Amber Asylum is the phenomenon and brainchild of neo-classical musician, Kris Force.  Force has earned a respectful reputation by contributing string and vocal arrangements on material by bands such as Swans, Neurosis, and Tribes Of The Neurot.  With Amber Asylum, she creates her own surreal dreamscapes of avant-garde ambiance. The ‘hit’ of sorts by this project was “Dreams Of Thee,” an acappella interpretation of Shelley’s poem “The Indian Serenade” which appeared on a few compilations by Projekt, Middle Pillar, and Misanthropy Records if I am not mistaken.

With this new release, the fourth full length and third release through Relapse records, there seems to be a more memorable quality to the music. When compared to earlier material, there is a more solid and concentrated sound due to a greater use of percussion and multiple vocalists, and the music is not as prone to dwell too far on the edges of distant spheres.  Though as the title of the release suggests, Amber Asylum spirit emotion through music and play the role of a ghostly chamber orchestra gone awry and subtly mad.  Indeed ambient, entrancing, and beautiful, there are explosive fits of cacophonic and frenzied tangents that set them apart from other ethereal acts, best exemplified at the finale and peak of “Silence Of The Setting Sun,” the third track on the CD.

Their moments of astounding beauty is perfectly expressed in the melancholic aria “Black Swan” and again in the more depressive William Blake inspired “Shepherd Remix,” where the melodies seem to catch in mid air, and then plunge with the soft accompaniment of brooding cellos and whimpering violins.  Minimalism is the key, as the music is dependent upon the light cadences and the suffocating silence that lurks behind the instruments during the more quiet parts.

Amber Asylum are highly introspective at times, and are tinged with a strange psychedelia as heard in the lengthier ‘jam’ passages that spiral into bleak and confusing realms. “Disembodied Healer” for whatever reason reminds me of Black Tape perverted by King Crimson and Syd Barret-era Floyd.  Also, the entire CD has an almost ‘vinyl’ sound to it, recalling an experimental early classic rock sound.

Last but not least, there has always been a mischievous, bitter sense of humour to the project, but this time a downright silliness is heard with a cello driven interpretation of Black Sabbath’s self titled masterpiece.  It’s just hysterical to hear slithering cellos (through a subtle fuzz pedal and Cry-Baby wah effect) playing those ominous three chords!  The infamous  opening lines delivered through a sultry, female voice as opposed to Ozzy’s timeless wail is quite a memorable experience as well.  The song almost comes across as a Satanic lounge party, and indeed, the climactic fast paced outro of the song is matched to a tee with ‘cello riffing’ and a steady pounding percussion, not too mention a violently shrill cello solo modeled after Toni Iommi’s best.  It cracked me up, but it was thoroughly innovative and ingeniously done, and not done with an ounce of disrespect as it still sounds somewhat serious…in a fun, death rock kind of way.

Fans of experimental classical and dark ethereal would adore this, and I urge Gothic fans of Black Sabbath check out this awesome rendition of their infamous track.

Track List:
1.) Black Lodge
2.) Black Swan
3.) Silence Of The Setting Sun
4.) The Shepherd Remix
5.) Disembodied Healer
6.) Black Lodge Reprise
7.) Black Sabbath

Amber Asylum is:
Kris Force: guitars, violin, voice
Wendy Farina: drum kit and percussion
Cat Gratz: oboe
Jackie Gratz: cello
Melynda Jackson: guitars on “Black Lodge Reprise”
Jayne Roderick: piano
Erica Stolz: bass, voice

Amber Asylum Official Site:
http://www.AmberAsylum.com

Amber Asylum Relapse Info:
http://www.relapse.com/high/release/ambe/index.html

Relapse/Release Records:
http://www.relapse.com
 

The Arms Of Someone New
Susan Sleepwalking andLove, Power, & Justice
~reviewed by Matthew

I have a deep unfillable void in my heart that only vintage Gothic rock and the early music of 4AD can fill.  I was very young when all this stuff originally surfaced, but thankfully, the music is still available for a latter generation to appreciate.  The Projekt Archive, a subsidiary of Projekt Records as you could guess is responsible for re-issuing back-catalogue releases from bands such as Attrition and Area, and their latest restoration project is for the mid-eighties band The Arms Of Someone New.

The band formed as a duo and the two members Mel Eberle and Steve Jones collaborated from Boston to Champaign, IL respectively.  Other contributors of the band were Lynn Canfield and Henry Frayme, who with Jones went on to form Area.  So its all rather interesting how the two bands overlapped.  But the Arms Of Someone New never really broke and were left on the backburner as the members focused on Area and other outlets and projects.  The master tapes were left undisturbed until now, and the band’s collective material has at last seen the light of day.

The Arms Of Someone New: That easily wins the award for most striking and unusual moniker, and the music without a doubt lives up to be as avant-garde and introspective as expected.  In the arms of a new lover, you find something daring and unexplored, yet something recognizable and comforting, as love is essential to us all.  There is a similar effect with this kind of music for me, as I have discovered something ‘new’ to my ears and in that embrace waits a familiar sound that I utterly adore.

The music is comparable to the traditional Xymox 4AD sound and the earliest recordings like “Ceremony” and “In A Lonely Place” by New Order.  Incidentally, New Order’s album title “Power Corruption & Lies” was punned by AOSN with their release “Love Power & Justice.”  Their minimalist sound scapes are comprised of reverberated male vocals, tight simplistic drum programs, vintage synths and strummed guitar doodles that definitely overwhelm the listener with the long disappeared yet passionately revered “cult” sound of Goth’s early days.Projekt has re-issued two CDs, the first of which is the band’s debut ten song full-length, entitled “Susan Sleepwalking,” which also contains eight additional tracks taken from their “Burying The Carnival” EP and the “Holy Dance” single.   The “Susan Sleepwalking” CD is primarily more mellow and reserved, with a greater focus on synth drenched ambiance.  The second reissue “Love, Power, & Justice” is probably the better of the two to start with, as it is more upbeat and has a stronger rhythmic presence.

Regardless, both CDs are incredibly worthwhile collections.  Here is a band that could have lost the battle to history and remained in 4-track purgatory, haunting the closets of the busy musicians who never had the opportunity to solicit their work appropriately.  But thankfully, their music has been made accessible again for a new generation to discover, and I highly recommend these two CDs to fans of 4AD, vintage alternative, and Goth rock.

Track List:
SUSAN SLEEPWALKING (1984/1985)
1.) St. Catherine
2.) The Fisherman
3.) Song For Krista
4.) With Louise
5.) The Turning
6.) Seven Days From Now
7.) Karen Said
8.) Rainbows
9.) Susan Slept Here
10.) A Turner Sky
11.) Transformation
12.) The Spiral Of Silence
13.) Left To Right
14.) Every Seventh Wave
15.) Angel Of The Odd
16.) My Friend
17.) The Holy Dance
18.) Whitefriars

LOVE POWER JUSTICE (1985/1986)
1.) Silhouette
2.) Hollywood
3.) No City Fun
4.) Next Year In Jerusalem
5.) Summer Dress
6.) Your Evening At Home
7.) The Sense Of An Ending
8.) Believe Me
9.) Our Town
10.) Everything At Once
11.) The Sense Of An Ending (4-track version)
12.) In Between (demo version)
13.) Summer Dress (4-track version)
14.) Radio Now (demo version)
15.) Hollywood (promise version)
16.) Cool As Christ
17.) Uptown

The Arms Of Someone New is:
Mel Eberle – bass, guitar, vocals
Steve Jones – piano, organ, guitar, vocals
Nick Rudd – guitar, vocals

The Arms Of Someone New – Official Site:
http://info.comm.uic.edu/arms

Projekt Records:
http://www.projekt.com
 

The Black League
Ichor
~review by Matthew

Formed by the ex-vocalist of the Finish dark metal act Sentenced, the Black League are an interesting combination of traditional metal, dark alternative, intellectual mythology and tinges of literary Gothic.

Soundling like a hybrid between Danzig and Fields Of The Nephilim, the Black League definitely at least in my humble opinion, hit the ‘dark’ mark much more than Sentenced ever have or will.  Taneli Jarva made a wise choice (or had the choice made for him?) when he departed Sentenced and began to construct this outfit.

