23 April 2024: Sieges Even; Capricorni Pneumatici; Vyormouth

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Spotify partial playlist

 

 

The Art of Navigating by the Stars is the sixth studio album by the German progressive metal band Sieges Even. It is the first album to feature the vocalist Arno Menses.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Sea of Tranquility	[1]

The album was described by Sea of Tranquility webzine as being "one of the most anticipated comeback albums of the year" and stylistically compared to Fates Warning's A Pleasant Shade of Gray in that "it is a long-form composition divided into eight movements, plus a short intro track. These movements, or sequences as they are named in the booklet, are all parts of a huge 63-minute song, linked through various key themes and motifs."^[1]

Sieges Even broke up after Uneven but returned in 2005 with The Art of Navigating by the Stars, their most sophisticated and progressive album to date, and with a new singer in Arno Menses, the best they’ve had. The music is less busy than before, with only a few vestiges of their metal past remaining. It adds some Yes influence and places a lot of emphasis on melody and vocals, both lead and harmony. Sieges Even doesn’t have a keyboardist, but the band gets a very full, rich sound from varying guitar tones. These long tracks are actually movements of one 64-minute composition.

Track listing

1. "Navigating by the Stars" − 0:29
2. "The Weight" − 10:14
3. "The Lonely Views of Condors" − 6:14
4. "Unbreakable" − 9:00
5. "Stigmata" − 8:22
6. "Blue Wide Open" − 5:13
7. "To the Ones Who Have Failed" − 7:26
8. "Lighthouse" − 7:42
9. "Styx" − 8:55

 

"Al-Azif" is the second work of Capricorni Pneumatici. Released on tape in 1987, the album was recorded in an underground location containing a group of vitrified cement tanks that created an extremely deep reverberation and amplification of sounds. The tanks were very large, some with a capacity of 500/800 quintals, others smaller. They had openings both above ground level and below the ground at depths of 5/6 meters. Thus, the sound had a very unique and impressive flow.
Among various instruments, Capricorni Pneumatici used sheets of metal, hammers, PVC pipes, air compressors, corrugated tubes, etc. The recordings were made with a Teac hi-fi tape deck and two Akai microphones suspended at different heights inside the tanks, directly connected to the tape deck. All recordings were made directly on the two-track recorder during the performance, without any digital or analogue intervention, and no overdubbing after recording.
The first seven tracks included in this reissue are the originals from the Al-Azif tape published in 1987, while the last four are part of the same recording session in June 1986, but were not included in the C45 for various reasons, mainly space constraints.
The Al-Azif tape had significant circulation (by the standards of the underground at that time), especially among enthusiasts of esotericism. Up to Ix Tab the tapes, in addition to being sold by the ADN label in Marco Veronesi's famous watchmaker's backroom, were also sold by an esoteric bookstore in Milan, circulating several hundred copies—an uncommon occurrence for such self-productions.
After the reissue of "Nibbas" (Eighth Tower Records, 2022), Al-Azif brings to light another jewel in the discography of Capricorni Pneumatici, one of the flagship projects of Italian industrial/esoteric underground in the 80s, alongside Ain Soph, Sigillum S, Rosemary’s Baby, LAShTAL, Thee Three Rings, and other representatives of this realm of sonic occultism.

Raffaele Pezzella 

credits

released March 21, 2024 

FreeForm thanks Raffaele Pezzella for providing us with a copy of this release.

REVIEWS

Avant Music News
avantmusicnews.com/2024/04/10/amn-reviews-capricorni-pneumatici-al-azif-1987-2024-eighth-tower-records

Ver Sacrum
www.versacrum.com/vs/2024/04/capricorni-pneumatici-al-azif.html

This Is Darkness
Al-Azif is the second album from Capricorni Pneumatici. Originally released on tape in 1987, this has now been released on the Eighth Tower Records label to make it available to a wider audience. This is an album of deep, dark industrial ambient with an incredibly unique sound resulting from the fact that the album was recorded underground in location containing a number of large cement tanks. Fans of industrial / post-industrial ambient should definitely check out this classic album now that it has been re-issued. Wonderful stuff!

