MAGMA Attahk (Seventh) cd 21.00
Late '70s Magma, with more fusion and even gospel influences present. Fantastic cover by H.R. Giger! Much better sounding than the Tomato-label version some may be familiar with.

MAGMA Baba Yaga La Sorciere (Seventh) cd 19.98
"Quand Les Enfants Chantent Magma" actually: meaning this is a group of French school-kids singing Magma! Cool.

MAGMA BBC 1974 Londres (Seventh) cd 19.98
We just got a few of this great new live disc, French progsters performing two epic compositions ('Theusz Hamtaahk' and 'Kohntarkosz') for BBC Radio in '74. Inspired.

MAGMA Concert 1976 - Opera de Reims (Seventh / AKT) 3cd 33.00

MAGMA Concert Bobino 1981 (Seventh / AKT) dvd 27.00
This has been around on VHS before, but we're in the DVD age now (heck, aren't we all watching TV shows on DVD these days, renting whole seasons to devour in a weekend?). So this live Magma concert from 1981 thereby gets reissued in the DVD format, though the video quality still looks second or third generation. Magma fans, you may want/need this... sure, the early '80s weren't prime years for the band, as these French prog-rock weirdoes best albums belong to the early to mid '70s. But we know that even now, in 2005, Magma still kick ass (both live and on their new album K.A) so in 1981 they could hardly be considered over-the-hill. This ain't their strongest material, though, as they do concentrate on their more jazz-fusiony, gospel-influenced later sound of the era, which means this includes a manaically happy Christian Vander, who seems totally high on life, stepping out from behind his drum kit to take a star turn singing his always-bizarre, bug-eyed, alien-soul standard "Otis"! Plus they were at their most Spinal Tap back then, with shiny sci-fi costumes in full effect!! Ah, the '80s. Kinda cool now though. One of the strangest, most amazing (we think) bands EVER goes completely over the top here, basically. This is NOT the Magma document to convince people that they're not the most absurd band ever, quite the opposite in fact. Magma *and* non-Magma fans will both find this good for a laugh. I mean, this IS ridiculous, from the band's disco/Battlestar Galactica styled get-ups to Vander's facial expressions... it's not the oh-so-serious Magma of the M.D.K era, or today. 112 minutes, NTSC, region free.

MAGMA Floe Essi / Ektah (Seventh) cdep 11.98
New (well, 1998) two-song single, from the current incarnation of Christian Vander's Magma. But it sounds more 1978 than 1998. Good!

MAGMA Hhai Live (Seventh) 2cd 29.00
Great live document from 1975. Quoting Vander: "It contains 'Kohntark', which is indeed 'Kohntarkosz' renamed for a problem with a producer, and also an extract of 'MDK', our famous tune. 'Mekanik Zain' let us hear one of the most paroxystic moment of the concert: the chorus of Didier Lockwood with a 7/4 rhythm which brings him in outer limits. It's the first live album of Magma. There is a contained violence, such a musicality, with also improvisation and such a cohesion. In 'Hhai!'(=Alive!), on a 4/3 rhythm, it's a song of hope, a call of life where you can hear sorrow, joy and eternity..."

MAGMA Inedits (Seventh) cd 21.00

MAGMA K.A (Seventh) cd 29.00
At loooong last...and not just 'cause it's been, like, seventeen years since they last released a studio album, or even longer than that since they put out a really classic studio album (1978's Attahk), here's the new (NEW!) Magma album. It's at loooong last also in part 'cause our copies got lost in the mail coming over from France, and now *three* months after ordering 'em, a second box was shipped and we've finally got them in. Whoo-hoo! And what's the really good news? This album, K.A (short for Khontarkosz Anteria), is freakin' great! Actually, we expected it to be good. Of course we're Magma fanatics and all, but we're realistic about bands doing stuff thirty years past their prime. But we had high hopes nonetheless 'cause 1) the current incarnation of Magma absolutely slays live which Allan for one can attest from life-changing experience and 2) the material on this disc was in fact written back in the '70s, but never recorded for an album back then. (So, this is kind of Christian Vander's Brian Wilson's Smile, I guess, but better.) The results are magnificent, and gratifying.
Imagine if any amazing band from the '70s suddenly came out with a new album, that actually could fit in comfortably with one of their beloved old LPs? Hard to imagine, actually. Like if Led Zeppelin suddenly reformed (with a Bonzo clone, say) and recorded some hitherto unknown, lost link between Houses Of The Holy and Physical Graffiti. Impossible right? Well Magma's basically done the impossible here. You won't be entirely fooled into thinking this is a vintage '70s release -- the production and some of the synth sounds give it away -- but it comes darn close. And the composition K.A is without a doubt an authentic Magma masterpiece worthy of their reputation. Three tracks, one long piece.
Pretty sure this is a for-fans-already oriented release, so I dunno if we need to try and describe Magma here or not. And they're not that easy to describe anyway, being a French '70s avant-rock band that combined John Coltrane and Richard Wagner (to use the usual shorthand) in a spiritual, sci-fi, jazz-prog stew that sounds nothing like any of the other prog rock or jazz fusion bands of the day, really. Except for the ones they then influenced, of course. K.A will indeed give the uninitiated a full grounding in the classic Magma sound, that's for sure. Bombastic, epic, large-scale stuff dominated by chanting, acrobatic vocals and relentless rhythms. There's perhaps more guitar than you might expect, along with all the choirs and keyboards -- and of course, drums! Magma mainman Christian Vander is a god among drummers and shows no signs of slacking on this album.
The packaging is pretty special too...I've never seen a digipack quite like this one. There's two booklets -- one half sized. The bigger one is devoted to all of K.A's lyrics, in Magma's own made-up language Kobaian (no translations, sorry -- I guess this is just for singing-along-to purposes: "Wi wi siwili do ri / siwi do woh wehre sehn deweloi / hel hel...")
And the cover art, a moss-covered gravestone carved with the Magma logo, jutting out of the dirt against a star-strewn sky, might be a bit silly but I love it.
So, it's kind of cool, for those of us who weren't of record-buying age in the '70s, but got into Magma from buying cds by such bands as Ruins and Guapo and Koenjihyakkei and even Flying Luttenbachers, that we can now go purchase a brand new Magma!
MPEG Stream: "K.A I"
MPEG Stream: "K.A II"

MAGMA Kobaia (Seventh) 2cd 32.00
Amazing Magma debut. Magma mastermind Christian Vander comments:
"After the death of John Coltrane (41) in 1967, I composed 'Kobaia' (=eternal) in front of the musical chaos and the misunderstanding of mankind; and then I created Magma and the 'Zeuhl Wortz' (=music of the universal might). To Life, to Death and after... It brought me to my real work on earth. My unique and true function. this album was a renewal, a complete rebirth. Many enjoyed it. This allowed the birth of many new groups in France, creating a new musical trend: the zeuhl music."

MAGMA Kohntarkosz (Seventh) cd 21.00
From 1974. In Vander's words: "It's perhaps the more misunderstood of all the Magma's tunes, and the more complex one. It's based on a very syncopated rhythm where Time seems to be Counter time, and where Counter times emerge from Counter time ... leading to a very original spatial position. It provokes a physical and psychic feeling that is totally new, even by now. Still nowadays, many people Ñ and many musicians Ñ do think that this tune is based only on Counter time, and that's why they can't listen to or play it rightly. The tune is about a story between a Master and a disciple. To be followed..." This album also happens to feature the English guitarist Brian Godding, previously of the psych-prog band Blossom Toes!

MAGMA Les Voix (Seventh) cd 19.98

MAGMA Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh (Seventh) cd 21.00
One of the all-time Magma classics. Of all their Wagner-meets-Sun Ra output, this is perhaps the most dark and militaristic-sounding, despite the inherent spirituality of the concept. Vander's comments: "The 3rd movement of the trilogy 'Theusz Hamtaahk', 'MDK' is really my 'My Favorite Thing". The melodies are played infinitely, becoming more and more intense, attaining a kind of paroxysm, of zenith. It was composed in 1971-72; this trilogy which contains 'Theusz Hamtaahk' (1st movement),'Wurdah Itah' (2nd movement) and 'MDK' (3rd), has been recorded randomly. Indeed, I play a long time the themes before recording them and 'Mekanik' was the first of the three movements that was played live. The other ones have been developed later and recorded then: 'Wurdah Itah' in 1974, 'Theusz Hamtaahk' in 1980, in 'Retrospektiw 1&2'."

