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The Tea Party — The Interzone Mantras
(EMI 72435 29721 2 8, 2001, CD)

by Jon Davis, Published 2002-04-01

The Interzone Mantras Cover art

The Interzone Mantras is this Canadian band’s fifth full length release, and shows a continuing refinement of their style, which is (to simplify a bit) Led Zeppelin inspired rock with symphonic and Middle Eastern elements. Leader Jeff Martin plays excellent guitar, steering away from indulgent solos, favoring inventive multiple-part arrangements. Martin’s voice is often likened to Jim Morrison, but I think the resemblance is rather slight. Be that as it may, he is an excellent singer, distinctive and expressive, and a nice change from the screaming tenors that front so many heavy bands. The Bonham-thump drumming of Jeff Burrows keeps things moving ahead, and is augmented by occasional exotic percussion (though not as much as on some previous albums). All three members (the other is bassist Stuart Chatwood) play numerous instruments from all around the world. Outside musicians accompany the band at times, such as the horn section of “Interzone” and the strings on “Soulbreaking.” Martin’s production is stellar as always, with just the right amount of reverb, and manages to make everything crystal clear, even in the complex arrangements. I find it a little amusing that in spite of all the Eastern imagery surrounding the band, the lyrics have a distinct European slant, with frequent references to angels. A special note should be made that the packaging, at least on the Canadian release, is stunning, with a beautiful Hindu-idol collage and a diffraction grating that changes the arm positions, plus a fold-out poster with a larger copy of the cover.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 24, 2001 releases

Related artist(s): The Tea Party

 

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