Issue #28 Extra!: New Releases
Agalloch – “The Mantle”
Audra – “Going to the Theater”
Cherno – “Trigonometric Reactor”
Cherno – “Missing Illusion”
Cherno – “Slight Trick All Around”
Cobra High – “Sunset in the Eye of the Hurricane”
Divided Sky – “Spectral”
Mary Fahl – “The Other Side of Time”
Fiaba – “Lo Sgabello del Rospo”
Eloy Fritsch – “Mythology”
Korai Öröm – “Reflected (remixes)”
Olyam – “Cristal Rêveur”
Pink Anvil – “Halloween Party”
DJ Spooky (That Subliminal Kid) – “Dubtometry”
The Thicket – “The Thicket”
Vanderhoof – “A Blur in Time”
Cherno – “Trigonometric Reactor”
(Vital Records VR002, 2003, CD)
Cherno – “Missing Illusion”
(Vital Records VR003, 2003, CD)
Cherno – “Slight Trick All Around”
(Vital Records VR004, 2003, CD)
At its core, Cherno is the duo of Shin Sugawara (sax, wind synth) and Junichi Kishimoto (guitar, guitar synths & drum programming), sometimes joined by other players, track and disc depending (TR features a full-time percussionist as third member). These discs are comprised of recordings dating from ’96 hrough ‘02, apparently some of which may have been intermittently available on cassette at the band’s performances. Their sound is a noisy, edgy, hard-core instrumental rock (save some shouting by percussionist Chikatsu Matsuki on TR) informed by the more angular and abrasive elements of 70s King Crimson as well as equally brutal Japanese peers of more recent vintage like Altered States; although they do find room to wind down and get melodic here and there, for the most part this is pure smash-your-head-against-the-wall shredding hardcore noise-rock. Listening to one full disc of Cherno can require a bit of stamina (have the Excedrin handy), let alone three full length discs. Some of their material seems a little amateurish as well (both writing, performance, and production-wise), like improvisations that never find their direction, although that said, there’s plenty of stuff here that rises well above that level; I suspect that this is a case where the band decided to release everything they recorded at once, rather than culling the best tracks only for a CD release. The best material from all three of these discs would have made one helluva great CD, but instead we have three lengthy discs of varying quality.
The most notewothy aspect of Trigonometric Reactor is that it is a full trio with a live drummer on all tracks, and that “live” sense of instantaneous happening. Recorded in two sessions from 5/96 and 11/97, the tracks are all scrambled together. Tracks like “Ref”, “Blue and Red”, and “Black Thing” for example – although not direct rips in any way, could be considered stylistic descendants of “Larks’ Tongues Part II” or “Red”, though generally less interesting. “Dedicated to R.B.F.” is a floating ambient piece constructed with looping guitar-synths, and is really the only place on the disc where one gets a breather from the battering. Missing Illusion is the next, chronologically, taken from sessions in 1999. Here, the drummer is gone and all percussion sounds are programmed (although done respectably), so the music tends to change accordingly into more repetitive structures, perhaps bringing in some Pinhas influence; some of the hard edge has given way to cyclical melodic cells, and also less of an intense reliance on thrashy rock. Slight Trick All Around is from 2001-02 sessions, again with programmed drums, plus a couple guests on selected tracks. This time they go for a bit more strict composition, with some jazz influences creeping into their noisy style. The brutal assault of “Scarlet Panther” is some of the most relentless and noisy metallic rock imaginable, while the final three tracks “Dancing Stone”, “S.O.A.R.P.” and “Dancing Magma” probably represent the three best tracks over the entire three discs. – Peter Thelen
[www.musicterm.jp/poseidon]
Korai Öröm – “Reflected (remixes)”
(Periferic Records BGCD091, 2003, CD)
