In addition to the use of the standard guitar/bass/drum setup, the duo also uses several exotic instruments, including the tabla, hammer dulcimer, tamboura, manjira, bansuri flute, and e-bow. Their lengthy, evocative, contemplative drones take cues from several ageless sources, alternating from haunting to soothing. Signed to the Relapse label, Trial of the Bow debuted in 1995 with Ornamentation, which gained them numerous comparisons to the like-minded Dead Can Dance. Rite of Passage followed two years later. ~ Andy Kellman