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Ring van Möbius — Commissioned Works Pt II - Six Drops of Poison
(Apollon Records APR071, 2023, CD / LP / DL)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2023-10-16

Commissioned Works Pt II - Six Drops of Poison Cover art

Norwegian choreographer Harald Beharie approached Ring van Möbius in the Spring of 2021 and commissioned the band to write the music for his next solo performance, Batty Bwoy. The commissioned work began a collaborative process involving a variety of artists bringing different artistic expressions that culminated in the January 2022 performance. The band’s new album, Commissioned Works Pt II - Six Drops of Poison, is not the soundtrack to the performance. Instead it is a collection of twelve killer tracks based on their initial musical ideas for the performance, loosely inspired by Beharie’s original concept. Starting from the demo recordings, the music grew into three groups of similar, yet different works. The first are the demo recordings, the second are the results of the commissioned work, and third are the fully developed tracks on the album. Where to start? Like their previous album, The 3rd Majesty, Six Drops of Poison is a tour de force of vintage Hammond organ and Mellotron prog rock with a strong 70s vibe, certainly drawing comparisons to The Nice, Keith Emerson, and ELP. Lush majestic textures, buzzsaw synths, distortion, wailing glam rock vocals, and gentle piano chords are scattered throughout. Six Drops of Poison is one powerful album with even a nod to Peter Sinfield on “The 8th Chapter: A Darker Poison.” From the opening note to the closing chord, Six Drops of Poison draws you into the Ring van Möbius world. And the final track, “The 12th Chapter: The Conclusion,” is one powerful climax to an excellent album.

Filed under: New releases, 2023 releases

Related artist(s): Ring van Möbius

More info
http://ringvanmbius.bandcamp.com/album/commissioned-works-pt-ii-six-drops-of-poison

 

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