Though The Black League are certainly not the crème de la crème of goth or dark metal, they do add a nice traditional rock twist to it that definitely sets them apart from others.  The guitar work on this disc totally reminds me of a slightly more aggressive John Christ of Danzig, like when he thrashed out on the “How The Gods Kill” album primarily.  Throw in dashes of watery guitars and groove oriented doom all fronted by varying vocal styles, ranging from gruff sand paper rasps to power metal bravados and there you have it.

The highlight of this entire album for me was without a doubt the magnificent and faithful interpretation of “Ozymandias” which most of you ought to recognize as a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley.  This song was great, as the sharp synths and wah-pedal/treated guitars helped capture the exotic middle-eastern desert setting of the original poem.  The explosive chorus perfectly illustrates the speaker’s ironic fate, the intensity of the chorus is still dwarfed by the despair of mankind’s impermanence that leaks throughout the quieter parts of the song: Exactly how Shelley would have wanted it.   Further literary inspiration appears in the track “Goin’ To Hell” which is based on “Macbeth” and also a reference to Mark Twain in “One Colour Black.”  Though not as powerful or effective as “Ozymandias” I still appreciate their effort.

The packaging is gorgeous and well designed with artistic photography and avant-garde layouts.  It is apparent that The Black League take themselves and their art very seriously.  Though it is not as brooding a music as I enjoy the most, the metallic energy and upbeat nature of the band will definitely appeal to the traditional, rhythmic metal scene.  This is definitely a unique act.  If you are looking for something different, and you have roots in Danzig, Sentenced, Cathedral, or the Sisters Of Mercy and the Nephilim (as fun metal bands), The Black League is totally for you.

Track List:
1.) Doomwatcher
2.) One Colour Black
3.) Deep Waters
4.) Goin’ To Hell
5.) Avalon
6.) We Die Alone
7.) The Everlasting Pt. II
8.) Ozymandias
9.) Blood Of The Gods
10.) Bunker King
11.) Winter Winds Sing
12.) Ecce Homo!
13.) Night On Earth

The Black League Is:
Taneli Jarva: voice, additional instruments
Maike Valanne: guitars
Alexi Ranta: guitars
Florida: bass
Sir Luttinen: drums, percussion, keyboards

The Black League - Official Site:
http://theblackleague.cjb.net/

Spinefarm Records:
http://www.spinefarm.fi/

Nuclear Blast Records:
http://www.nuclearblast.de

The Black League
Ichor
~review by Aaron Garland

After recently hearing Therion's amazing "opera metal" opus "Deggial", I anticipated good things from this Finnish outfit on the Nuclear Blast roster.  Perhaps on the crest of "dark wave" metal for the new millennium, The Black League bring forth guitar-driven discussions of the all-too-human tenets of existence with thoughtful and well-written lyrical odes to the likes of Freidrich Nietzsche ,19th century poet P.B. Shelley and William Shakespeare.  Some highlighted verses include:  'Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair/Like all things that lurk within me' (Goin' to Hell);  'Blest are those who cannot see reality in all its ruthless misery/ For what doesn't kill you ought to make you stronger/ Yet the more you endure, the pain lasts longer and longer' (Ecce Homo); and a magnificent passage from the final track "Night on Earth" - 'Is this the new age? / Or are these the dark ages? / In the white town of the north/ Meeting…stranger faces and long-abandoned places/Past the ruins and through the wreckage/ Where our souls and spirits lie.'  Needless to say, Ichor treads lyrical terrain well beyond a run-of-the-mill metal act.

Musically, "Ichor" could loosely fit into the "doom metal" sub-category but I've heard other outfits who are much slower, heavier and lyrically far more depressing.  Actually, half the songs on this record contain fast to mid-tempo grooves and the gruff, phlegm-filled vocals you would expect courtesy of Taneli Jarva.  However, some of the slower and more etheral  numbers such as the acoustic-guitar laden instrumental "The Everlasting - Pt. II"  demonstrate The Black League's musical prowess most effectively.  Hopefully, this is a direction the Finnish quintet  may explore more thoroughly with their next release.    In any case, "Ichor" does a good job scratching the surface of what could happen in the future.

Track listing:
- Doomwatcher
- One Colour Black
- Deep Waters
- Goin' to Hell
- Avalon
- We Die Alone
- The Everlasting - Pt. II
- Ozymandias
- Blood of the Gods
- Bunker King
- Winter Winds Sing
- Ecce Homo
- Night On Earth

Nuclear Blast
P.O. Box 43618
Philadelphia, PA 19106
USA

Benjamin Stauffer
Fading Daydreams
~reviewed by Matthew

Rarely do I have the chance to review a CD quite like this.  “Fading Daydreams” is a lengthy piano driven work by composer Benjamin Stauffer.  Despite being released on the recently formed Chicago indie rock label Somnimage Records, this CD is a straightforward neo-classical work of art.   Utterly romantic and soothing, the CD ghosts its way through lush piano instrumentals, thickened by subtle new age synth backdrops.  Stauffer dedicates the entire work to his late grandfather, and there is a heartbreaking beauty and passion in every key that is struck.

There is a dense reverberation and haunting production, which adds a slight ethereal edge to the contemporary classical style.  It is indeed a very relaxing CD, but rather than being just background music, it is very arresting and you find yourself drawn into the music, stopping whatever you are doing to appreciate it rather than mindlessly allowing it to play.  “Fading Daydreams” has the power to capture and hold your attention, and will animate the mind with suitably pensive images.

Granted, you have to have an appreciation for this kind of music.  This is not Gothic, Alternative, Metal, or Electronic music, and it could not at all be considered Gothic Ethereal.  However the consistent melancholy and grayness of Stauffer’s music would definitely appeal to dark music fans that have an appreciation for traditional classical music as well.  The closing track “Yet Another Tragic Love Affair” has a tasteful use of church bells accentuating the left-hand bass chords of the song, and there is a gloomy film score element pervading the song, which was quite cool.

I highly recommend this CD for those cold winter evenings ahead or the rainy Sunday afternoons when lethargy hits and the stress of the proceeding week desperately needs to be dissolved.

Track List:
1.) Karmic Law
2.) Distance Relationship
3.) Return Period
4.) Borealis
5.) Fading Daydreams
6.) 7:12
7.) She’s Asleep In My Arms
8.) March Of Leaves
9.) Swan
10.) Thoughts Of Grandfather
11.) Yet Another Tragic Love Affair

All music written and executed by Benjamin Stauffer

SomnMage Records:
http://www.somnimage.com
 

The Changelings
Epicycles
~reviewed by Kevin

Atlanta band The Changelings have, at various times, been described as "experimental post rock," "Celto-Byzantine," "neoclassical" and "akin to a religious experience."  I'd call them the most intelligent and creative combination of world music sounds and synthesizers this side of Peter Gabriel's Passion.  The readers of Atlanta's Creative Loafing have awarded them "Best World/Traditional Band" four years running, and with good reason.  Their music is invariably literate, thoughtful, and breathtakingly beautiful.  (Any band who does a song based on William Gibson's "Neuromancer" automatically gains 50 Cool Points in my book...)

Their latest CD, "Epicycles" is atypical in several respects.  It consists of tracks from two different projects.  Tracks 1-4 were composed for the upcoming computer game "Noble Armada," while tracks 5 and 6 were commissioned for Netherworld haunted house.  (Given that one reviewer said their music "should echo through a deserted castle whose inhabitants have fallen asleep for a hundred years," they were an excellent choice for this project).

These tracks do not feature Regeana Morris's magnificent voice so prominently as earlier Changelings releases did. While Morris contributes many gorgeous vocalisations, they are used primarily as another sound effect amidst the sea of melody, not as the .  Nor are these songs structured in the traditional "verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus" format of most pop tunes.  In that regard they are more similar to Brian Eno's "Ambient" work -- or to the best of Philip Glass's minimalist compositions -- than to most "darkwave/ethereal" music.