MAGMA Mekanik Kommandoh (Seventh / AKT) cd 19.98
1973 alternate version of "Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh".

MAGMA Mouse Pad (Seventh) mouse pad 7.98
That's right. We're not even sure if anyone uses mouse pads anymore what with those newfangled optical mice. But whatever, this is a MAGMA mouse pad. So we got a few (just a few). A 19 cm diameter round foam rubbery mouse pad emblazoned with the familiar Magma symbol in red. Cool, eh? 'Nuff said, I can't believe we're reviewing a mouse pad!

MAGMA Mythes Et Legendes Volume I (Seventh / UZMK) dvd 40.00
People (well, Magma fans, who are the best sort of people, right?) have been waiting for this! Another dvd document of the modern-day (and still amazing) Magma playing live, which is a very special thing. And super super special when they're doing really really old stuff like on this dvd. All the songs here date from the dawn of Magma, the early early '70s, "Epok 1" in the terminology of this dvd, which is the first in a projected four-volume set documenting 35 years of music from the band. In the spring of 2005 they played four weeks of sold-out shows in the intimate confines of the Paris club Le Triton, devoting one week each to what they consider the four "Epoks" of their career to date. So the compositions performed on this volume, from the 1970-72 era of such albums as Kobaia, 1001 Degrees Centigrade, and MDK include: "Malaria", "Stoah", "'Iss' Lansei Doia", "Aurae", "Kobaia", "Sowiloi", "KMX B12", and the 35 minute first movement of "Theusz Hamtaahk".
Now, we just got this in, so we haven't actually had the chance to screen the whole thing. But we did excitedly slip it into the computer and skipped through a few chapters and definitely what we saw made us eager to find the time to sit down in front of the TV, crank the volume, and watch the whole thing through (like, ten or twenty times -- but we ARE huge Magma nerds).
Aside from the basics -- that this is a professionally shot video recording, filmed from multiple angles, of a kick ass band of both young and old Magma folks, including a long haired, leather-vested Klaus Blasquiz on vocals, plus Stella Vander as well, and a bald headed Emmanuel Borghi on Fender Rhodes -- we noticed a few entertaining details. Borghi, lurking at his keyboard, resembles Nosferatu just a bit... Blasquiz's gives what seems to be a genuinely shocked reaction to a particularly noisy solo played by guitarist James Mac Gaw... and no, bearish band leader Christian Vander doesn't have a tattoo -- what looks like a tattoo is actually an excess of upper-arm hair!
OK, there's no getting around it. This will probably make you laugh. They're funny. We admit it. But they're not a joke, and while they make us laugh at times, being so over the top and insane and absurd, and looking so dorky-cool (the horn section, in their oversized white Magma t-shirts, were definitely "band guys" in high school, if you know what we mean) they are also completely awesome for other reasons, musical reasons, as well. And if you're interested in this dvd we imagine you share that opinion so we won't spend any time here talking about their bombastic brilliance.
Speaking of t-shirts, watching this you'll realize if you haven't already that Magma are probably the most heavily "branded" band ever. The spikey, semi-circular Magma symbol is displayed on everybody here, on shirts, pendants, etc. The band themselves seem to be one of the biggest markets for Magma merch... Which reminds us, by the way, we've got a handful of official Magma logo *mouse pads* for sale, see elsewhere this list!
Tech specs: this dvd is all region, NTSC, 1 hour and 56 minutes long.

MAGMA Mythes Et Legendes Volume II (Seventh /) dvd 35.00
EPOK 2 has arrived!! For all Magma fans, a glorious moment indeed. Actually this moment should have occurred a month or two ago, but unfortunately the label in France accidentally sent us PAL rather than NTSC dvds, and we only just finally got the correct NTSC ones. But no matter, it was worth the wait! This is part two in the planned four-disc live dvd series documenting Christian Vander's current, amazing Magma lineup (plus some special guests from Magma days of yore) in concert doing versions of their '70s classics, for their 35th anniversary in 2005. Not sure why the heck we didn't fly to France for it, but thank god these shows were filmed for dvd -- pro shot and edited, with multiple camera angles, very intimate and exciting. The disc starts with behind-the-scenes footage of the band arriving at the venue and warming up... they joke around as they greet one another backstage but then when it's time to play... damn this gets SERIOUS.
That's right, since the material performed in the Mythes Et Legendes series was organized chronologically, this second dvd features some of their heaviest masterpieces, several utterly crucial Magma compositions from 1973 to 1976, including a 49 minute "Wurdah Itah", a 42 minute "Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh", and a 21 minute "De Futura". That's what we said. WURDAH ITAH. MEKANIK DESTRUKTIW KOMMANDOH. DE FUTURA. Damn.
Not only that, but freakin' bass maestro Jannick Top (like Vander, an old dude now but looking weirdly burly and badass in his black leather vest and shades) joins the band for "M.D.K." and his own "De Futura"! Plus he shows off with a moody, virtuoso bass solo based on a Bach piece. As if he needed to prove anything.
Basically, if you like Magma, you want, no you NEED to watch them do "De Futura" on this thing. They tear it up. Vander's in a frenzy. Top's bass playing is off the hook. The choir does some crazy shit too. Oh yeah, another old friend is on here -- vocalist Klaus Blasquiz. And by the way, unlike Epok 1, there's no horn section.
What else to say? If you're a Magma fan, you'll be happy with this as soon as you hear the music looped on the menu page, we're telling you!
Tech specs: NTSC, all-region, 2 hours and 18 minutes.

MAGMA Mythes Et Legendes Volume III (Seventh / UZMK) dvd 35.00
Here it is, drooling Magma fans -- the third, penultimate "Epok" in the eternal French "Zeuhl" gods triumphant live four-disc DVD series, Mythes Et Legendes, celebrating 35 years of their utterly unique, heavy prog sounds. Recorded in May of 2005, the nine compositions performed here begin with a full 32 and a half minute rendition of their epic "Kohntarkosz" from 1974, continuing on to include such classics as "Emehnteht-Re", "Hhai", and "Zombies", hitting (at least some of) the highlights of the Magma songbook up to 1977 or thereabouts, drawing from such albums as Kohntarkosz, Hhai/Live and Attahk. If you've got the first two dvds (hard to imagine you'd be getting just this one) then you know that Magma drummer/vocalist/mastermind Christian Vander's current band totally KICKS ASS. Besides Vander himself, the Magma documented here features the vocals/percussion squad of Stella Vander, Antoine Paganotti, Himiko Paganotti and Isabelle Feuillebois, alongside James Mac Gaw on guitar, Emmanuel Borghi on Fender Rhodes, and Philippe Bussonnet on bass. Former keyboardist Bentoit Widemann guests on Fender and Minimoog as well. Brilliant. NTSC, all-region, 115 minutes totale!
(A bonus feature on this disc is the special DRUMS-ONLY viewing angle available for the Attahk track "The Last Seven Minutes". They know their fans!)

MAGMA Retrospektiw I-II (Seventh) 2cd 32.00

MAGMA Retrospektiw III (Seventh) cd 21.00
1980 collection. Vander: "I composed for the 11th anniversary of Magma the theme 'Retrovision' (or 'Attahk'). It was like a summary of all the tunes played by Magma until then. The result was so powerful, like a punch in the eyes of all that had criticised us, those who said: 'Magma is dead...' (as at each time that we didn't play for 3 months). The theme says 'Magma is said to be dead.. he is not!'. It was a joy and triumph during three days at the Olympia Hall. From these three nights, we have recorded three albums, 'Retrospektiw III' and then 'Retrospektiw II' where you can hear a tune that many had waited for so long: 'Theusz Hamtaahk'. So great!' Ê

MAGMA Simples (Seventh) cd 16.98
Magma fanatics will want this! Five songs originally released only on 7" vinyl (the tracks are taken from three different singles, circa 1971-1974). From the stomp of Jannick Top's "Mekanik Machine" to the weird grooviness of Vander's "Klaus Kombalad", all great stuff.