Luminous Dash
luminousdash.be/reviews/capricorni-pneumatici-al-azif-eight-tower/

Dedicated to Abdul Alhazred, the mad poet, and his book Al-Azif.
Recorded at The Cave, June 15-16, 1986

Original tape release by 666 Production, ssk02, 1987 CP
Tracks 8-11 previously unreleased.
Cover Design by CP

Published by Eighth Tower Records in collaboration with Luce Sia

ambient dark ambient drone ambient electronic music industrial noise ambient Italy

With the album 'Between Planes, the American project Vyormouth continues its auditory journey through the liminal spaces of both the physical and psychic realms. Similar to the previous album 'Liminal Places,' in this case, it presents three tracks, each lasting an hour. This format contributes to amplifying the sense of spatiotemporal alienation characteristic of its sonic world. Whether exploring desolate and fenced cities, abandoned refueling stations, empty and surreal rooms, submerged and deserted villages, Vyormouth's post-human scenarios delve into the mental and Ballardian space that emerges and manifests in these "planes". Our ear and, consequently, our brain wander in search of coordinates and footholds that cannot be found in Vyormouth's sound, whose monotonous and desolate frequencies prevent us from establishing a psycho-spatial anchoring. It's music of stillness, observation, and the absence of a sense in perception.

credits

released March 14, 2024 

FreeForm thanks Raffaele Pezzella for providing us with a copy of this release.

REVIEWS

Avant Music News
avantmusicnews.com/2024/03/30/amn-reviews-vyormouth-between-planes-2024-zerok/#comment-47702

This Is Darkness
Zero K continues to release dark ambient / experimental albums of the highest quality, and Between Planes by Vyormouth is no different – providing an “auditory journey through the liminal spaces of both the physical and psychic realms”. With 3 tracks, each an hour in length, this album is perfect for losing yourself in as the slow pulsing drones, and monotonous and desolate frequencies take us far away from our surroundings and ourselves. Absolutely remarkable!

Ver Sacrum
www.versacrum.com/vs/2024/03/vyormouth-between-planes.html



Music by Vyormouth
Mastering by Raffaele Pezzella a.k.a. Sonologyst
Design by RhaD
Cat. Num. ZK09
© 2024. All Rights Reserved

license

all rights reserved

ambient dark ambient drone ambient industrial noise ambient soundscapes Italy

 

12 April 2022: Big Sleep; Out of Focus; Sound & Shape

 

KMXT is live broadcasting the Kodiak City Council work session which may run past 9 pm.  

The show will begin as soon as the work session ends.

Be sure to follow KMXT FreeForm Radio on Facebook and Bandcamp.  

Please support FreeForm Radio and KMXT by going to KMXT.org and pledging your support.

The music you hear on tonight's show is available on the artists' Bandcamp pages and websites (links below).    

We urge you to support the musicians you hear on FreeForm Radio.

 

ALSO:Tonight at 7:15 pm I'll play a track from Lobate Scarp's upcoming album You Have It All.

Bluebell Wood Review

by Jo-Ann Greene

Neither their 1968 debut Crossroads of Time nor their proggier, Quincy Jones produced follow-up In Fields of Ardath brought the commercial success Eyes of Blue so sought. Although the Welsh quintet were losing hope, their label head and manager Lou Reizener wasn't throwing in the towel yet. In his view, only a new moniker stood in the way of stardom; thus Eyes were renamed Big Sleep and set to work on their third and final album, 1971's Bluebell Wood.