"Red Shift", the CD opener, begins with a series of synthesized blips and sequences from keyboard player Nick Pagan; soon Morris joins in with some astonishing Gregorian-esque chants, followed by Chandler Rentz's percussion.  (Rentz does a splendid job throughout this CD.  His drumming keeps the music going, and helps avoid the tedium and masturbatory noodling which pervades much minimalist/ambient work... i.e. the worst of Philip Glass).

Throughout this CD The Changelings use some incredibly creative instrumentation.  "Eclipse" combines a musical saw (!) with a synthesizer and tablas; the effect is something like Middle Eastern-meets-Blade Runner.  "Tannhauser Gate" picks up the pace, while "Dulcinea" showcases Damon Young's guitar skills with some absolutely gorgeous classical guitar riffs and a lovely violin line from Paul Mercer.

The final two tracks, "The Young Merlins" and "Dreams in the Witch House" are equally excellent.  "Dreams..." is a particular favorite of mine (not least because it's named after one of my favorite H.P. Lovecraft tales).  Again Damon Young's guitar skills are featured with an atonal phrase that reminds me of Schoenberg fluttering in and out of a whooshing
synthesizer base, along with Rentz's drumming and some other less describable sounds (as old H.P. might have said... ).

If there were any justice in this world, The Changelings would have full-time jobs writing film scores.  However, since this is not a just world, they're likely to be coming to your town at some point, playing their unique music.  Don't miss them when they arrive!

Tracks:
1) Red Shift
2) Eclipse
3) Tannhauser Gate
4) Dulcinea
5) The Young Merlins
6) Dreams in the Witch House

The Changelings are:
Paul Mercer: Violin, Viola
Regeana Morris: Voice, Hammered Dulcimer, Musical Saw
Nick Pagan: Keyboards
Chandler Rentz: Percussion
Damon Young: Guitars, Door

http://www.changelings.com   Official Website
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/89/the_changelings.html
The Changelings on MP3 (features free downloads)
 

CHILDREN OF BODOM
Follow the Reaper
~reviewed by Michael

On May 6, 1960, two 15-year-old girls and two 18-year-old guys went camping on the shores of Lake Bodom in southern Finland.  Their excursion was cut short, however, by the arrival of a maniac.  The killer butchered three of the campers and only one survives to this day.  The killer was never caught.  This mass murder has bred many urban legends, and now, the band called Children of Bodom.

The band was formed in 1993 under a different name, Inearthed, in Espoo, Finland.  After a few demos and afew gigs, they went through numerous lineup changes and changed their name to Children of Bodom.  Their third full-length release, Follow the Reaper, is now ready to hit the streets.

Children of Bodom are not your standard dose of Scandinavian metal.  The guitar work throughout Followthe Reaper is absolutely dizzying.  Influenced by Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Randy Rhodes, Jake E. Lee, and countless others, lead axe man Alexi “WildChild” Laiho has already attained guitar hero status.

Every instrument on this CD flies along and remains tight throughout, delivering their blows as precisely as the knife of the killer on that night in 1960.  “Follow the Reaper” is an awesome opener and lays out all the cards for what’s in store.  “Children of Decadence” is the longest song on the album at five and a half minutes and is one of the best songs the
band has written.  “Hate Me!” was the title of their last single and rightfully so as it is my favorite on the album.  At times, though, I hear Manowar’s classic “Violence & Bloodshed” mixed into the chorus but this in no way affects the punch CoB intended to deliver.  And, as a bonus to the 1000 lucky people who get the limited edition, a cover of WASP’s “Hellion”, has also been provided for your listening pleasure.  If you don’t get the limited edition, you can get the song on the Hate Me single as well.  Act quickly on this single if you want it because the singles Children of Bodom and Downfall are completely sold out and out ofproduction.

A horror type theme is delivered subtly throughout the album with short keyboard compositions that start a few of the songs such as “Mask of Sanity”, “Taste of My Scythe”, and “Hate Me!” and the seamless entry into the main body of each song further proves the production prowess of Peter Tagtgren.

My only beef with Children of Bodom at this point is the seeming lack of progression.  The elements and structures of the songs are all the same as they have ever written.  The melodies on Follow the Reaper are definitely stronger, but this album holds no surprises.  One thing that is new is the gang yells.  While some might see this as regression, it does throw
a new element into the mix and they are used so sparingly that you will not get sick of them.  This band is saturated with talent and their rising record sales show it, as the Hate Me single went platinum.

If you have not heard Children of Bodom before, I would advise that you do start out with this one, as it is not as chaotic as the first two albums.  If you are already a fan, this will definitely collect little dust from sitting unused in the rack.

Children of Bodom is:
Alexi Laiho – guitars, vocals
Henkka T Blacksmith – bass
Janne Warman – keyboards
Alexander Kuoppala – guitars
Jaska Raatikainen – drums

Contact them at:
Website: www.cobhc.com (official site)

Emails:
Janne - janne@cobhc.com
Jaska - jaska@cobhc.com
Alexander - allu@cobhc.com
Henkka - henkka@cobhc.com
Alexi - ale@cobhc.com

Nuclear Blast USA:
Website: www.nuclearblast-usa.com

Nuclear Blast Germany:
Website: www.nuclearblast-de.com

Clan of XYMOX
Live
~reviewed by BlackOrpheus

If you're anything like me, you probably shy away from investing in, let alone listening to live albums.  This makes it twice the pleasure to declare that Clan of XYMOX's long awaited LIVE album is a triumph.  The album material presented here is culled from their recent South and Central American tours.  Quality is stamped all over this outstanding album. Congratulations to Ronny Mooring on the remixing, and to the sound crew.  Their work is immaculate. It consists of nineteen tracks, and two videos.  The  songs are taken from perrenial favorites like the debut that started it all - Clan of Xymox, Hidden Faces,  Creatures, Medusa, Twist of Shadows, and one  from their  B-sides collection.  My great challenge is to choose just a couple from this trove to spotlight.  Because the quality is so consistent, it really comes down to personal preference.  The following are mine.

"Stranger" is an excellent song off the first Clan of Xymox album, and it was the first song on the first disk. It opens with chants of "Xymox."  Amidst the furor, the opening strains of " Stranger" begin to filter in and establish the mood.  From here, the song soars and lunges, and soars again.  I was moved, as I've always been by the vulnerability displayed in the reluctance of really talking face to face.  This was sublime.

"The Story Ends" is off the Hidden Faces album.  Interestingly enough, it is also a great companion piece to "Stranger."  This isn't a story of avoidance, but one of confrontation.  It opens with a snowfall of synth, guitars, and bass.  When Ronny sings "When silence comes in , and creeps underneath the skin, If the lost word is lost and the spent word is spent, This is the time, this is the place where the story ends," he sings it with such poignant dread, that you cannot help but
personalize the experience of rupture.

This review wouldn't be complete without mentioning the two QuickTime videos included on disk2.  The first is track nine "Jasmine & Rose."  It's a video of the band playing a an outdoor show somewhere.  It pans out across the crowd, and focuses upon the band, and individual band members.  I really enjoyed it, it made the song that much more effective.  The second - Well, I'll leave something for you to discover.  This is even better.

It's troubling to contemplate the experiences that may have escaped me. I've had a general misconception that live albums were less than worthy of my time or investment.  The Clan of XYMOX - Live album may be a phenomenon.  In my experience of live albums it is. If you've had the opportunity to experience a live show, or wish you could, this is as near the realization of that experience as you can hope for, short of being there. Find, listen, feel and experience it.  It is singular.