MAGMA Theusz Hamtaahk Trilogie (Seventh) 3cd 49.00
Send out the Ork alarm! Here's a major event for those initiated into the cult of this French prog colossus, the Wagner-meets-Coltrane-meets-'70s prog rock outfit MAGMA. A rare, brand new release, with the current lineup of the band filling three cds with killer live versions of three of Magma's album-length masterpieces, the Theusz Hamtaahk "Trilogie au Trianon" of TH, Wurdah Itah (here recorded by a larger group than on the 1974 LP), and Magma's martial classic Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh. Obviously, one for fans only (just 'cause I can't imagine the uninitiated shelling out the actually quite reasonable $30 for these three cds, although they would be an excellent introduction to the group's work!) and a real treat. The ever-vigorous Vander and Co. are in great form, rivaling their '70s incarnation, seeming never to have peaked. Certainly after all these years they've honed their unique aesthetic to a not-of-this-earth perfection. I can't really tell you what it all means (literally -- the liner notes are either in their invented language Kobaian or in French) but clearly Magma and the Theusz Hamtaahk cycle are bigger than you or me or most music today. This is genius, weird music: massed chanting vox, jazz-fusion licks, percussive furies, shuddering bass... And it's all wonderfully packaged -- the three cds are housed in cardboard jackets, nestled in a box (the inside of which is even decorated with stars and arcane symbols), complete with a thick booklet of lyrics (no, there's no English translations, but at least you can sing along in Kobaian!), plus there's lots of photos and art. Now, the AQ'er writing this happens to be wearing an official Magma wristwatch, so make of this what you will: highly recommended!
RealAudio clip: "Malawelekaahm"
RealAudio clip: "Gorutz Wortz"
RealAudio clip: "Nebehr Gudahtt"
RealAudio clip: "Wlasik steuhn Kobaia"

MAGMA Theusz Hamtaahk: Trilogie au Trianon (Seventh) dvd 47.00
Perhaps we can give this 2 hour, 43 minute dvd a fuller review sometime, but as they've been blowing out of here fast, here's a brief description as we wanted to list it this time before we run out (again) -- never fear, though, 'cause we will be able to get more in the event they're gone when you ask for yours.
It's our favorite beyond "prog" band Magma, live in concert for their 30th anniversary in Paris, May 13th and 14th 2000. This concert dvd is a total pro job, with great sound and of course out-of-this-world music, as the one and only Christian Vander and his (mostly much younger) current incarnation of Magma play the entire "Theusz Hamtaahk" trilogy: "Theusz Hamtaahk", "Wurdah Itah", and "Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh". Vander is older and grayer and burlier, still totally in command of his drum kit and his band, his majestic and bizarre musical vision undiminished, and in fine voice as well. Dramatically lit and well shot (with multiple cameras), it's the next best thing to actually seeing them live -- and not everyone is that lucky.
The bonus material on this all-region NTSC DVD includes interviews (in French) and additional live footage of a cute little kid playing drums on stage with Vander, who I'd guess is the proud dad. That chapter is called "Fabien, cadet de la Zeuhl".

MAGMA Udu Wudu (Seventh) cd 21.00
Features the classic bass-heavy track "De Futura", which is more or less the basis for the Ruins' entire output! Much better sounding than the Tomato-label version some may be familiar with. Says Vander: "In this album we can hear 'De Futura', one of the rare tunes recorded by one of the most creative musician of Magma, Janik Top. Its beauty is icy and internally unbreakable. The tune is accompanied by other themes, some of them being composed by Bernard Paganotti, Janik Top or I; these are less interesting perhaps but in the same vein as 'De Futura'."

MAGMA / CHRISTIAN VANDER Merci (Seventh) cd 21.00

MAJEURE Timespan (Temporary Residence) 2cd 16.98
Majeure is the drumming half of electronic sci-fi prog synth duo Zombi, and explores similar territory on his 3 song debut. A measly 3 songs you say? Yeah, but 3 songs in 42 minutes! That's right, sprawling spaced out sci-fi electronic minimal kraut disco epics of the highest order. Fusing the creepy film music of Vangelis and John Carpenter with the pulsing hypnotic minimalism of Steve Reich or Philip Glass, even some propulsive motorik Can style krautrock, all woven into sprawling spaced out psychedelic futuristic retro faux film music, layered synths, looped melodies, and a killer mix of programmed rhythms and live drumming, the vibe is ominous and epic, so evocative, it's impossible not to imagine some sort of insane fight in zero gravity, jump suited androids grappling amidst a strange neon latticework, or some futuristic car chase, through dimly lit streets, a grim crumbling futureworld, where the outcome of said chase will determine the fate of humanity.
The opener, the awesomely sci-fi named "The Dresden Codex", is a total future space disco kraut jam, the first half a throbbing mesmerizing krautdronesynthscape, eventually, bass drifts in as does awesomely fuzzy bass synth, the melodies dramatic and epic, a slow build that gets more and more intense before fading out into a stripped down moody bit of synthy drift, before exploding back into action, the live drums going nuts, suddenly it sounds a bit like a way more sci-fi Trans Am too, with a little M83 fuzz thrown in for good measure. "Teleforce" is all afternoon special straight to video science fiction, with its throbbing low end synth, and simple drumming, but the sound quickly gets thicker and more dense, and all ominous and intense, thick layers of rumble and whir over that machinelike pulse, then in come soaring strings, and after a brief bit of tension building Carpenter like spaced out minimalism, a lazer battle ensues, the track churning and chugging amidst a sky full of swirling effects and lazerblast-like pyew-pyew-pyew's...
Finally, the album finishes off with the 18+ minute "Timespan", beginning with a cloud of rumbles and whirs, before the sky fills with flecks of synth and space-y FX, a haunting bit of Logan's Run ambience, before the track slips right back into some groovy eighties sci fi synth disco, and for the next 10+ minutes, we're careening though a neon lit future world, battling on dancefloors, soaring between strange obelisk like structures, dodging lazer fire, running for our lives from lumbering robots, and finally destroying the mainframe and liberating the human race, all to the strains of some of the coolest, retro sci-fi sounds since, well, since these sounds weren't really retro at all.
Making an awesome album even awesomer, the cd version (but not, sadly, the vinyl) comes with a bonus remix disc (reissuing an out of print 12"), featuring reinterpretations of the album tracks by Steve Moore (the other half of Zombi), Justin Broadrick of Jesu, and Black Strobe. Moore takes "Timespan" and roughs it up a bit, giving it a more bruised, darkened and ominous cast, still an eighties soundtrack, but this time it's some dark foreign film, death more imminent, the end of civilization a foregone conclusion, but this is the sound of a ragtag group of survivors, hurling themselves into the void, on a desperate quest to save the universe, all to the strains of a pulsing Goblin / Carpenter score. Broadrick takes "Teleforce", and does something to it, hard to say exactly what, but suddenly it sounds like a warped Moroder post rock remix 12" spinning off kilter, warbly and hypnotic, eventually blissing out, more and more minimal and skeletal and softly psychedelic, before a bad ass dubby last few minutes, thumping muted rhythms, underpinning eighties new wave synths, and clouds of M83 style haze, a fucking killer groove that would seal the deal had the deal not already been WELL sealed. And finally, Black Strobe rework "The Dresden Codex" into something much more house-y and minimal, a sort of gleaming late night futuristic drift through mysterious silvery danceclubs, and exclusive penthouse parties, everything prismatic and blurred by a space age cocktail of psychotropics, a night spent cavorting in your gleaming surrogate body, your consciousness painting the town red, while your physical form sits safely in stasis at home, this is the sound of that soul shearing, head spinning rush, as an entire night's debauchery is downloaded in a 17 minute timelapse sonic injection, a heady, hypnotic, burst of electronic color. So rad.
The double compact disc comes in a super fancy, oversized mini lp style gatefold sleeve. And the vinyl version, also gatefold packaged, includes a digital download so you can iPod it.
MPEG Stream: "The Dresden Codex"
MPEG Stream: "Teleforce"