Oh boy, it’s the remix album. I have had exposure to Korai Öröm, so I am not totally unfamiliar with their sound. Typically it’s extended free-form jams; build a theme, expand on it, let it run. The band also boasts a very large lineup with a few odd instruments. On this album, we have that unique distillation that comes with the “remix” as all are designed for clubbing. Add a thumping back beat, boost the bass, keep it repetitive. Of the 18 tracks reworked here by names unfamiliar to me some work, some do not. But as a fan of the extended jam band I am not sure if this will work; it is interesting to listen to, as there are some great moments, but the album as whole is not very satisfying. If I were a DJ at a club this would be outstanding. But on its own it falls short. – Dane Carlson
Olyam – “Cristal Rêveur”
(Dreaming (Musea) OMP-DR, 2002, CD)
Olyam is a young French musician working in the realm of New-Age/Pop, akin to other one-name practitioners (Kitaro, Vangelis, Yanni, etc.) though his influences also include Mike Oldfield. His 5th release in this vein (he also has several albums out in the purely symphonic and world music genres, among others a prolific fellow!) Cristal Rêveur conceptually (and predictably) revolves around the mystical powers attributed to crystals, evidenced in song titles like “Sacred Geometry” and “Crystals Dance.” The ten songs are all instrumental, though Annabelle Martinez provides some la-la-las to the track “Lunar Instant.” Olyam’s strength is not as a virtuoso instrumentalist, either as a guitarist or keyboardist. Instead, his real talent lies in the crafting and production of the finished pieces. The best, “Between Earth and Sky,” “Mineral Memory,” and “Volcano,” ably bring together an assortment of instrumental sounds, some generated on keyboards, some via guitars (along with various electronic drums and percussion) with simple yet likeable melodies. The poorer songs suffer either from weak melodic or chordal inventions or from instrumental mismatches, such as the pairing of an accordion to a swing groove. I can’t help feeling that Olyam’s aiming at mainstream commercial success with this music and, while I enjoyed moments on this disc, my guess is that most Expose readers will want to give this one a miss. Handle with care (except for you closet Kitaro and Yanni fans out there). – Paul Hightower
[www.olyam.com]
Pink Anvil – “Halloween Party”
(Ipecac Recordings IPC-39, 2003, CD)
Pink Anvil is a duo of Paul Barker and Max Brody of Ministry. Barker is credited with FM radio and patchbay operation while Brody works a delay and some footswitches. Halloween Party was recorded live on… you guessed it… Halloween night, 2001 in Austin, Texas. Also, as you might have surmised, the music has an ominous thread strung though all the pieces. Pink Anvil’s formula appears to be to take some already existing horror / B movie theme and run it through some effects processors and add delay and noise. On top of these parts, there are lots of audio snippets from 1950s-sounding random instructional movies that you’d have to watch in junior high school. It wouldn’t be Ministry-related if it didn’t have some shrill, in-your-face drum machine beats pounding away now and again. Check out “Near Death” and “Downer” for example. Pink Anvil has essentially made the entire album from a series of collages of other music, noise, distortion, radio chatter, and movie soundtrack chat. The “Lo-fi” plus-in gets a workout through the entirety of “Sugarwater.” Barker and Brody really seem to play the role of remixers on this release, taking a few main components and found sounds and making songs out of various combinations of these. I kept trying to figure out the connection between the horror film music and high school instructional video snippets, but didn’t have much luck. Fans of lo-fi and noise music might enjoy this. – Mike Grimes
DJ Spooky (That Subliminal Kid) – “Dubtometry”
(Thirsty Ear THI57128.2, 2003, CD)