Track Listing:
CD1
1. Stranger
2. Cry in the Wild
3. This World
4. Jasmine & Rose
5. A Day
6. Louise
7. Creature
8. Back Door
9. Out of the Rain
10. Taste of Medicine
11. Going Round '97

CD2
1. Obsession
2. Muscoviet Mosquito
3. Michelle
4. Craving
5. Consolation
6. Agonized By Love
7. Hypocrite
8. The Story Ends
9. Jasmine & Rose (Video Data)
10. Stranger (Video Data)

Clan of Xymox are:
Ronny Moorings - voice, guitar
Mojca Zugna - bass, voice, keys
Rui Ramos - drums
Nina Simic - keys

Web Site:  Metropolis Records
www.metropolis-records.com

Metropolis - Clan of Xymox
www.metropolis-records.com/?artists/xymox.htm

CLAN OF XYMOX
www.clanofxymox.com
 

Clan of Xymox
"Liberty" single
Reviewed by: BlackOrpheus

Quick on the heels of their new Live release, comes Clan of Xymox with a new single " Liberty."  The two are set for release on Halloween, and are more treat than trick.  This is the kind of track that has made the band a legend in the community.  There are two other tracks , as well as a remix by Greg Rule.  Below are my impressions of "Liberty" and the accompanying tracks.

"Liberty"  is a song that could be interpreted different ways.  " I guess it's gonna be, a question of my sanity - I guess it's gonna be against the heart of liberty."  The things that lie at the " heart of liberty " are the things that keep us sane.  They are our freedoms, however we define them.  There is such an erosion of personal freedom throughout our life, that it leads to real desperation, a sickness of the soul.  We might very well " warm to the thought of being through."  Eternity still remains a veiled promise.   Are we truly willing to pay the ultimate price for a glamourized final release?  Will it be the release we believe it to be, when we've left all we ever knew or loved behind us?  The new single beautifully illustrates the dilemma, in its brief industrial tinged intro and the shimmering effect achieved by the guitar work.  The bass kept it all earthbound.  This single was consistent with the quality we've come to expect from this band.  If it's a prelude to a full length, we really have something to look forward to.

" Number1" I really didn't care for.  It was a gothic power ballad.  It was chuck full of the kind of hackneyed cliches you'd usually encounter in the music of certain 80's metal bands.  This is not the band's best writing.  The music was a bit uptempo for my tastes as well, although it had its moments.  This was no fit companion piece to a classic like " Liberty."

 "At Your Mercy" was a better song musically than Number1 for a certainty.    The writing was definitely better, although trying to write within a rhyming scheme  is a contrivance frought with limitation and liability.  "Liberty" was a stronger song for the absence of this. Overall though, there's little here to offend.  The music makes this song.  For me, this was a near great.    It had moments that brought to mind vintage Cure, and I could hardly fault it for that.  I'd recommend this track.

" Liberty-the Greg Rule remix," is a puzzle.  The following is a quote from an interview Ronny Moorings did with MelodyMaker in 1989.

PJ : A lot of bands are doing remixes these days. What is your opinion on that ?
R : I don't like remixes at all. When a song is good for me I see no reason to let someone make a remix of it. It is a hype of the record labels and food for the DJ's. Furthermore, I don't know a lot of peopel who buy a CD with 24 remixes of the same song and really listen to it.

Granted, it has been ten years.  But, I think Ronny made some very valid points.  This song is a prime example.  This is a great song, without this remix. I don't think it enhances, or contributes to making it more striking than it is.  If anything, it detracts from it.   Who will this remix appeal to?  I doubt in all honesty, it'll appeal to the average fan.  I thought it might appeal to djs.  But  I don't think I'd ever hear it played at any club I frequent.  I could see it emptying dance floors around this part of the country.  It struck me as Euro dance fodder, perhaps.  The style of this remix is entirely inappropriate, and ill suited to the style of the music.  In my opinion, it was a disaster.

In conclusion, I heartily endorse the new single " Liberty." It is well executed, and does not disappoint. On any single release, there are bound to be a dud or two on the b-side.  This release is no exception. That shouldn't prohibit you from revelling in the sublime, that  is "Liberty" and "At Your Mercy."  This is only one man's opinion, we must all judge for ourselves in the end.  Bright Blessings.

Track Listing:
1. Liberty
2. Number 1
3. At Your Mercy
4. Liberty (Greg Rule Remix)

Clan of Xymox are:
Ronny Moorings - voice, guitar
Mojca Zugna - bass, voice, keys
Rui Ramos - drums
Nina Simic - keys

Web Site:  Metropolis Records
www.metropolis-records.com

Metropolis - Clan of Xymox
www.metropolis-records.com/?artists/xymox.htm

CLAN OF XYMOX
www.clanofxymox.com

CRADLE OF FILTH
Midian
~reviewed by Michael

In Bible History, Midian was where Moses spent the 40 years between the time that he fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian who had been beating a Hebrew. Midian was also the scene where one of the best-known incidents of The Bible occurred - The Lord's appearance in the burning bush. In fiction, Midian is a mythological dwelling place for fallen angels, nightcrawlers, and people that have been outcast by society.

It is here that Cradle Of Filth takes us in their fifth full-length album appropriately titled Midian.  After a whirlwind of lineup changes, Dani Filth has once again surrounded himself with immeasurable talent.  Paul Allender has joined on guitars, Martin Powell (ex My Dying Bride) adds a wonderful ethereal element to the music on keyboards, and Adrian Erlandsson (ex At The Gates), who is very capable of keeping the pace no matter how fast Dani decides to drive his dark chariot, completes the new lineup on drums.

At first listen, one of the first things you notice is how much more, dare I say, catchy the songs are.  Loaded with power metal chords and time changes galore, Midian is sure to go down as one of the best Cradle Of Filth albums to date.  This album is seamless, sewn together with angelic entrails and hardened by the salty sweat of a band that refuses to compromise.  It’s amazing how well the songs flow into one another and in many cases; you barely pick out the beginning of the next song.

As always, the music is packed with gothic interludes and female vocals performed by Sarah Jezebel Deva.  Sarah’s vocals reach a range higher than on any other album and in a few places, Mika Lindberg, who adds some male choral parts, joins her.  The choral parts are well placed and are definitely a welcome addition to the music.

The lyrics are an excellent read, causing you pause as you try to figure out what Dani has just sung.  In “Lord Abortion”, the lyrics are some of the darkest Dani has ever written and, not just due to the lyrics, this song stands out as my favorite on the album.  It swells to the point you think the CD will explode out of the player and then retreats into a sinister interlude, where you enter the mind of this madman, and find indeed that it is a frightening place to be.  Would you expect anything else?

A few of the other tracks that stand out are “Saffron’s Curse”, which starts out with an interlude that will stick to your brain for days to come.  “Amor E Morte” features more of the male/female choral vocal styles, as does “Tearing The Veil From Grace”.  This new addition to the music takes a little getting used to but after only a couple spins, you welcome it as you would the Devil’s promise.

Cradle Of Filth open wide the gates of Midian and kicks you through them with the closing track “Tortured Soul Asylum”.  It is here we hear the horror legend Doug Bradley deliver his intro speech, and his voice couldn’t be more fitting.  Cradle has an ear for perfect closing songs and is almost always one of the best tracks on the album.  No exception here.

The production on this album is better than Cruelty, having deepened the drums and given he album a more powerful feel.  Aside from that, the usual studio slickness is present and a perfect balance of all elements resides.

For those of you who were hoping to see the more “commercialized” Cradle Of Filth, this album is not for you.  Cradle is as they are and will not be swayed by hopeful fans wanting to hear the latest remix played at their local clubs.  This is black metal as black metal was supposed to be played.  Constant variation, a huge variety of vocal styles, dark, complex lyrics, and above all, the speed and power of the music are what the fans wanted to hear and, riding nightmares, Cradle Of Filth has most certainly delivered.

Cradle Of Filth is:
Dani Filth – Serpent Tongue
Paul Allender – Despondent Night Chords
Robin Graves – Nocturnal Pulse
Martin Powell – Ouija Boards/Cobwebbed Organ
Gian Pyres – Blade
Adrian Erlandsson – Vampire Battery

CoF Info:
Official Web page: http://www.theorderofthedragon.com/

Koch Records:
Website: www.kochentertainment.com

Smail: 740 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
 

Colortone
Constructive Stumblings
~reviewed by Matthew

Now this, this is a CD that is hard to review, as it was very difficult for me to adjust to such a radical shift in mood and style.  This is not your typical dark music, and that fact is reason alone to encourage bit of digging and research.

