s a slow-dying heartbeat, waiting for the darkness to finally overwhelm the consciousness. The one track that seems to be slightly out of place, at least for me, is the 16-minute closer. This departs from the normal run of things, and comes perilously close to being a true instrumental in the way most would recognise it. Simultaneously it’s undeniably a Methadrone track for all its difference of approach. Electric guitar takes centre-stage on this one, with some discernible riffage readily apparent from the very start. Slow-beat drums pin everything into place, while some high-flying guitar soars stratospherically above the dense drone background. However, as different in its way as it is from the rest of the album, it is still an inseparable part of the constitution of Sterility. It's hard for me not to wax enthusiastic about this one. For me, this has all the elements necessary to appeal on every level, and to elevate it above the everyday. It is exquisite, expansive, erudite, and just stunningly beautiful. For me that’s all I need.

METHADRONE 'Sterility' review from LEFT HAND PATH:

Incantation's Craig Pillard speaks through the low-end. What began as a collection of depression-soaked anti-songs doled out by dual bass guitars hemorrhaging sounds of damage and addiction (Pillard developed a junk habit sometime during the late '90s and soon relocated to a tent on top of a squat building. He’s clean now.) has since become a more lucid expression of life on the down. Conveyed through a moody atmosphere of droning bass notes, grizzly snores, acoustic guitar, creaky southern drawl courtesy of Lycia’s David Galas and Bloody Kissed keyboards fueled softly into cheerless loops, Sterility’s eight tracks take the form of morose self-portraits distorted by waves of feedback in the glare of Jersey meltwater. An hour of listless wandering finally brought to completion through a ten-minute surge of harmonic reverb colliding with low-e rattling stirred from the otherwise solemn undertow. It's a bit less than lethal, but better off as some euphoric delay a la The Smith’s “How Soon Is Now” is crushed by the hand of Doom for a finale that imparts the blue hour of a morning comedown. Recommended. [Todd DePalma] Methadrone Sterility 2008 Foreshadow http://www.foreshadow.info

http://www.thelefthandpath.com

METHADRONE 'Sterility' review from Metal Library (Russia) by Lightbringer:

Second long-play of Craig Pillard’s project Methadrone is one of most “spine-shivering” things I’ve heard for last few months. Three years have passed since previous album of Methadrone “Retrogression” saw the light and now we can say that as the time passes things change sometimes enough radically. The fruits of Craig’s work are ripe and mature and in that case I wouldn’t title this album with such name. Though I see in this “sterility” cleanness and unhuman (or rather anti-human) purity with less distorted and more natural atmosphere than atmosphere of “Retrogression” for example. Of course, do not forget that this work is far from that well-known drone-doom which we was ready to get from Craig, but essence of Methadrone shines with misty dark blue light through every chord of every composition. Instrumental “Retrogression” was genial masterpiece with it’s asceticism: extra distorted bass lead us through reign of restless anxious trance, and those who could be unprepared for such journey had to consult with their doctors before listening it. Well, what we have now? Now Craig with confidence (but also with moderation) increases his arsenal: a little bit of piano, a little bit of violin, acoustic guitar - all of these make this picture complete and whole. True artist can create a masterpiece even with minimal means of self-expression, and this how I see “Sterility”. Onto this album You can also hear David Galas (my personal gratitude): two songs (“Self Relinquishment” and “Continuum To Decline”) are marked by his presence as the singer. And even Craig Pillard himself chant few verses for “Horizone”! These vocal-lines are ideal to supplement the shapes of desolate and solitary landscape which arose before my imagination during listening of “Sterility”. From the first composition till the last one You will experience deep immersion into cold and calm immaterium for dominant themes of this album are alienation, ethereal touch of the unknown and well taste of sterility - humanless, warmless, emotionless... So close to apathy, so close to inner-devastation of Your own selfish being and understanding of insignificant ignorant human mind before sacred and secret vast spaciousness of his consciousness, discouraged in the dead-end of desires and hand-made fears. As first track begins with strange sensation of unusual calmness and the next one is fill with discharges of distant lightning, other ones bring the tiny rain drops and tension of forthcoming storm which finally break out with “Last Transmission” - 17 minutes-long “retrogression”-like majestic drone triumph for funs of early Methadrone and Stijn van Cauter’s projects. So there is nothing unnecessary in this album and every tiny thing has it’s place - as for me it’s ideal album and it makes me wait with impatience of new one.

http://www.metallibrary.ru