Hot on the heels of the acclaimed Optometry sessions (charting high in the Billboard top 100) comes an all-star set of seventeen remixes of samples and tracks from that disc. The cast of characters for the project is as wide as it is deep in the modern NY dance arena. The opening version of “Optometry” by Alter Echo Dubtometry adds passing cars on a freeway, subway streaks and other urban backdrops sounds before bassist William Parker interjects his walking bass line. Probably the most well know in the mixers pool is Lee “Scratch” Perry (Bob Marley, Yello, The Congos among many others), taking extracts from an interview with the Kid and stirring it up with a rap from the artist telling his story about his sampling gear and mindset. The end of the track snatches Shipp’s piano and adds some industrial shredding to end a fascinating sequence. Next up is Perry’s cohort Mad Professor who takes a spin on the recordings and blends a compelling mix of tribal rhythms too. The most inventive clatter originates from Karsh Kale’s frame of mind that starts as both techno and orchestral loops behind a battering drum solo. Then Mathew Shipp’s quarter note piano pulses provide a great backdrop for a dejected violin solo. Taken as a whole, the remix disc is as valid and ground breaking as the original release and essential if you discovered the original recording. – Jeff Melton
Fiaba – “Lo Sgabello del Rospo”
(Lizard CD 0018, 2001, CD)
Lo Sgabello del Rospo is a rock opera in eight parts. The vocals are mostly provided by a lead male vocalist backed by a chorus. His voice has that operatic rich tenor quality of many Italian leads, and he’s the best thing about this release, at his best reminding me of Alberto Piras without the Stratos influence. The core band instrumentation features dual guitar, bass, and drums. Non-Italian speakers are going to find this a boring album in stretches, passages in which the story is sung over a simple repeating melody. When the rest of the band picks up it goes somewhat into Iron Maiden territory with respect to the melodic dual guitar work, although Fiaba slips meters like 5/4 and 7/4 into the mix. Some of the parts are sung or spoken by others (there is a female voice at one point), although many appear to be the lead vocalist acting them out, like Peter Gabriel in “Get ‘Em Out By Friday”. The chief problem with this album for most Exposé readers is that unless you understand what is going on, the album is not particularly interesting. The musical accompaniment on its own does not suffice; at times the musicians are doing nothing at all, and there are no particularly memorable themes in this work, simply a linear series of metallic riffs. The arrangements are vocal-heavy and the only impression I leave with is that the vocalist rocks. Maybe next time around the band can show off too. – Sean McFee
The Thicket – “The Thicket”
(The Thicket Records TTR01, 2003, CD)
The Thicket is the Edmonton-based duo of Andrei Poukhovski and Ivan Poukhovski-Sheremetyev, a father-son combination. The instrumentation consists only of keyboards and Theremin, with programmed drum/percussion parts. Programmed percussion is usually a bad sign, but rather than attempt to have it sound like a real drummer they tend towards electronica-inspired beats, which makes it work. Much of the music is laid back with the keyboards providing atmosphere for the low-key vocals. They kick it into high gear sporadically, using synthesized distorted guitar patches and a gruffer vocal presence. The vocalist (not credited but I think it’s Ivan) has an adequate voice for either style. Instrumentally the best parts come when they layer multiple keyboard lines together; some of the best symphonic prog is dual-keyboard based, after all. That said, compositionally this tends to be fairly basic music, with few nods to prog but the odd obligatory neo-ish fanfare. The preponderance of song-based material puts most of the band’s eggs in the lyric-writing basket. And to be honest, the lyrics don’t really speak to me, alternating between somewhat banal everyday speech and dreaded forced-rhyme poetry. I’m not militantly against ‘homebrew’ recording projects with programmed parts, and I think the Thicket has laid a solid groundwork. I also don’t think that bands should pursue technical excess at the cost of coherence; nonetheless, instrumentally I think the band would benefit from more punch in the compositions. As this stage nothing really stands out that would command my buying dollar.