Colortone is the solo project of a Chicago native by the name of Dickie Chapin, and his music is dominated by syrupy children’s lullabies fused with quirky 80’s synth pop (a la old bouncing Depeche Mode and Erasure songs).  A very soft, pleading voice that makes Billy Corgan, Michael Stipe, or Morrissey sound tough drifts atop the music with a lilting and heartbreaking vulnerability.

But that is the point.  This is really an interesting and very stark concept.  Similar to the Cranes, the mismatching of painful lyrical themes delivered with a perky youthful innocence has a poignant and thought-provoking result and indeed, the concept and idea of Mr. Chapin works brilliantly.  The lyrics are hopeless laments examining lost love, growing up to face the ‘real’ world, the escape offered by dreams, and the blissful naiveté of youth.  But the music and melodies paradoxically are far from bitter or pensive but are instead overtly sweet.  Sometimes injected with a slight psychedelia (“Safe Heaven”) ethereal ambience (“Silent Film” and “Eternal Reverse”) and often Big Band inspired arrangements sneak in throughout the course of the CD.  And yes, if you glance down at the track list, you will see “I’m In The Mood For Love,” which is indeed the same famous ballad of yesteryear.

I particularly enjoyed the song, “Movie Girl” which was Mr. Chapin’s ode to period-film actress Kate Winslet.  I too share an admirable obsession for the curvy British vixen, so I was with him in spirit for this particular track.  However, the project of Colortone as a whole is something I could rarely find myself listening to.  While exceptionally well arranged and musically flawless, I had a hard time with the style of the music, as I tend to gravitate toward much more straightforward dark music.

But this CD is definitely something fans of 80’s synth projects, quirky Goth rock, and tongue-in-cheek alternative would really appreciate.  The lyrics are not to be taken lightly, and it is there where a considerable gush of genuine emotion and inspiration bursts forth.  The lightness of the music is an escape; the same way dark music is a cathartic and cleansing outlet for most bands.  But here, a more optimistic world and atmosphere is created, in hopes to spirit away the pain of the lyrics and strip the emphasis from the negative.  I hope desperately that Colortone are discovered by an appreciative audience, as this is not something that belongs to slip into obscurity.

Track List:
1.) Paint By Numbers
2.) Paper Airplanes
3.) Movie-Girl
4.) California
5.) Safe Haven
6.) Silent Films
7.) An Optimistic Sense Of Smell
8.) The Ex-Pretty Tragical Vampire
9.) Perfect
10.) Trinity Danced
11.) Fantastically Sleeping
12.) The Devil Is A Woman
13.) Meaningless
14.) Impossible Wishes
15.) I’m In The Mood For Love
16.) Eternal Reverse

Colortone is Dickie Chapin

Seraph Records:
http://www.seraphonline.com

Email:
info@seraphonline.com

Colortone:
http://www.seraphonline.com/colortone
 

Cauda Pavonis
Pistols At Dawn
-Review by Sonia Leonard

Here is a new band with a retro sound. VERY reminiscent of the 80’s. Cauda Pavonis’ Pistols at Dawn is a great cd to have if you’ve grown tired of music like Metro by Berlin, and are looking for something slightly different and fresh. This bands first cd INITIATION is limited to 500 copies and the song  Wardance(off Pistols At Dawn) is featured in the compilation KALEIDOSCOPE  with such names as Faith and the Muse, Complicity and My Ruin. Another cd is in the works and should be released in the near future.

With the deep Rocky Horror vocals of Su Farr and the keyboard work of Dave Wainwright you can’t help but be transported back in time. Soon you’ll be thinking back to when goths were called D-Rockers and you hated sweating because it messed up your pancake make-up. (Wait...the make-up hasn’t changed that much...:0 ) There are great dark lyrics like in the 9th track Addiction where Daves’  lamenting vocals are spoken quite clearly. They hail themselves as a “ Dark Romantic Band” and originate in Britain. Priding themselves in producing high quality products at their own cost,  this band has made it clear that they do not use CDR’s but their music was,  in fact, produced onto “glass-mastered Cd’s with picture disc and full  colour sleeves.”

Here are the tracks;
1. Sanctify
2. WKPB
3. Gift
4. Wardance (album version)
5. Monophase
6. She’s the Cure
7. Fin De Siecle (Pistols at Dawn)
8. Diabolique
9. Addiction
10. Bloodkiss
11. Houses of the Holy
12. Queen of Air and Darkness
13. Requiem
14. Athame

Hit their website @
http://www.caudapavonis.u-net.com/

Get in touch with Su and Dave by e-mail;
initiates@caudapavonis.u-net.com

Snail Mail more your style? Try this...
CAUDA PAVONIS
15 Southernhay
Staple Hill
Bristol
BS16 4LS
 

Crematory
Believe
~reviewed by Matthew

As respected leaders in the Gothic metal scene, I have always tried to ‘believe’ in Crematory.  Where as they are one of the more internationally recognized bands in this genre, I have always had a hard time placing them on so high a level.

This is the band’s eighth album, and while an artistic progression is obvious, I still sense the same weaknesses that have pervaded the bands music since I was first introduced to them by way of their 1997 release, “Awake.”  Which, for those of you who may be interested, included a very well done and ‘fun’ interpretation of “Temple Of Love” by the Sisters Of Mercy, complete with death metal vocals.

Alas, back to the matter at hand.  My biggest problem with Crematory on this release and their prior two is that the guitar work relies way to heavily on crunchy power chords alone.  Rarely are there any catchy riff heavy rhythms or melodic guitar breaks, but rather, most of the guitar work is just typical power chords and chugga-chugga rhythmic gallops.  I very much like this sound, but I want to hear them do more.  It’s just not as technically or emotionally complex as I would like.

Crematory do in fact have several stronger points, else they would never have earned the popularity they have so far. For one, they are much more upbeat and mid-paced compared to most artists in this genre.  They are quite heavy with some nice ‘almost’ fast parts, but they never really get too aggressive as atmosphere is their primary concern.  Though very typical, the band is fronted by a strong growling vocalist, who despite the guttural nature of his voice, he is still easily intelligible.  Clear male vocals appear to break up the monotony, and these too, though typical are very well delivered.

The keyboards on this release are by far the best the band has sported yet.  They are much more airy, reverberated, and add a warm ethereal tone to the bands sound.  In fact, the keyboards are the band’s heart, as they supply the lead melodies that the guitars crunch and ring out behind.  They are very basic, mainly just Romantic pianos, orchestral strings, ghostly synths, and choir settings, but they create a wonderful and absorbing atmosphere.

The latter half of the CD houses the strongest material, and with the seventh track “Eternal” and the eighth “Unspoken” my attention was highly peaked and it was there that I really began to give Crematory the benefit of the doubt.  “Caroline,” besides having a slightly sappy chorus, has some strong rhythms in the verses and is one of the better and more memorable tracks on the CD.  “The Curse” begins with a melodic guitar RIFF and thankfully, the band carry the melody through the first half of the song.  The clean acoustics and swirling synths through the verses of “Why” remind a bit me of Tiamat’s “Clouds” and “Wildhoney” era material, with a powerful chorus that sounds a bit like the hey day of Paradise Lost.  “Why” is probably my favourite track off of this CD, as it is the most emotional and well-structured of them all, with the haunting piano-aura of “Unspoken.”

Personally, I would like to hear Crematory’s guitar arrangements become more in-depth and integrate a greater complexity.  I think their music is a bit too simplistic for most fans of this music, but others may appreciate it for the very same reasons that I do not.  The bottom line is that Crematory has a great deal of potential.  But after eight albums, I wonder when they are going to have their ‘breakthrough.’ Admittedly though, this particular release is definitely making a dent in that surface.

Track List:
1.) Redemption Of Faith
2.) Endless
3.) The Fallen
4.) Take
5.) Act Seven
6.) Time For Tears
7.) Eternal
8.) Unspoken
9.) Caroline
10.) The Curse
11.) Why
12.) Perils Of The Wind

Crematory is:
Felix Stass – vocals
Matthian Hechler - guitars
Katrin Goger – keyboards
Harold Heine – bass
Markus Jullich – drums

Crematory: Official Site
http://www.crematory.de

Nuclear Blast:
http://www.nuclearblast.de

Various Artists
Dark Treasures: A Gothic Tribute To The Cocteau Twins
~reviewed by Matthew

Tribute albums are a dangerous thing.  Over the years, their novelty has worn off considerably.  But despite a somewhat weak start and a few other gaps in the solid flow of the disc, this Cleopatra collection pays a respectable and worthy tribute to one of dark music’s most unique and influential bands: the Cocteau Twins.