MAJEURE Timespan (Temporary Residence) 2lp 16.98
Majeure is the drumming half of electronic sci-fi prog synth duo Zombi, and explores similar territory on his 3 song debut. A measly 3 songs you say? Yeah, but 3 songs in 42 minutes! That's right, sprawling spaced out sci-fi electronic minimal kraut disco epics of the highest order. Fusing the creepy film music of Vangelis and John Carpenter with the pulsing hypnotic minimalism of Steve Reich or Philip Glass, even some propulsive motorik Can style krautrock, all woven into sprawling spaced out psychedelic futuristic retro faux film music, layered synths, looped melodies, and a killer mix of programmed rhythms and live drumming, the vibe is ominous and epic, so evocative, it's impossible not to imagine some sort of insane fight in zero gravity, jump suited androids grappling amidst a strange neon latticework, or some futuristic car chase, through dimly lit streets, a grim crumbling futureworld, where the outcome of said chase will determine the fate of humanity.
The opener, the awesomely sci-fi named "The Dresden Codex", is a total future space disco kraut jam, the first half a throbbing mesmerizing krautdronesynthscape, eventually, bass drifts in as does awesomely fuzzy bass synth, the melodies dramatic and epic, a slow build that gets more and more intense before fading out into a stripped down moody bit of synthy drift, before exploding back into action, the live drums going nuts, suddenly it sounds a bit like a way more sci-fi Trans Am too, with a little M83 fuzz thrown in for good measure. "Teleforce" is all afternoon special straight to video science fiction, with its throbbing low end synth, and simple drumming, but the sound quickly gets thicker and more dense, and all ominous and intense, thick layers of rumble and whir over that macth and space-y FX, a haunting bit of Logan's Run ambience, before the track slips right back into some groovy eighties sci fi synth disco, and for the next 10+ minutes, we're careening though a neon lit future world, battling on dancefloors, soaring between strange obelisk like structures, dodging lazer fire, running for our lives from lumbering robots, and finally destroying the mainframe and liberating the human race, all to the strains of some of the coolest, retro sci-fi sounds since, well, since these sounds weren't really retro at all.
Making an awesome album even awesomer, the cd version (but not, sadly, the vinyl) comes with a bonus remix disc (reissuing an out of print 12"), featuring reinterpretations of the album tracks by Steve Moore (the other half of Zombi), Justin Broadrick of Jesu, and Black Strobe. Moore takes "Timespan" and roughs it up a bit, giving it a more bruised, darkened and ominous cast, still an eighties soundtrack, but this time it's some dark foreign film, death more imminent, the end of civilization a foregone conclusion, but this is the sound of a ragtag group of survivors, hurling themselves into the void, on a desperate quest to save the universe, all to the strains of a pulsing Goblin / Carpenter score. Broadrick takes "Teleforce", and does something to it, hard to say exactly what, but suddenly it sounds like a warped Moroder post rock remix 12" spinning off kilter, warbly and hypnotic, eventually blissing out, more and more minimal and skeletal and softly psychedelic, before a bad ass dubby last few minutes, thumping muted rhythms, underpinning eighties new wave synths, and clouds of M83 style haze, a fucking killer groove that would seal the deal had the deal not already been WELL sealed. And finally, Black Strobe rework "The Dresden Codex" into something much more house-y and minimal, a sort of gleaming late night futuristic drift through mysterious silvery danceclubs, and exclusive penthouse parties, everything prismatic and blurred by a space age cocktail of psychotropics, a night spent cavorting in your gleaming surrogate body, your consciousness painting the town red, while your physical form sits safely in stasis at home, this is the sound of that soul shearing, head spinning rush, as an entire night's debauchery is downloaded in a 17 minute timelapse sonic injection, a heady, hypnotic, burst of electronic color. So rad.
The double compact disc comes in a super fancy, oversized mini lp style gatefold sleeve. And the vinyl version, also gatefold packaged, includes a digital download so you can iPod it.
MPEG Stream: "The Dresden Codex"
MPEG Stream: "Teleforce"

MAJEURE Timespan Remixes (Temporary Residence) 12" 16.98
Recently reissued as a bonus disc accompanying Majeures's Timespan full length, these three tracks were originally available as a 12", featuring reinterpretations of the album tracks by Steve Moore (the other half of Zombi), Justin Broadrick of Jesu, and Black Strobe.
Moore takes "Timespan" and roughs it up a bit, giving it a more bruised, darkened and ominous cast, still an eighties soundtrack, but this time it's some dark foreign film, death more imminent, the end of civilization a foregone conclusion, but this is the sound of a ragtag group of survivors, hurling themselves into the void, on a desperate quest to save the universe, all to the strains of a pulsing Goblin / Carpenter score. Broadrick takes "Teleforce", and does something to it, hard to say exactly what, but suddenly it sounds like a warped Moroder post rock remix 12" spinning off kilter, warbly and hypnotic, eventually blissing out, more and more minimal and skeletal and softly psychedelic, before a bad ass dubby last few minutes, thumping muted rhythms, underpinning eighties new wave synths, and clouds of M83 style haze, a fucking killer groove that would seal the deal had the deal not already been WELL sealed. And finally, Black Strobe rework "The Dresden Codex" into something much more house-y and minimal, a sort of gleaming late night futuristic drift through mysterious silvery danceclubs, and exclusive penthouse parties, everything prismatic and blurred by a space age cocktail of psychotropics, a night spent cavorting in your gleaming surrogate body, your consciousness painting the town red, while your physical form sits safely in stasis at home, this is the sound of that soul shearing, head spinning rush, as an entire night's debauchery is downloaded in a 17 minute timelapse sonic injection, a heady, hypnotic, burst of electronic color. So rad.

MAMMATUS The Coast Explodes (Holy Mountain) lp 14.98
NOW ON VINYL! Totally like it belongs. Here's our long-ass review of this great album:
Sometimes music is more than just pure sound, or the exposing of deep personal secrets and emotions, or even an homage to one's inspirations. Sometimes it's meant to tell a story... a vessel for a message. Then again sometimes music can combine all of those facets, AND MORE! Such is the case with Mammatus' sophomore effort, The Coast Explodes. On a purely sonic level, this record is absolutely amazing (we'll get there), but it's amazing on a conceptual level as well.
This record is the second installment of Mammatus' gradually unfolding tale of the battle between Light and Darkness. Goodly Light vs. the Evil of Man. Communion with Nature and the casting out of the corrosive agents of Man's doooom. The inhalation of divinity's smoke/breath... exhaling peace from every pore of the translucent flesh. Harnessing the power of Nature in your throat and fingers... swinging the sword to the heart of darkness. Bludgeon the dragon's foul heart! Mammatus is here to bare the Blade of Truth against nature's corrupters, and to ROCK against the cowardly haters of peace! Ahem, their "blade" is of course music, so lets talk about that for a sec.
This epic journey continues right where their self-titled debut left off. The first track "Dragon of the Deep part 3 (Excellent Swordfight)" is a continuation of the Dragon saga (the first album ending with "Dragon of the Deep" parts 1 and 2), and right off the bat you can hear the development. Holy shit! PROG!!!!! Where the last record was more of a trippy blend of hypno-kraut Can-ishness with the slaying heavitude of stoner lordz Sleep, this record somehow maintains that comparison and adds an incredible dose of YES! and YES!!! it rules! So the album starts with a creeping guitar drone, almost as if directly continued from part 2, before bursting in with a driving and hypnotic groove, a la Circle or the above mentioned Can, with little time change shreds at the end of each phrase (kinda proggy) and then suddenly the tempo breaks and we hear a killer stoptime, full-band SHRED! bringing us into another mesmeric groove with beautiful guitar leads soaring perfectly over the everchanging trance. The track builds and builds, ever climbing. Just when you think it can't get more ripping, another amazing riff is unearthed, the band playing so tightly we suspect they might share one cosmically unified mind. In tune with the alignment of the planets and such. All of this is building to something, you can feel it, when suddenly the song crescendos into a freeform cacophonous skronk! Cowbells, drums, and about 500 simultaneous guitar solos! FREAKOUT!
What emerges from this undulating swell is just about all a worshipper of heavy could hope for, an earth shaking riff with the first vocals of the record. Singer Nicky Emmert enters with his first cry to battle, calling us to raise the sword! The vocals are as trippy as ever, beautiful, as if sung from the back of a deep cave. This brutally sick aural climax ends almost as soon as it begins only to plunge axe first into the second track, "Pierce the Darkness", Starting with a gong crash and woodflute solo (!) then charging directly into another trance like groove. The vocals this time start right away, floating and glistening over the motorik pulse, again seemingly a call to arms. The track eventually develops into a blasting free time psychedelic guitar jam which then decompresses into some serious blissy drone.
And what happens next is one of the highlights of the record. The sound of synthesizers enter the drone and build up to a spine tingling harmonized guitar/Moog solo! You know the euphoric feeling you get when listening to shimmery synth part in Yes's "Close to the Edge", and the triumph in the pit of your stomach when Wakeman's church organ finally enters ("I get up, I get down")? A similar energy is in operation here. After this shining moment the song takes another turn towards the HEAVY and some kick ass riffage again fills the speakers. After a bit of strange synth tweakage, the mood of the album changes. Track 3, "The Changing Wind" is an all out drum circle folk jam! Acoustic guitars, propulsive hand drum rhythms, and another lilting melody from Nicky, praising mother nature and her unknowable ways. Hypnotic and blissful for sure. Suddenly the sounds of waves crashing and sea lions barking brings us seamlessly into the final movement, and title track, "The Coast Explodes". Starting with one of the catchiest "stoner" riffs we've heard for a long time. In fact this riff gets stuck in our heads for days at a time. So groovey and catchy, it makes the trees dance. Ahem. This song is a slow builder, rising subtly, and then dipping once more till it finally becomes an almost whisper. The vocals again invoking mother earth, sung in a beautiful falsetto. After this quiet respite the amps again get cranked to 11 and we are blessed with another monolithic slab of heaviness! So satisfying and perfect, it almost makes ya weep. At the end of this journey the chanting of some mythic and mysterious wizard is heard, as if belted out from the peak of a snow covered mountain, beckoning to the children of nature to rise up and join the crusade! The song then gently winds down and the whooshing sounds of the ocean again take over the mix, leaving the listener in a state of utter peace. SHIT! This album really takes you on some sort of transcendental adventure... We got lost there for a minute.
At the most basic level, Mammatus make some of the most inventive and inspired heavy music of our day. Combining diverse inspirations and molding them into something that comes across as totally genuine and pure, and of course TOTALLY RULING! Crushing and mesmerizing and beautiful all at the same time. The story behind the music makes the album all the more powerful. The listening experience of this record is akin to reading a super epic novel, one where the payoffs happen in all the right places. So duh, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!! For fans of Sleep, Yes, UFOmammut, Can, Circle, King Crimson, and all things heavy and trippy and shredding and rocking and ruling!
MPEG Stream: "Dragon Of The Deep Part Three (Excellent Sword Fight)"
MPEG Stream: "The Coast Explodes"

