I'm calling these reviews "New and Used" because I am nowhere near as hip to the music scene as I used to be. So I'm not even going to try and keep up with what just came out. Maybe this will change as this zine gets going. Or maybe when I get a job. I doubt either will happen anytime soon, but its nice to dream. Oh, if I didn't list a contact address in the review its either because they didn't give one, I don't have the album anymore or its on some larger label like Projekt.
Requiem in White: Prides Unhappy End
Large throbbing drums working against a background of an
overdriven guitar characterize this 1991 release. The incorporation
of a high melodic guitar weaving in and out of the din provides
a nice counterpoint on some of the songs but, I don't think anyone
is going to be surprised by the music. That is until the first
strains of the incredible vocals blast through the haze of sameness
and propel this band into a completely higher plane of artistry.
Here, at last, is a singer who has the ability and talent to trancend
the now cliche vocal stylings of the 4AD wanna-be gothic set.
She is able to combine the fluid mastery of the genre with an
intensity that borders on the operatic. Requiem in White has a
power and grace that cannot be easily dismissed.
Various Artists: The Promise of Silence
This compilation from the gothic powerhouse of Projekt emphasizes
the atmospheric and ethereal side of our dark music. Unfortunately
it seems that most everybody involved with this album are not
able to distinguish between evocative and boring. The entire first
side of this tape is fatally marred by sound alike songs which
rely on effects rather than talent. To make matters worse they
invariably repeat a simplistc theme into mind numbing boredom.
Its the gothic equivilant of playing Chopsticks (through an effects
box for that big spacey sound) for 6 or 7 hours... except that
Chopsticks would be slightly more interesting.
However, nothing is 100% bad (or good for that matter) and this tape does have a number of songs on the second side that are able to rise above the monotonous morass. Robert Rich makes effective use of a spartan musical landscape to create a sense of exquisite space and isolation. Saffron Wood displays a remarkable precision in creating an ineffable feeling of introspective tension. Ashley/Story provide a shifting silky texture punctuated by the haunting cries of a baby to produce a simply encahnting song. Unfortunately, even with these standouts, I don't think this album is worth buying. If you want to get your fix of aural ambiance pick up on of Brian Eno's Ambient albums because The Promise of Silence doesn't amount to much.
Theatre of Ice: A Dark Place to Die
I'll make this as simple as possible. Theatre of Ice has
some really good experimental electronics and guitar which are
just killed by inept singing. Then again, no one could do much
with these lyrics, which have all the subtlety of global thermonuclear
war. Hopefully this pair of brothers will recognize their short
commings, for if they do Theatre of Ice has the potential of evolving
into a truely remarkable band.
As an aside: I just saw that Theatre of Ice has a CD available. I didn't get it cuz I didn't have the money so I can't (and won't) tell you anything more about it. So there.
Chambrefantombe: Chambrefantombe
Someone was having a lot of fun with their effects box when
they were making this album. Too bad it isn't as much fun to listen
to. This is nothing more than a tape full of musical masturbation.
Which, much like the real thing, might be absolutely fantastic
to engage in but remains essential emotionless, empty and immaterial.
I'd like to say more about this band, but I simply can't bear
to listen to them.
Sri Lanka: Here
I approached this album with a bit of trepidation. Personal
biases and memories of a very early hard to find (fortunately)
cassette release were really piling up against Sri Lanka. Finally,
a friend of mine tied me into a chair and turned the volume up
to 11 and I was overcome. When I awoke several days later I tried
to piece together what had happened. As far as I can tell it went
a bit something like this: Keyboards, infected by the middle east,
swell against a background din. A beat of drums. A solitary voice
rises up and is soon joined by another. They twine, delicately
- seductively - one of the voices, female, then peels away and
recedes into the swirl of music. The drums are stronger now. The
other voice, male, returns to the melody with passionate strength.
The song has no words but is beautiful and strong and delicious.
The drums, which for a moment were over shadowed, come back with
rapid erotic beats. Then the guitars hits. Thats when my head
exploded. Not bad for the first song!
Much of the strength of this album comes from the powerful voice of Jose Maldonado and the fantastic guitars of Eric Stein. However, this is not to belittle the rhythm section, consisting of Jeffrey Erb on bass and Michael Chairs on drums. They provide a strong and steadfast beat which doesn't get old and cold. I'd also be remiss if I failed to mention Robert Studt on keyboards. In many of the songs he provides the essential atmosphere which propels Sri Lanka along their dark corridors.
I am also compelled to mention, that not every song on the album is a powerhouse of doom and gloom. Sometimes the lyrics just aren't fully developed and the song sufferes because of it. Unfortunately they won't have the chance to hone their lyrical skill as Here is also their last release.
Nothing good can last. It is the nature of things. So you gotta hold onto the good things when they come by. Here is a good thing.
Get yer own from:
Neverland Records
P.O. Box 311
Devon, PA 19333
Requiem: In The Begining
This is good. I mean really good. No. Let me rephrase that...
It is really amazingly good. Try imagining a cross between Skinny
Puppy on Quaaludes and a non-annoying Consolidated. What you'll
end up with is just a begining of what Requiem has to offer. Its
a richly textured electronically enhanced landscape populated
by twisted blackend images of decay and despair. A big beat and
hefty, yet non-gratuitous, sampling drive this tape from begining
to end. This means that it not an ideal tape for quiet romantic
moments. However, I seriously doubt that was the intent here.
This tape has the added bonus of including a cover of Bela Lugosi's Dead (by Bauhaus, of course). This isn't a straight cover but a complete reworking which succeeds in being original but remaining true to Bauhaus' intent. Of course, there is no surpassing the seminal gothsong, but this is just too damn interesting to lightly dismiss. Not everyone will apreciate this song, many purists will see it as an horrible affront. Fortunately, I don't give a damn what they think. I like this.
You can get yer own by writing to:
Requiem
c/o Kevin Park
161 West 65th Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19120
Various Artists: Taedium Vitae
Beat poets make a comeback. This cassette is stuffed with
dark, strange and odd poems read to the squonk of saxaphones,
keyboards, guitars and other instruments of torture. I'm not a
huge fan of these sort of things but it comes off quite well here.
This tape will never worm its way to the top of your record collection,
but it will burrow nicely into the middle somewhere. Its one of
those tapes which you never play that much, but you'd never think
of getting rid of.
This tape was put out by Deadpool Productions in Phialdelphia, which made the unfortunate mistake of not including anyway of getting in touch with them. Oh well, I tried...