Rhea’s Obsession kicks the CD off with a guitar heavy and rhythmic, middle eastern take on “Cicely.”  I was amazed at how faithful Sue’s voice was to Liz Frasier.  A very successful and energetic way to start the CD.  Mephisto Walz follows, with a surprisingly perky track, “Iceblink Luck.”  It’s a cute song, similar to the feel good, bubble gum vibe of the original. It was just slightly out of character to hear such cheerful sounds emerging from Mephisto Walz.

The offering of the Blue Bell Knoll track “Athol-Brose” from Inertia left me cold, as did Jennifer Hope’s  “Seekers Who Are Lovers” The music of the latter is not bad, however it is too slow.  The vocals drag and lose the fluid playfulness of the original.  It just sounded very wrong to me.

Trance To The Sun refresh the mood of the CD with the stark creepiness of “The Thinner The Air,” which originally appeared on the Victorialand album.  A good job showing how foreboding and enveloping the sound of the Cocteaus can be and how it influenced so many other darkwave bands.

Andrea Lane’s “Violane” was just plain annoying.  The drum programs sounded cheap and the breathy vocals were over done and trying too damn hard.  I could have done without this track.  Thankfully, this was the last ‘disruption’ of its kind to the flow of the CD.

Absinthee brave the waters and record one of the darkest Cocteau songs ever, “Shallow Then Halo” from the post-punk debut Garlands.  An excellent and faithful job, an interesting new dimension was added to the song by grating violins paired with eerie processed guitars to invoke a blissful discordance.  Like the original version with Robin Guthrie’s molestation of his guitar, this caused my hairs to stand on end as well.  Faith & Disease’s “Amelia” is a lulling, warm track with distant ghostly vocals and shimmering, echoed guitars.  A characteristic and beautiful offering from a band that never seems to fail with their compilation appearances or cover song attempts.

The Machine in the Garden kick ass with a brooding, climactic cover of “Need Fire” which segues perfectly into the brilliant assault of “Garlands” by the Autumns.  It was at first sort of odd to hear male vocals singing a Cocteau track, but this was just way too cool.  An effective blend of abrasive guitars, swinging drums, and angst-ridden vocals help create an intense and driving rendition of this track.  For trivia points, it was produced by Simon Raymonde.

Diva Destruction’s “Persephone” is about 50/50 in my opinion.  It has an awesome hard hitting drum beat and the guitars are much harsher than the original, with an overwhelming swelling of distortion and keyboard work at the chorus.  It started out sounding like a strong song, then the classic bass line that served as the backbone of this song is synthesized.  That crushed me. I loved that bass line, and I could have gotten over that little glitch but sadder still, the weakest aspect of the song is that vocals are slightly out of key, and there is just no way around that.

Fear of Dolls follow and turn “Wax & Wane” into a ritualistic, plodding death march.  With slow tribal drums, unnerving guitars, and icy female vocals, I was very impressed by the sheer gloom of this track.  A blatant death rock delivery of a definitive death rock track. Godbox pump up “Blood Bitch” with a guitar driven, synth pop bounce.  The guitars are awesome, and a live drummer is fused with electronics.  Nice watery guitars blend in for atmosphere and somehow, this band just seemed to find a perfect balance of gothic mood and electronic energy.  Another excellent and timeless song interpreted respectfully.

Oneiroid Psychosis summon Azoic siren Kristy Venrick to front a calming, ambient take on “Treasure Hiding.”  Another out of character track, as both Nilaihah records bands are known for more claustrophobic darkwave styles, but this track is almost ‘pretty’ and slightly psychedelic in some ways.  It was a nice change and a sweetly melodic song to start wrapping up the CD.

Stare brings the disc to a close with the only track from the Head Over Heals album, the punkish “In Our Angelhood.”   Their take on the song is well done with dense bass lines, fast post rock drum patterns, buzzing chorus and phasored guitar washes, and of course Michelle’s deep voice perfectly crowns the music.

Overall, this is one of the better tribute CDs to come from Cleopatra in sometime.  I am a big fan of the Cocteau Twins and might have been slightly pickier with some of these tracks than the average fan or listener will be.   Though some tracks are obviously stronger than others (as all compilations prove) all these bands came together to honour all the many eras of one of the most diversified and talented bands of the past two decades.  Definitely pick this up if you are a Cocteau Twins fan.

Track List:
1.) RHEA’S OBSESSION – Cicely
2.) MEPHISTO WALZ – Iceblink Luck
3.) INERTIA – Athol-Brose
4.) JENNIFER HOPE – Seekers Who Are Lovers
5.) TRANCE TO THE SUN – The Thinner The Air
6.) ANDREA LANE – Violaine
7.) ABSINTHEE – Shallow Then Halo
8.) FAITH & DISEASE – Amelia
9.) THE MACHINE IN THE GARDEN – Need Fire
10.) THE AUTUMNS – Garlands
11.) DIVA DESTRUCTION – Persephone
12.) FEAR OF DOLLS – Wax & Wane
13.) GODBOX – Blood Bitch
14.) ONEIROID PSYCHOSIS w/ KRISTY VENRICK: Treasure Hiding
15.) STARE – In Our Angelhood

Cleopatra Records:
http://www.cleorecs.com

Cocteau Twins:
http://www.cocteautwins.com

Rhea's Obsession
Mephisto Walz
Inertia
Jennifer Hope
Trance to the Sun
Andrea Lane
Absinthee
Faith&Disease
The Machine in the Garden
Divia Destruction
Fear of Dolls
Godbox
Oneiroid Psychosis
Stare
 

Darkwell
Suspiria
~reviewed by Matthew

Freshly emerged from Austria and the next leading act for Napalm Records, Darkwell continue to propagate the longevity of melodic Gothic metal.  Similar to though more reserved than label mates Tristania or The Sins Of Thy Beloved, this female fronted act deliver a related style of upbeat, power metal tinged Goth metal carried by symphonic keyboards, entwining guitar harmonies, and an angelic female alto.  The voice of Alexandra Pittracher is sweetly timid in its expression, rather than a charging bombast of glass shattering operatic wails (which are, in my humble opinion, welcome as well if done with passionate conviction).  Her style works well with the power chord crunch of the band, and the delightful phrases of classical piano, sweeping orchestral torrents and the occasional bounce of Baroque harpsichord.   Being Austrian, her English is occasionally flawed but it is almost charming in a way, and her accent is one of the many distinguishable aspects to her voice. It is easy to forgive the honest grammatical errors simply because her voice is just so damned cute!

Seriously, ‘cute’ may be an inappropriate word but Darkwell may be draped in melancholy and Romantic lyrical concepts, there is a definite upbeat and catchy flavour to the band.  The occasional interludes of double-bass and galloping guitar riffing also strengthen the impact and driving nature of the band.  I think Darkwell also, being barren of death or black metal vocals, would easily cross over to traditional Gothic audiences, in the same manner that bands such as The Gathering have recently.  On the other side of the coin, Darkwell are most likely not heavy enough for fans of darker, death or black metal tinged atmospheric bands.

But being enamoured by both styles of harsh and softer metal, I very much like this CD.  All the familiar elements are wed together wonderfully. The metallic mischievousness and wintry landscapes are paired suitingly with the tender melodicism of a female voice.  Though it’s been done many times before, this is Darkwell’s take on it, therefore introducing the unique vision and creativity of five more musicians.

I would however, like to see the band decrease the use of male vocals, especially if they will be continually used in the manner of this debut.  Not necessarily because they were outright bad, as Christian Flipp’s voice has the dark tonality and brooding mystique of many well-reputed gothic and dark metal vocalists.  No, the drawback is that the most clichéd lyrical moments were delivered by the male vocals, such as in “The Rejuvination” where the first verse is:

     “You’re welcome, children of the night, to my world of chaos.
                  Sanity is just a weird form of madness.”