MAMMOTH VOLUME A Single Book of Songs (The Music Cartel) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The latest (third) and greatest album from this impressive Swedish stoner rock band, one that does more than most to avoid the nu-grunge "Kyuss-clone" tag, and really comes into their own on this disc. Sure, thanks to their big sound and pop sensibility, they do bear some resemblance at times to post-Kyuss hitmakers Queens of the Stone Age, but they also take inspiration from '70s prog-rock (good, early "Heart of the Sunrise" era Yes, anyone?), which takes full-flight on album centerpiece "What Actually Happened In Antioch? (Including A Myraid of Sounds)". It's not everyday stoner rock that finds a use for keyboards and even flute, amidst the kick ass riffage! Basically, what fellow Swedes Opeth have done melding '70s prog to black metal, these guys have done vis-a-vis stoner rock. Definitely their best record yet, offering a bounty of creative, intelligent hard rock, that's catchy and plenty heavy. Recommended!! (Now why isn't this on gatefold double vinyl the way god intended??)
RealAudio clip: "To Gloria"
RealAudio clip: "What Happened In Antioch?"
RealAudio clip: "Out-take/Noara Dance"

MANILLA ROAD After Midnight Live (Shadow Kingdom) cd 14.98
If you're into metal that's both "cult" and "true", you're probably into those underground epic metal legends from Kansas, Manilla Road. How many bands as obscure and eccentric have been around for over 30 years and are still making (good!) records? And maybe what's more incredible than the fact that Manilla Road still put out cool records (as recently as 2008's Voyager, reviewed elsewhere on our website along with several others from their long career), they've apparently also got enough "long lost" recordings from way back when for entire albums of previously unreleased material to occasionally appear! There was a complete studio album from 1981 that finally saw the light of day as Mark Of The Beast over twenty years later, and now this, a live-in-the-studio session from December of 1979, recorded for a radio show on Wichita State University's KMUW, by Manilla Road's original lineup, the trio of Mark "The Shark" Shelton (guitar/vocals), Scott "Scooter" Park (bass), and Rich "Ziggy" Fisher (drums), shortly before they released their debut album Invasion in 1980.
Apparently, this disc represents the second half of their set that night - the tapes of the first half, mostly stuff from Invasion, haven't been located, yet. What's cool (and surprising) is that these particular songs DON'T appear on any other 'Road recordings, though we do think maybe we hear echoes of a few parts in some later compositions of theirs. There's just five tracks here, but the disc is still 44 minutes long, as these are all prog-rock length jams (the longest one, "Life's So Hard" clocks in at 12:42), and as we said, they're an EPIC band. Although of course some of the time on this disc is also occupied by chatter between the female radio host and Mr. Shelton, introducing the songs, which can be rather amusing - at one point the DJ mentions all the calls they've been getting from listeners, that "everybody seems to be getting off and partying to the music". Right on! It's still the '70s you gotta remember. And so too, this is Manilla Road in their early daze, before they were really exposed to NWOBHM influences like Iron Maiden (though you can hear how they were certainly primed for that stuff).
This vintage material is almost proto-metallic, kinda like on their first couple of albums, displaying their unique spin on various classic rock, space rock, progressive and AOR influences, we're pretty sure stuff like Blue Oyster Cult, Rush, Thin Lizzy, and Ted Nugent. It's mostly hard rockin', though they mellow out sometimes too, and you get the idea that maybe back then they thought their career could go in a commercial, pop direction, rather than heading for the true cult metal status they eventually achieved. But it's Manilla Road all right, with Shelton's gravelly wailing vox and squirrelly psychedelic soloing here being recognizable (and trademark) parts of their sound even today.
While this is live and raw, the young band is definitely ON and kicking ass, and it's decent sounding recording. So, obviously this is an archival discovery for Manilla Road enthusiasts to get excited about! Especially fans of their earlier stuff, before they got thrashy in the later '80s. If you're not already a MR fan, though, we suppose this might be a strange place to start.
Released on limited vinyl last year by High Roller, now on cd via Shadow Kingdom, with a booklet including lyrics, photos, and liner notes by "The Shark" himself.
MPEG Stream: "Chromaphobia"
MPEG Stream: "Pentacle Of Truth"

MANILLA ROAD Mark Of The Beast (Forged In Fire / Rockadrome) cd 12.98
Back in print, back in stock!
Here's one for fans of the USA's most cult '80s era true/power/heavy/epic metal band (who are still around, as a matter of fact). We've lauded them before, as being a uber-eccentric low-budget take on Maiden and Manowar, with hints of '70s prog, precursor to the likes of The Lord Weird Slough Feg. But it's also one of their weirdest, a lot more than hints of that '70s prog here, so others than strictly Manilla Road and/or metal fans might wanna check out...
First issued by pre-Rockadrome imprint Monster Records back in 2002, this is actually much older than that - it's an unreleased album from 1981, originally titled "Dreams of Eschaton". The band, for some reason, didn't like the recordings at the time and shelved them, but bootleg tapes have circulated among the Manilla Road faithful for years. Eventually Monster Records persuaded Manilla Road mainman Mark "The Shark" Shelton that it was time to give the album a proper release at last. Boasting cover art from Jim Fitzpatrick (who a lot of art for Thin Lizzy - as well as being responsible for the famous Che Guevara portrait poster you see everywhere), Mark of the Beast is a worthy addition to the Road's official catalog, though not their heaviest - it's a doomy but kinda mellow and psychedelic and spaced out album of epic, sad melodicism and majesty. The vocals are doused in FX, the entire recording is echoey and rickety, a few songs (like "Black Lotus") totally rock out, while many others wend and wind in a laidback druggy daze.
Like all Manilla Road, this doesn't fit any generic metal template...some of this reminds us of Rush's early songs, and there's even a proto-Current 93 narration thing happening on one track too!
MPEG Stream: "Mark Of The Beast "
MPEG Stream: "Avatar"

MARS VOLTA Scabdates (GSL / Universal ) cd 14.98
Eeep, that rather gnarly album title and one particularly excessive guitar solo in the 11th track aside, this live album from nouveau world proggy youths The Mars Volta will surely please their many fans (hell, maybe those two things won't bother you). Although it clocks in at just under 74 minutes (not really all that long for a prog-rock journey, is it?) of tripped-out jams, more structured songs and surprising little crowd noise, some of us found Scabdates to be somewhat long-winded and self-indulgent... but we're sure for the diehards the time will fly by. Not the first nor best place to start if you're just now getting around to a first encounter with these fellows though (if that's the case, check out their awesome debut Tremulant cdep -- a tight concise workout to launch you into the MV orbit).
MPEG Stream: "Abrasions Mount The Timpani"
MPEG Stream: "Cicatriz Pt. 3"

MARS VOLTA, THE Francis the Mute b/w The Widow (Live) (GSL) 12" 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hark, all ye kids and collectors! The B-side of this 12" single is a live version of The Mars Volta's heartfelt power-prog ballad "The Widow" recorded at LA's Wiltern Theater on May 6th, 2004. The album version can be heard on their latest release, Frances The Mute (which happens to also be the title of the A-side of this record), but you probably already knew that.