– Sean McFee
[www.thethicket.com]
Eloy Fritsch – “Mythology”
(Dreaming/Musea LC-02153, 2001, CD)
As far as one-man keyboard-oriented projects go, this is not the worst I’ve heard, but neither is it the best. The closest comparison would be with 70s Vangelis albums, maybe Heaven and Hell without the choir. I’m also reminded of what Rick Wakeman might have come up with if he had decided to go it alone on Six Wives instead of getting a backing band. I’ve noticed that most South American artists with a foot in the prog world are quite unable to resist the temptation to write anthems, and the Brazilian Fritsch is no exception – his anthems just don’t have any words. There are occasional bubbling sequences in the background of the tracks, as on the fanfare opener, but usually it’s more like orchestral Kitaro with a few prog touches like dexterous synth solos. He takes as his grand unifying theme all of human mythology, with Greek, Hindu, Egyptian Norse, and Aztec among those represented, along with general topics like Atlantis and mermaids. It’s easy to ignore the theme, however, as little of the music seems tailored to the subject at hand. There’s not really anything Indian about “Shiva” except some percussion that sounds like a cross between a tabla and bongos. And there’s nothing Egyptian about “Isis” (which reminds me a lot of Chariots of Fire), though I suppose this is not a valid criteria on which to judge the music. It’s really just symphonic rock without guitars, and if you’re hungry for that, go for it. – Jon Davis
[www.eloyfritsch.com]
Divided Sky – “Spectral”
(private (no cat#), 2003, CD)
Divided Sky is a Philadelphia based four piece progressive act that relies on heavy riffs that don’t quite fit into technical metal categorization. Phased guitar effects on “Grasp” and a crucial weird syncopated riff indicate a few musically diverse elements on the disc when compared to Gordian Knot, Enchant or New Sun. The brainchild of the band is vocalist Sean Crisden who doubles as second lead guitarist and overall vibe creator; his vocal reminds me of the late Lane Staley (Alice in Chains) but with much more control. This group is unafraid to merge acoustic guitar or blatant jazz themes as on the mid-section of “Diminishing Returns”, one of the surprise parts on the album. Tracks such as “Spectral I-III” demonstrate that the group has purposeful intros and outros that present an intimate compelling imagery. “Summer by Twilight” is an airy ballad that relies on jazz chords and a blue mood for good outcome too. Plus the acoustic guitar introduction and grinding riff to “Missing Persons” recalls the best moments from Puppet Show. The group is not afraid to list video games either that creates a fan appeal association. “Images” is the longest composition on the album and although takes a while to develop, showcases the group’s control of acoustic and metal tone shaping. In summary, this is one of the best new groups coming from Pennsylvania in quite some time. – Jeff Melton
Vanderhoof – “A Blur in Time”
(SPV 085-74182, 2003, CD)
Those who have heard of Kurdt Vanderhoof will know him as a member of the band Metal Church. I’m no fan of that band (or metal in general), but I had heard his other-band-cum-solo-project Vanderhoof was heavily based on 70s prog, so I’m giving it a whirl. And while there is certainly a lot of 70s influence here, for the most part it comes off like early 80s metal, back when keyboards were still allowed. On the 70s side of the decade divide, I’m most reminded of Uriah Heep and Thin Lizzy; on the 80s side I’m thinking of Def Leppard with keyboards. That being said, there’s some fine musicianship here, with Vanderhoof taking some flashy solos himself and sounding perhaps a bit too polished for my taste. Brian Cokeley handles the (mostly) vintage keyboards with finesse, filling in behind the heavy guitars with Mellotron and organ. “High St.” is a high point, mixing in acoustic guitars for a welcome change, with the opening section reminiscent again of Uriah Heep in a quieter moment (not Led Zeppelin as the liner notes suggest). The one way in which Vanderhoof misses the 70s sound is that the production is way too clean, with everything sounding over-rehearsed – a little spontaneity would be welcome. Coming from the metal side of the street, they seem unaware that there’s an entire genre called prog-metal that’s been doing this stuff for years. I’m not sure we really needed a bridge between Metallica and Dream Theater. – Jon Davis
[www.spv.de]
Mary Fahl – “The Other Side of Time”
(Odyssey/Sony Classical SK 89892, 2003, CD)