I think there should be a rule for ALL bands to follow: do not under any circumstances use the phrase ‘children of the night,’ as it has been beaten to death, and has long since become highly laughable.  Leave Bela Lugosi undead, if I can coin Bauhaus’ immortal classic for the sake of pun.

However, do not lower your expectations for Darkwell or their lyrical abilities for that matter alone.  Barring a few weaker spots, the stronger moments are in greater number, especially for a band that speak English as a second language.

The best material appears toward the latter half of the CD, as the title track is probably my favourite track, with a beautiful climactic chorus where the male vocals appear in a more favourable light and the female vocals employ gorgeous soprano techniques.  Equally powerful is “Realm Of Darkness,” where the pleasing qualities of Alexandra’s voice are at their most expressive, and the backdrop of melancholy power chords and icy keyboards wrap an eloquent velvet bow about a truly valuable musical package.  The closing track opens with very cool distorted arpeggios floating above loose, swayable drums that gradually tighten into lurching double bass fills.  The song is then pushed along for Alexandra’s cherubic voice and the silvery synths to add the final touches for a dramatic and fulfilling close to a highly listenable, enjoyable, and fresh Gothic metal release.    Keep an eye out for this band, and drop them a line after visiting their Mp3 page to hear a sample of what they have to offer.

Track List:
1.) Pictures Of Strife
2.) Blackheart
3.) Lady’s Choice
4.) Path To Salvation:
INTRO
Two Souls Creature Trilogy
5.) The Beginning
6.) The Salvation
7.) The Rejuvination
8.) Susprira
9.) Realm Of Darkness
10.) Armageddon

Darkwell are:
Alexandra Pittracher – vocals
Roman Wienicke – guitars
Roland Wurzer – bass
Christian Flipp – keyboards, backing vocals
Moritz Neuner – drums

Darkwell Official Site:
http://www.darkwell.org

Darkwell Mp3 Site:
http://www.mp3.com/darkwell

Napalm Records:
http://www.napalmrecords.com
 

Detroit Electronic
D[elEcTROnIc]T
~reviewed by Matthew

Again, I admire a city I have been to three times.  The Detroit Electronica Coalition (yeah that’s right, they have one of those) has put together this mammoth CD showcasing some of the leading electronic/industrial projects in the Michigan area.  It seems that the electonic scene in the Motor City is very tight knit, or at least it is attempting to be, and I think other cities could learn from this type of interconnection and support.  This CD and what it represents is very encouraging, to say the least.

There is a little bit for every type of rivet head and remix-aholic on this CD.  You have driving guitar driven cuts from Glitch, Aether Ground, Hypodermic as well as more darkwave/synth popish stuff from CEOXiME, Ickytrip, Chiasm, and Man X The Motor.  There is also a wealth of ambient ‘light’ techno found in the offerings by Jason C Slaughter, Elemental Groove and Crash Site 68.

I would highly suggest that fans of electronic music contact the DEC and obtain a copy of this compilation.  When I say fans, I say people that prefer the art of this craft rather than the novelty of the music.  This CD is not a collection of songs that are to be judged for how many bodies run out to the dance-floor but rather the strengths rely on the creativity used to assemble the numerous artists and diverse styles found on this low priced compilation.

Track List:
1.) GLITCH – Y2k
2.) JASON C SLAUGHTER – Rouge River Sunrise
3.) CEOXIME – Innocence (Crazy Mix)
4.) ELEMENTAL GROOVE – What Are Those
5.) AETHER GROUND – All Victims
6.) 4FR – Flying Triangles
7.) ESION – You Are Hear
8.) <ERE.K> - India’s Fruit
9.) CHIASM – Bouncing Baby Clones
10.) ICKYTRIP – Beyond This Today (Nif)
11.) HYPODERMIC – Trade
12.) CRASH SITE 68 – Glyph
13.) MAN X THE MOTOR – You Can’t Stop The Future
14.) SPACESCAPE – Musik Elektronik

Detroit Electronica Coalition
P.O. Box 2541
Dearborn, MI 48123

Official Site:
http://www.cryogen.com/dec
Email:
dec@cryogen.com

Glitch – http://members.aol.com/Glitch68/GHP.html
Jason C. Slaughter – http://www.umd/umich.edu~jasoncsl/music.htm
CEOXiME – http://www.cryogen.com/ceoxime
Elemental Groove – http://www.elementalgroove.com
AetherGround – http://www.tripphornsolution.com/synpage.htm
4FR – http://www/zun.com/4FR.html
Esion – http://members.tripod.com/esion
Chiasm – http://listen.to/chiasm
Ickytrip: ickytrip@carpemortem.com
Hypodermic – http://www.thepurplegang.com
Crash Site 68 – http://members.aol.com/GLITCHuser/cs68.html
Man x The Motor – http://my.voyager.net/manxthemotor
SpaceScape – http://www.electronikpalette.com/spacescape

Die Form
Extremum
~reviewed by Cyberina Flux
 

 If Throbbing Gristle is the Grandfather of Industrial Music, the French duo Die Form wins the crown of the Grandmother role.   While the British were releasing recordings of old-man Burroughs talking about schools, showers, and swimming pools, Die Form was spreading the sounds of the warm and sensual side of Industrial music from their home in a provincial French town.

 Just as their early genre peers, Die Form did not stop their creativity at just at a few good tunes.  Although, instead of teaching the world about this new culture through film as did their British counterparts, Die Form’s Philippe Fichot is a painter and a photographer producing works that rival some of the greatest underground artists of the 20th century.  A comprehensive directory of cover art pieces is available on their web site at http://dieform.assimilation.org/

 This year, Die Form releases Extremum, appropriately in the 23rd year since their formation and their first full-length original album since Duality in 1998.  Keeping with Die Form tradition, this album is bedecked in some amazing photography.  It contains their signature discordant and rhythmic programming, old school distorted vocals provided by Philippe, ethereal swarms of operatic female voices provided by Elaine, and lyrics jam-packed with delicious tales of eroticism.

 This is NOT a CD of a washed-up old act trying to drain the last remaining dollars from what’s left of their name.  This IS an incredible work of art from seasoned masters.  A definite must for all Industrial music history fiends, DJs, fans, and doms.    I’ve even had trouble picking out the best tracks to talk about because its all just so intoxicating!

 We can only hope that Die Form continues giving us the gift of music for more years to come.
 

Track Listing:

1. Resonant Magnetic Source
2. Deep Inside
3. Glassphyxie
4. Radiomorphism
5. Animal Magnetism
6. Operating Theater
7. Electronic Brainpan
8. Itopsia Atropos
9. Neurolepsia
10. Transgressions I
11. O.T.E.D. [Oral Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction]
12. Transvocal Mutations
13. Suffocations
14. Radiomorphism 2

Die Form Official Web Site - http://dieform.assimilation.org

Metropolis Records
Post Office Box 54307
Philadelphia, PA  19105
http://www.metropolis-records.com
 

DOWNLOAD
Effector
~reviewed by Psionic Imperator

I find it difficult to believe that there would be anyone reading this review that doesn't have any previous knowledge whatsoever about the sordid(?) history of Download or it's progenitor, Cevin Key. So I'm not going to go into detail there, eschewing the redundant in favour of the meat. In a nutshell, this is a (very) good release. 'Effector' is the 5th full-length release by Download, and continues where 'III' left off. What that means is that if you really didn't like the direction Mr.Key was heading with 'III', then you probably won't care too much for this release either. On the other hand, if you really dug that groove, Daddy-O, then you'll love where this disc goes. With 'Effector', Download have gone the audio surrealist route, and crafted a stack of sounds that will continue to offer something new after many listens. Time signatures are abused to the extreme, and 4/4 is apparently regarded as evil... (Take that, VNV Nation) The cd's introductory track, 'Carrier Tone' is a morass of bleeps, chirps, whirrs, and beats, with off-key synths lines thrown in to offset the whole thing. Just when it seems like you're totally lost, it sucks you back in with it's catchy hooks. The effect continues throughout the whole cd, let me assure you. There is humour thrown in for good measure, with Track 3 ('Vagator'.. Any ideas on how to pronounce that? I still can't figure it out..), and some funk-tastic beats via Track 6, 'Chrysanthemum' (Say it real fast 10 times, then spell it). Overall, I am reminded of later works by the Orb, only far more consistent. Like many others, I too lament the loss of Skinny Puppy.. But I am just as pleased watching the progression of this new creature rising from the ashes. Congratuations, Mr.Key sir, for entertaining us all yet again. Now quit reading this and go buy the disc.