MASERATI Pyramid Of The Sun (Temporary Residence Limited) lp 15.98
NOW ON VINYL!!
We've raved about instrumental post rockers Maserati in the past, and they just keep getting better and better, while oddly enough, they seem to gradually be moving away from their early sound, which was pretty much straight ahead nineties style post rock, which we love, toward something much more synthy and krautrocky, more groovy and almost dancey, which we also love. It probably has to do with the fact that drummer Jerry Fuchs (who tragically passed away last year) also played drums for !!! (Chik Chik Chik), so it was maybe inevitable that some of that funkiness might creep into his other group, since it's Fuchs' beats that pretty much drive this Maserati, propulsive and intricate, mathy and tight, but also super fluid. The guitars follow suit, looped and effected, cascading and chiming, all of that underpinned by some serious eighties style synths, pulsing like some supercharged John Carpenter soundtrack, and that's what makes Maserati sound so good, the collision of heavy crunchy guitars, propulsive motorik krautrock, and that sort of new age/wave-y synth. That's also why Maserati sound more like Zombi or Majeure these days, albeit a way more rocking, way heavier version. And hell, who could argue with a way heavier Zombi? Not us, that's for sure.
But really, to be fair, this new record is not all that far removed from past records, as far back as their Inventions For The New Season record, we were already describing some of their music as sounding like a "coke-fuelled Circle/Tortoise/Zombi jam" or as the perfect soundtrack for "an episode of Miami Vice, like for a scene (filmed from a helicopter) of an exciting power-boat chase across a deep blue, beautiful, sunshiney sea." And that vibe is still present, only now, it's for an episode of some futuristic sci-fi noir program, and instead of a speedboat chase, it's a hovership chase, between Bladerunner like buildings, culminating in a wild shootout in some sort of futuristic space disco. Which sounds pretty dang good to us.
Recommended for fans of Majeure, Zombi, Solar Bears, and other modern spacekraut sci-fi synth explorers, but also post/math/hypno rockers like Circle, Salvatore, Parlour, K-X-P, Magyar Posse, Cave, Russian Circles, etc.
MPEG Stream: "Pyramid Of The Sun"
MPEG Stream: "We Got The System To Fight The System"
MPEG Stream: "Bye M'Friend, Goodbye"

MASSACRE Meltdown (Tzadik) cd 16.98
Massacre has been around since 1981's seminal album Killing Time (which you must seek out if you haven't heard it already). Comprised of guitarist Fred Frith, bassist Bill Laswell, and -- new to the group -- Charles Hayward on drums, Massacre specialize in improvised avant rock -- propulsive rhythms, plink-plonking bass, scraping schizo textural guitarwork. Recorded live at Robert Wyatt's 2001 Meltdown Festival, it all adds up to an intense listening experience, especially when the trio lets loose with climactic fervor. As the founder of the legendary This Heat, Hayward's name makes this even more of a supergroup than before. Luckily the music lives up to that, although we'd still recommend Killing Time to start with.
RealAudio clip: "Closing the Circles and Loose End"
RealAudio clip: "Up For It"

MASSIERA, JEAN-PIERRE Midnight Massiera (Finders Keepers) cd 23.00
We'd never normally accuse the Finders Keepers Label of being slow on the draw, having turned us on to so much stuff we wouldn't know about otherwise. But we thought it a bit odd that they just released this Jean-Pierre Massiera compilation so soon after the Mucho Gusto label released the two incredible Psychoses compilations (Discoids and Freakoids) showcasing the eccentric prog, pop and disco productions of this incredible French mad genius. Yet while there is some crossover (six songs here are also on the Freakoids comp; three are also on Discoids), there is about half of Midnight Massiera that's from other outfits not featured on those two previous comps. Some we've heard of (Les Maledictus Sound, who contribute two tracks), others we've heard of but didn't realize Massiera was involved in their production (Chico Magnetic Band and Chris Gallbert, the same track featured on the awesome earlier Mucho Gusto comp, Total Freak Out!), and finally there are a few groups totally new to us: the spaghetti western Moog weirdness of S.E.M. Studios; the one and only Jesus, who contributes two tracks - one loungey freak beat, the other melancholy folk; a percussive fuzz interlude by Atlantide, and the cinematic psych-folk of Afterlife. Visitors, Hermans Rocket, Human Egg, Basile (with two tracks) Les Chats, Les Monegasques, The Pyranhas, and The Starlights make repeat appearances. Folks who already have the two previous compilations (plus the Les Maledictus Sound, Visitors, and Chico Magnetic Band albums, as well as the Total Freak Out compilation), may not want to shell out more for this. But for a one-stop Massiera compilation, this is very wide ranging and well curated, featuring most of the best of the Mucho Gusto compilations, as well as our favorite tracks from Les Maledictus Sound. If you haven't already purchased any of the previous Massiera related releases available, and need a really good introduction, this one will do quite nicely!
MPEG Stream: THE STARLIGHTS "Mao Mao"
MPEG Stream: BASILE "Engins Bizarres et Gens Estranges"
MPEG Stream: VISITORS "Visitors"
MPEG Stream: CHRIS GALLBERT "Sing Sing"
MPEG Stream: LES MALEDICTUS SOUND "Kriminal Theme"
MPEG Stream: JESUS "Song Mortuaire"
MPEG Stream: CHICO MAGNETIC BAND "Pop Or Not"

MASSIERA, JEAN-PIERRE Midnight Massiera (Finders Keepers) cd 23.00
We'd never normally accuse the Finders Keepers Label of being slow on the draw, having turned us on to so much stuff we wouldn't know about otherwise. But we thought it a bit odd that they just released this Jean-Pierre Massiera compilation so soon after the Mucho Gusto label released the two incredible Psychoses compilations (Discoids and Freakoids) showcasing the eccentric prog, pop and disco productions of this incredible French mad genius. Yet while there is some crossover (six songs here are also on the Freakoids comp; three are also on Discoids), there is about half of Midnight Massiera that's from other outfits not featured on those two previous comps. Some we've heard of (Les Maledictus Sound, who contribute two tracks), others we've heard of but didn't realize Massiera was involved in their production (Chico Magnetic Band and Chris Gallbert, the same track featured on the awesome earlier Mucho Gusto comp, Total Freak Out!), and finally there are a few groups totally new to us: the spaghetti western Moog weirdness of S.E.M. Studios; the one and only Jesus, who contributes two tracks - one loungey freak beat, the other melancholy folk; a percussive fuzz interlude by Atlantide, and the cinematic psych-folk of Afterlife. Visitors, Hermans Rocket, Human Egg, Basile (with two tracks) Les Chats, Les Monegasques, The Pyranhas, and The Starlights make repeat appearances. Folks who already have the two previous compilations (plus the Les Maledictus Sound, Visitors, and Chico Magnetic Band albums, as well as the Total Freak Out compilation), may not want to shell out more for this. But for a one-stop Massiera compilation, this is very wide ranging and well curated, featuring most of the best of the Mucho Gusto compilations, as well as our favorite tracks from Les Maledictus Sound. If you haven't already purchased any of the previous Massiera related releases available, and need a really good introduction, this one will do quite nicely!
MPEG Stream: THE STARLIGHTS "Mao Mao"
MPEG Stream: BASILE "Engins Bizarres et Gens Estranges"
MPEG Stream: VISITORS "Visitors"
MPEG Stream: CHRIS GALLBERT "Sing Sing"
MPEG Stream: LES MALEDICTUS SOUND "Kriminal Theme"
MPEG Stream: JESUS "Song Mortuaire"
MPEG Stream: CHICO MAGNETIC BAND "Pop Or Not"