Mary Fahl was the lead singer of October Project, who enjoyed a sizable following among progheads and ectophiles in the mid-90s. The Other Side of Time is her first full-length solo work. The disk’s fourteen tracks are all fairly short pop/rock songs that centerpiece Fahl’s inimitable voice, which balances in perfect equipoise the soaring passion of a gospel singer, the raw earthiness of a folk chanteuse, and the fragile moodiness of a goth shoegazer. Her singing is the album’s greatest strength but also the source of its shortcomings. Like a bel canto opera, The Other Side of Time emphasizes the vocals at the expense of the compositions and arrangements, which are rarely engaging. “Paolo” and “Raging Child” (both of which appeared previously on Fahl’s 2001 CD EP Lenses of Contact) are solid tunes with a whiff of October Project about them, and a few of the later tracks move in an artsy jazz direction, but most of the material is fairly dull adult contemporary songwriting with generic arrangements of sweet-sounding piano, strings, bass, drums, and guitar played by session musicians. It’s not unpleasant to listen to, but it’s more like the music one expects from Celine Dion (especially on the pseudo-Irish “Going Home”) or Sarah Brightman (unmistakably on “Una Furtive Lagrima”), than what one expects to read about in Exposé. I enjoy this because Fahl’s vocals are amazing, but if it weren’t for her voice, I don’t think there’d be much here to hold my attention. – Jim Chokey
Cobra High – “Sunset in the Eye of the Hurricane”
(Cold Crush 004, 2003, CD)
I have learned to be wary when the mainstream press describes an artist as “progressive” – you never know what they really mean, since the vast majority of progressive music is almost certainly unknown to the writer. Cobra High is a case in point. I first heard of them when a local Seattle paper profiled them, comparing them with Yes (but without the pretense, of course). What “progressive” means in this case would seem to be arrangements slightly more complicated than your average alternative band (changing tempo in the middle of a song, oh my!), and keyboards that do something other than play block chords or arpeggios. They have much in common with some of the post-rock movement, though still tied to easily recognized songs rather than breaking free like Sigur Ros or Don Caballero. Whether by design or accident, they have hit on a nice combination of elements, though I find many of the keyboard sounds on the ordinary side. The guitar parts are what makes Cobra High interesting. Instead of power chords or strumming, there are repeating patterns somewhat like King Crimson. They seem to be playing at the edge of their abilities, with occasional awkward transitions or faltering tempo. The main problem with this debut is the quality of the sound: it is muddy throughout, with the drums muffled, the bass indistinct, and the guitars glossed over with reverb when they should jump out clearly. Nice demos, guys – can’t wait for the real album. – Jon Davis
[coldcrushrecords.com]
Audra – “Going to the Theater”
(Projekt Project 131, 2003, CD)
Audra is the stylishly gothic venture of brothers Bret and Bart Helm who originally hailed from Chicago. Going to the Theater is the trio’s second CD after three West Coast tours and a few independent cassettes self-released in the early 90s. Across ten tracks the duo put across their droll and often times self-deprecating attitude on tracks such as “There are no Snakes in Heaven”. At times the vocal line evokes that the Doors’ Jim Morrison, Lou Reed or even Peter Murphy’s clever delivery (without all the angst). The title track carries much of Morrison’s trademark swooning with acoustic guitar backing and obvious philandering overtones. Also I find a few elements of The Cure’s brash brand of twisted rock and roll that traces back to Bowie’s Aladdin Sane era. Lyrically the context of most of the tracks runs a fine line between fantasy and cult scene that has co-existed in pockets for the past twenty years or so. “Face Go Red” is a ballad bemoaning the plight of an ambiguous event where “they can’t hear anything upstairs”. “Fearless Peaches” is another NIN trendy vignette that plods along denoting a biographical story of a lost soul. Closing out the disc is “Don’t End this Time” which is possibly the most intimate moment on the album. Overall it’s pretty standard fare for the duo who exist nicely within their cult following and not much more. – Jeff Melton
Agalloch – “The Mantle”
(The End Records TE 028, 2002, CD)
Black metal often joins the wallop of heavy dense rock and roll with occult overtones that stretch back to 1970s Black Sabbath. Because of this very tenet the genre is often maligned and doesn’t get any attention when a band tries to do something different but still make it palatable to their conscience. Agalloch is a mostly three-piece project from the Pacific Northwest who come out of the gate a bit restrained but exacting powerful themes and high drama. How they’ve managed to incorporate technical ability, aggressive tendency and varied arrangements is what makes this CD of nine songs a step up from prog metal peers. If you can handle the bite of lead vocalist John Haughm you’ll detect a subtle undercurrent of sophistication in for pieces that utilize acoustic as much as electric guitars, accordian and even trombone on two tracks. The two major works on the album are “In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion” and “The Hawthorne Passage”. Both songs are a tour de force that captures the essence of the best Queensryche and Fates Warning that it is well crafted and compelling. Haughm’s lead vocal varies in the mix; sometimes he’s spouting venomous lyrics like Ozzy or Ronnie James Dio on a good day; or he can make a melodic delivery at a lower register. Overall the group has created a project that should easily propel them into the creditable progressive metal ranks. – Jeff Melton