Tracklisting:
1: Carrier Tone
2: Muscaria
3: Vagator
4: Ego Dissolve
5: The Guide
6: Chrysanthemum
7: Ayahuasca
8: Two Worlds Collide
9: Affirmed

Download are Cevin Key and Phil Western
Nettwerk Records: www.nettwerk.com

Download
Effector
~reviewed by Rev. A. Strangerz 23.3

Coming straight out of the gate with a feel very similar to Dead Voices on Air's Piss Frond  album (Mark Spyby is an ex-alumni of Download)  Carrier Tone  gives equal relief to those who were wanting another Download 3, and those wanting to see some return to the noisier past.   With all the "piss-frond"ness aside (I know that is not a real word, just stick with me here.) Effector is not a one pass album.  Even on headphones, many things can just slide right through you as if they were ambient particles, or pieces of memory.  These tracks if separated, grow on you in their own ways.

Different from the last Download album, which seemed to be a whole piece, and not easy to distinguish the separate tracks, or even remember the titles of some.  No, this one has various similarities to all things Download while at the same time being an entity in and of itself.  Having relocated to the "Sunshine" State.  The inside cover displays a variety of "tabs" (virgin I am sure) associated with the LSD era of the 90's.  So are we to assume that the 'Effector'  is in some way psychedelic in nature.  I would not suggest doing anything illegal so maybe we'll answer that question by listening again after the third day of flights, shows, reviews, and no sleep.  (Or maybe I'll just take some of this Robotussin for my *cough* cold.)

At any rate the overall style of this release really settles in by the time Vagator  kicks in. An intro sample of a "Deamon" calling a radio talk show, and the host asking 'him/it' to talk normal, reminds you that these are the people who used to sample any and all demented radio/tv/alien frequencies to give texture and life to the concepts they were about to brap against.  Still many may find tracks and sample styles to still be a bit too 'up'.  Possibly a bit house and techno-e.  If you found 'Download" via the release before this one, and thought these were more baggy pants wearing, ball cap side cocked-style techno kiddies from some burbs. Well the cracks in the paint of that facade are almost big enough to see their "Skinny Puppy" past.  Rhythmic downbeats, more real-time drumming from cEVIN Key, and the haunting echo of noises you can almost put your brain upon. Defiantly echo with respect from the past, and may just build a bridge to a new electronic future (yes, again...) Ego Dissolve,  gives you more clues that they may be playing with California Sunshine, (the trip strays from good to bad throughout the whole song though.)  The Guide  takes you to another "Plateau" (no pun intended, yet Westerns influence is very apparent all over this release, and especially this track.)  I am most certain by the time of this writing that Chrysanthemum  is already a classic in many people's book.  DJ's daring to test this one on the dancefloor, may find themselves wanting to remix ol' school hip hop versions of "Assimilate".  Still a very catchy way of bringing you to the center of the song.  Sneaking in the DUB, and rounding it out with a clicky backwards sample.  Once again the identities of the individual tracks are easier to hold on to.  Proof of this is the way two worlds collide , really seems to live up to it's name.  I would have to give this release my P.O.M seal, just due to the fact that with so many expectations, the bridge between psychedelic rhythms, and post-industrial bliss, is still being built by these masterful releases.  Passing all test, and giving a being a good companion to Crystal Mass by The Teargarden.  If you have not experienced 'Download" yet.  Don't be afraid.  It's not as scary as your first ACID  trip.  Yet be warned, continual use may effect your standards of techno/industrial cross-over releases.

Tracklisting:
1: Carrier Tone
2: Muscaria
3: Vagator
4: Ego Dissolve
5: The Guide
6: Chrysanthemum
7: Ayahuasca
8: Two Worlds Collide
9: Affirmed

Download are Cevin Key and Phil Western
Nettwerk Records: www.nettwerk.com

Eric Alexandrakis
I.V. Catatonia
-review by Sonia Leonard

Eric Alexandrakis’ new album “I.V. Catatonia” is the second self composed, arranged, produced and engineered work of the musician. The first being “9  Demos on a 4 Track.” (Former Duran Duran Bass player and co-founder John Taylor has placed Erics’ first cd on his official website. http://www.TRUSTTHEPROCESS.com)

I.V. Catatonia’s conception began in 1998 when Eric was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease. The medical theme is a predominate motif throughout the album and it’s cover. Creating the music in his home on a four track machine, the finished product includes sounds from traditional instruments such as guitars, drums and keyboards and interestingly enough not so  conventional instruments like “a popcorn canister banged by a tambourine and run through a flange pedal.” Erics’ influential range extends from classical to pop and he holds a degree  in music business. This twenty-two track cd is filled with innovative sounds and split into two  clever parts. Treatments 1-6 and Treatments 7-12.

I found the cd to be at times very relaxing and other times eye opening. The vocals reminded me, at points, of Pink Floyd. The music seems to mix late 60’s English rollers and metal. The sound pieces (like in The Big Crunch Theory) are very well put together and not a little bit surreal. Some songs are evily happy like #10 Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. Others  are almost dreamy and still others have a touch of punk to them.

There is no shortage of sound on this ingeniously creative cd. Proving, yet  again, you don’t have to have much to create a memorable lot...While I can appreciate his efforts and definitely his creativity I unfortunately cannot share his enthusiasm in listening to the finished product. I say this only because it does not speak to me as it might someone else and that I do not want to mislead anyone by including the facts and not my musical opinion as a reviewer. I personally like music that is more involving, in beat and lyrics and not so much a cacophony of sounds stringed together with a loose melody. Interesting yes, satisfying no.

By all means though, check out his cd at MP3.com and judge for yourself.

Tracks;
Treatment 1-6
1. And Now A Word From Our Chairman
2. I.V. Catatonia
3. The Bells of Irony
4. Selenium, Vitamin E, Beta Carotene, B-12, Vitamin C, Cat’s Claw and
Muliti Vitamin & Mineral Supplement
5. Ill
6. Thanatopsis
7. Always So Far Away (From Me)
8. The Big Crunch Theory
9. Beware the IDES of March
10. Sir Gawain and The Green Knight
11. Drowning Spock
Treatments 7-12
12. Hooligan Hotline (You Walk Away)
13. Daylight Daylight
14. Mummyvision
15. Dreamgirl
16. The Carnival is All Around
17. Cyrano Debegerac
18. Smurd S’niawag Ris
19. Hunting Venus
20. Good Riddance
21. Spaceport Cabaret
22. Fin

Visit Eric Alexandrakis on his website ;
http://www.ericalexandrakis.com/

Listen to the album at;
http://www.MP3.com

Contact Eric through e-mail;
ytmusic1@aol.com

Contact Y&T Records;
(305) 386-2468

Contact Eric through snail mail;
ERIC ALEXANDRAKIS
6705 SW. 147th Ct.
Miami, FL     33193
 

Various Artists; Projekt Records
Excelsis Vol. 2: A Winter's Song
~reviewed by Blu

Its that time of year kids. Forget Thanksgiving and skip right on over to the Christmas selection at your local department store. And, lucky for us, the elves at Projekt Records have constructed an exceptional offering of silvery, sparkling Christmas music for even the gothiest of hearts. Excelsis Vol2: A Winter's Song is indeed the second such compilation from Projekt. Never one to disappoint, Projekt delivers another mouth-watering, beautiful collection of traditional and not so traditional songs as well as original compositions this year from a variety of your favorite bands. Congrats to Lisa for gathering such a fine group of musicians - the line up is impressive. This indeed is must have - for even