MELVINS Eggnog (Boner Records) cd ep 11.98

MIASMA & THE CAROUSEL OF HEADLESS HORSES Manfauna (Latitudes 0:14) (Latitudes / Southern) cd 13.98
We haven't heard from these guys in a while, not since their Perils disc on Mimicry from a few years back. And now they're back, as part of the ever expanding Latitudes series. Featuring members of long time AQ faves Guapo, Miasma are equally as progtastic as Guapo, but where Guapo channel the hard and heavy side of classic prog, Miasma, are more dramatic, with a gipsy folk flair, an Eastern European vibe, jaunty, and playful, cinematic and a bit over the top. Like the soundtrack to some Edward Gorey cartoon come to life. Dark and dangerous, but wild and weirdly wonderful at the same time.
The opening track here begins with a moody gipsy folk hoedown, stings and horns, woven in an intricate dance, before the drums kick in and the song is transformed into epic and intense krautrocky prog. Warm wheezing keyboards, angular riffing, wild octopoidal drumming, intricate arrangements, super dramatic keyboards and strings
A bit of a Goblin vibe, the song builds and builds and builds, a frenzied musical pagan ritual, it's hard not to imagine the band in all black, flowing robes and witches hats, performing in front of some huge stone circle on the top of a massive hill. The second track is a creeping dark ambient sprawl, lurching "Boris The Spider" bassline over whispering winds, clouds of cymbal sizzle, deep cavernous rumbles, haunting organs, mysterious effects that drift from speaker to speakerÉ
The final track begins like a simple piano and violin chamber music piece, with a definite Eastern European flair, before about halfway through, when the drums and bass kick in, and we're back in the prog, the drums complex and intricate, the bass, lumbering and minor key, the piano more and more frenzied as if trying to keep up with the drums, finally all the parts coalescing into a massive moody riff, bordering on classic doom territory, before everything drops out once again leaving just the piano and strings, until the drums come back in, then finally the bass and the guitar, the climax, intense and dramatic, epic and majestic!
Comes packaged in a super intricate hand screened die cut fold over sleeve with a full color insert. The cover has a sticker affixed to the front and each copy is hand stamped and numbered. Limited to 1000 copies worldwide, 500 of which made it to the United States, we got about 25 copiesÉ
MPEG Stream: "Manticore"
MPEG Stream: "Taus"

MIASMA & THE CAROUSEL OF HEADLESS HORSES Perils (Web Of Mimicry) cd 14.98
Featuring two members of AQ-faves Guapo, this instrumental band from the UK plays a kind of dark, baroque chamber-prog that's seemingly trying to evoke the magick of Aleister Crowley and the drawings of Edward Gorey, and also sorta sounds like eerie Eastern European circus music or a sinister silent movie orchestra or something. Theirs is a refined sort of precise prog bombast that would be ok to play as background music at the right sort of dinner party (in a candlelit English manor house, perhaps, with some murders occuring before the night is through). The song titles ("The Mage", "Whitening: Foxes Templar", "Reddening: The Blood Of The Pelican", "Asmodius Arise", etc.) suggest that some sort of occult narrative is being played out. Fans of the likes of Univers Zero and Devil Doll should definitely investigate.
MPEG Stream: "Perilous Fathoms"
MPEG Stream: "The Pale Staircase"

MIZUTANI, KIMIO A Path Through Haze (Bamboo) cd 17.98
Yay, the '70s Japanese psych rock reissues continue! Years ago this one was available on cd as a fancy expensive Japanese import, but that's been gone for ages so it's nice to have this new reish. A Path Through Haze (great title, eh?) is the mostly instrumental 1971 solo album from acid guitarist Mizutani, a fixture of the scene as a session axe, you'll find him supplying the fuzzed out leads on such records as Love Live Life +1's Love Will Make A Better You and People's Ceremony - Buddha Meets Rock. With this, he stepped out on his own with what proved to be his only album as leader. It's an ambitious affair, employing not only an all-star cast of his heavy friends from the psych scene, but also both string quartet and woodwind quartets. Also prominent on this record is the Hammond organ, piano, and Moog synth of Masahiko Satoh, who did his own album also entitled A Path Through Haze somewhat later. Confusing, eh? "A Path Through Haze" is also a song on both albums, it seems it's a Satoh composition. Here that song starts off with gentle keyboard shimmer, before Mizutani gets his licks in about halfway through, amidst much spaceiness of effects. And that's sorta how it goes with this record, lots of pretty keyboards, yes, plenty of nice moody melody, but Mizutani (usually) eventually unleashes the fuzz, particularly on rockier/riffier numbers like the Hendrix-y "One For Janis". The "chamber rock" restraint characteristic of some of this record only lasts so long, the likes of "Tell Me What You Saw" being a bit of a freak-out, with mathy prog rock rippage galore. And its Satoh's synth that goes nuts some of the time too.
This one didn't make the top 50 in Julian Cope's Japrocksampler, by the way... in fact, he actually bags on this one a bit, but WE like it, so there. Cope also didn't like Foodbrain either. While we'll agree that we'd have been happy to hear Mizutani wail away here even more than he does, it's still a beautiful album, and even its most stonery sit-com soundtrack fusion moments have a certain charm.
MPEG Stream: "A Path Through Haze"
MPEG Stream: "Turning Point"
MPEG Stream: "One For Janis"

MIZUTANI, KIMIO A Path Through Haze (Bamboo) lp 24.00
Now, reissued on vinyl!
Yay, the '70s Japanese psych rock reissues continue! Years ago this one was available on cd as a fancy expensive Japanese import, but that's been gone for ages so it's nice to have this new reish. A Path Through Haze (great title, eh?) is the mostly instrumental 1971 solo album from acid guitarist Mizutani, a fixture of the scene as a session axe, you'll find him supplying the fuzzed out leads on such records as Love Live Life +1's Love Will Make A Better You and People's Ceremony - Buddha Meets Rock. With this, he stepped out on his own with what proved to be his only album as leader. It's an ambitious affair, employing not only an all-star cast of his heavy friends from the psych scene, but also both string quartet and woodwind quartets. Also prominent on this record is the Hammond organ, piano, and Moog synth of Masahiko Satoh, who did his own album also entitled A Path Through Haze somewhat later. Confusing, eh? "A Path Through Haze" is also a song on both albums, it seems it's a Satoh composition. Here that song starts off with gentle keyboard shimmer, before Mizutani gets his licks in about halfway through, amidst much spaceiness of effects. And that's sorta how it goes with this record, lots of pretty keyboards, yes, plenty of nice moody melody, but Mizutani (usually) eventually unleashes the fuzz, particularly on rockier/riffier numbers like the Hendrix-y "One For Janis". The "chamber rock" restraint characteristic of some of this record only lasts so long, the likes of "Tell Me What You Saw" being a bit of a freak-out, with mathy prog rock rippage galore. And its Satoh's synth that goes nuts some of the time too.
This one didn't make the top 50 in Julian Cope's Japrocksampler, by the way... in fact, he actually bags on this one a bit, but WE like it, so there. Cope also didn't like Foodbrain either. While we'll agree that we'd have been happy to hear Mizutani wail away here even more than he does, it's still a beautiful album, and even its most stonery sit-com soundtrack fusion moments have a certain charm.
MPEG Stream: "A Path Through Haze"
MPEG Stream: "Turning Point"
MPEG Stream: "One For Janis"

MOORE, STEVE Fever Dream / 30,000 Feet Deep (Mexican Summer) 10" 19.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
John Carpenter. Goblin. Eighties sci-fi soundtracks. If those words have you frothing at the mouth, then this is for you. Also consider the facts: 2 new songs by 1/2 of Zombi, synth wizard Steve Moore, pressed onto limited edition 10" vinyl by Brooklyn's Mexican Summer label. They made just 500 copies, we only got a dozen. 'Nuff said? Another chunk of gloriously grooving yet sinister instrumental electronic sci-fi spaceouts, that sound like they could have been lifted straight out of some late night, straight to video, lost Carpenter flick. It of course sounds quite a bit like Steve's band Zombi, and thus suggest the above mentioned soundtrack music, but could also (like some of Zombi's output too) find a spot in a stargazing "cosmic disco" DJ's set.
Soaring synths, pulsing rhythms, fuzzy synthesized bass, mournful minor key melodies, primitive programmed rhythms, dramatic and moody and mysterious, so totally evocative and dreamy, and a bit cheesy, but in a good way. Shades of Tangerine Dream, this is definitely at the crossroads of spacey sci fi synth music and new age drift, bloopy and bleepy, almost video game sounding at times, but more often like the mood music from Phantasm or Halloween, where the main character is driving along the dark roads, it's probably raining, and while it's not explicitly scary yet, darkness and danger lurk just up ahead.
Ethereal and washed out, minimal and even a bit cold wave, this is total cinematic sci-fi new age space prog dream synth bliss.
Gorgeous packaging, extra thick vinyl, LIMITED TO 500 COPIES, each one machine numbered...

MOORE, STEVE The Henge (Relapse) cd 14.98
The short, one sentence review: it's the debut solo album from keyboard player from AQ fave Goblinesque math rock duo Zombi, and if you like Zombi, you'll probably really like this! More details, if necessary... Well, a little tizzy of controversy got started here at Aquarius when we scoped the sticker that Relapse stuck on the front of these cds. To quote, "The Henge is a huge, psychedelic, symphonic affair with Moore's patented cinematic brand of keyboard driven horror score virtuosity. For fans of Delia Gonzalez and Gavin Russom, Black Ice, Brian Eno, Ash Ra Tempel, Robert Fripp's 'Frippertronics', Heldon". No denying that this sounds quite a bit like all of that, it describes this pretty well. But we must take exception to the use of the word "patented"! Did Heldon, Goblin, John Carpenter et.al. all forget to contact the government, and then wily Steve Moore slipped in and got the patent!? Huh. Poor choice of words, "patented". But we know what they meant. It's the sound that Zombi is known for (being infuenced by) and they do it really well, and that's what this sounds like, basically Zombi without the drummer, if anything more '70s and cinematic sounding, also really sci-fi cosmic.
To his credit, Moore doesn't overtly pull out the ol' "imaginary soundtrack" concept, but he sure could have. In fact some of the more bombastic moments it seems like he's just waiting for Hollywood to come knockin', to score their next horror blockbuster. Elsewhere, at the very least this could be the most sinister soundtrack to a PBS documentary ever! Alternatively, we might describe this as New Age nightmare music. Moore's minimal-wave soundscapes, full of nervous rhythms, ominous drones, & electronic symphonics, are tense yet often deceptively pleasant. It's paranoid, menacing Muzak that hypnotizes like an unholy mix of A.R.& Machines and Dave Borden's Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Co., plus all the other names dropped in the blurb quoted above. A fine follow up to Surface To Air, even thought it's not technically a Zombi album!
MPEG Stream: "Cepheid"
MPEG Stream: "The Henge/Ascension"

MOORE, STEVE / MAJEURE Brainstorm (Temporary Residence) lp 15.98
Not sure what else to say about these two guys that we haven't already. Together in the group Zombi, and on their own, they are the modern masters of the not so modern art of John Carpenter / Goblin style psychedelic space synth futuristic-retro faux soundtrackery, and here both get to share a record and do what they do best. Moore offers up 4 tracks of THAT sound, one we can't seem to get enough of, and apparently neither can most of you: swirling sci-fi synths, pulsing rhythms, tense and cinematic, the occasional stretch of swooshy new age shimmer, but heavy on the eighties soundtrack vibe, and rife with some darkly dirgey drama, a mini-song cycle that definitely works as a whole.
Which perfectly counters Majeure, who takes up the whole B side with a three part 20+ minute epic, ditching much of the synth-disco-kraut sound that so defined previous outings, or at least the disco part of the equation, instead building a hushed and ominous dronescape, super minimal, very soundtracky, the second movement finds the sound blossoming into something more Tangerine Dreamy, cosmic and psychedelic, before eventually, for the last few minutes, returning to a sort progged out kraut-disco coda to finish things off!
Killer psychedelic sand-hand cover art. Include a download coupon as well!
MPEG Stream: STEVE MOORE "Enhanced Humanoid"
MPEG Stream: MAJEURE "Atlantis Purge"

MORKOBOT Morto (Supernatural Cat) cd 17.98
This futuristic-psychedelic Italian band from the Malleus/Ufomammut outer space orbit has come back to visit Earth again, blasting and baffling our senses with the intense radiation of the three long tracks that comprise this 40 minute disc/trip. As with their previous Monstro, the trio of Lin, Lan and Len again indulge in heavy, throbbing, occasionally spaced-out instrumentals with a rhythmic, industrial edge - something like Godflesh gone postrock amok. Or imagine the soundtrack to an alien autopsy that mixed up the internal organs of Lightning Bolt, Shellac, and Ufomammut. Sick.
MoRkObOt's guitars (both basses!) are distorted and drilling, laced with noise and FX, that gives way to moody electronic expanses, brushed with restrained, jazzy drumming. Indeed, we said "occasionally spaced-out" but maybe it's the other way around, the bulk the album actually consisting of near-ambient void-drone interrupted by the frantic panic of urgent, abrupt riffage and rigid clangorous rhythms. While this idiosyncratic band doesn't sound like most of the "doom" music we sell, believe us it's plenty ominous and intense, the doom it portends (a catastrophic asteroid impact? our sun going nova? the eventual heat-death of the universe?) not in doubt.
MPEG Stream: "Morto part I"
MPEG Stream: "Morto part II"
MPEG Stream: "Morto part III"

MORTE MACABRE Symphonic Holocaust (Mellotronen) cd 23.00
This Swedish progrock supergroup got together to interpret great horror film soundtracks, like Komeda's theme to "Rosemary's Baby" and Frizzi's music from "City Of The Living Dead" and "The Beyond". This should definitely appeal to fans of Goblin (who get covered here too, of course). Includes an amazing, epic 20-minute piece that will even satisfy Godspeed You Black Emperor fans looking for their filmic music fix.

MOTHER MALLARD'S PORTABLE MASTERPIECE CO. Like A Duck To Water (Cuneiform) cd 14.98
Billed as the world's first all-synthesizer band, the trio of Dave Borden, Judy Borsher and Steve Drews were obscure '70s "electronica" pioneers. This cd reissues their second (and last) album, originally released in 1976. Influenced by repetitive minimalist composers like Riley, Reich and Glass, along with German synth ensembles like Cluster and Tangerine Dream (although these Americans' early work was contemporary with the beginning of the krautrock electronics scene). We were also reminded at times of Italian horror soundtrack artists Goblin's moodier moments. Then, there's a couple parts that could be said to sound like a "switched on version" of your local TV news show's theme music, but we enjoyed those too. Indeed, we were pleasantly surprised by this disc, 'cause we seem to recall that the previous MMPMC reissue on Cuneiform was kinda lame Perry & Kingsley style Moog "rock" -- whereas "Like A Duck To Water" is instead a really great, mellow, spacey synth record, featuring hypnotic, repetitive, shifting compositions, some of them ten to twenty minutes in length. Sure, you'd have to imagine that the folks involved probably "progressed" into full-on New Age music-making (that's only a speculation) in the '80s, but the music on this disc avoids that fate. Good stuff, great rainy day music. Includes 3 previously unreleased tracks, and a Quicktime movie for PC and Mac (except, it wouldn't play on any of our Macs, darn it).
RealAudio clip: "C-A-G-E Part II"
RealAudio clip: "All Set"
RealAudio clip: "Waterwheel"

MOUNTAIN GOATS, THE Letter From Belgium (4AD) cd single 3.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Well well well, here's the new single from Mountain Goats' latest full length treasure We Shall All Be Healed. Yes, "Letter From Belgium" is its title and for those keepin' track, it is the fourth song on the album. This rollicking number, definitely an album highlight, is joined by the comparatively spartan, low key "Nova Scotia" and the cd version of this EP also includes a rousing singalong called "Attention All Pickpockets". Both songs were recorded in France with a little help from some "cheap but delicious red wine" (according to the liner notes). Yum, red wine! Yay, John Darnielle!
MPEG Stream: "Nova Scotia"