Even in a time of feverish experimentation, the group had an incredibly unique hybrid sound that seamlessly stitched together pop elements, classical, R&B and blues, psychedelia and rock with incredibly tight and egalitarian arrangements. That latter was important, as every bandmember was a virtuoso, and thus each deserved the space to shine. Unusually, the group boasted two keyboardists, but forget comparisons to the likes of ELP, as Big Sleep's numbers often counterpointed lavish organ passages with R&B styled piano or electric keyboard, underpinning their numbers with a jazzy or bluesy aura. Acoustic guitars further enhanced the rich atmospheres, and usually followed the organ's lead. The electric guitars arrived well into the pieces, a further musical counterpoint that accentuated psychedelic organ passages or pulled the numbers into rock. Although there's an improvisational feel to it all, the songs are, in fact, very tightly structured, including the fiery guitar solos that wind around the keyboards. The band's pop sensibilities are evident too, especially on the catchy chorus of "Aunty James," passages within "Death of a Hope," and particularly on the clap along R&B of "When the Sun Was Out."

However, it was the epic eleven-plus-minute title track that sent prog rock fans wild, a showcase of Big Sleep's many styles and talents. Filled with the kind of dynamics that any modern emo band would die for, quiet passages give way to grand up-tempo segments, downbeat blues shift into raging psychedelia, and strings pile onto ballads before the band breaks into rock and the splendid vocals fill the air: Bluebell Wood had it all. Yet the album still failed to excite the masses. The band never even took the stage under their Big Sleep name, and folded soon after the set's release. So much talent would eventually find homes elsewhere (notably with Gentle Giant and Man), but it's no wonder the album has been long sought after by collectors. Now remastered and sporting its original artwork, everyone can venture back into this stunning Wood. 

 

Out Of Focus is a German Krautrock rock fusion band, formed in late-1968 in Munich with Hennes Herring on keyboards (mainly the Hammond organ), Remigius Drechsler on guitars, Moran (his civil name is Hans-Georg Neumüller) on vocals and winds, Klaus Spöri on drums and Stefan Wisheu on bass.

Out of Focus took their name from a Blue Cheer track, but had also been influenced by Soft Machine and Xhol Caravan, and rapidly established a distinctive style blending rock, jazz and psychedelic overtones. The band's music was known for the socio-political commentary present in Moran Neumüller's songs. Although typically Munich styled (with Embryo and Sahara connections) they are often compared to Canterbury fusion and Scandinavian jazz-rock acts. After Out of Focus split up, bandleader Remigius Drechsler joined Embryo in the fall of 1979 for about one year before establishing his own project, Kontrast.

Not Too Late Review

by Rolf Semprebon

Recorded in early 1974, and finally released in 1999, Not Too Late finds Out of Focus moving even further from their progressive rock roots and into progressive jazz fusion, with mostly long instrumentals, fluid rhythms, and a greater reliance on the horns. The lineup is slightly different, with the addition of an extra guitarist and saxophonist and no organ, a distinct feature on earlier records by the group. The dueling saxophones get quite complex, especially on "X," even as the rhythm section pumps out complex jazz-funk grooves similar to previous works by the band. For a bit of diversity, there is the short track "The Way I Know Her," a pastoral folk piece with acoustic guitars and flute, that perhaps reflects the musicians' move from the city of Munich to the countryside. Otherwise, from the McLaughlin-styled guitar fusion of "Y" to the crunchy rhythm workout that ends "Spanish Lines" to the wild opener "That's Very Easy," Out of Focus is in top form. Not Too Late does not venture as far into experimentation as Four Letter Monday Afternoon, and the vocal tracks, "That's Very Easy" and "The Way I Know Her," are lighter and less biting than earlier Out of Focus songs, though Neumuller's singing does flow more with the music. However, this one is still an exceptional record, full of the creative Krautrock jamming for which Out of Focus is known, and the band neither falls back on the same old sound, nor do they compromise their sound for commercial appeal. 

 

SOUND & SHAPE – Disaster Medicine (self-released)

This Tennessee trio touches a lot of bases on their latest full length, from polyrhythmic post-punk to an aggressive chugging heaviness to romantic ballads and back again. At their core, though, singer/guitarist Ryan Caudle, bassist Pat Lawry, and drummer Ben Proctor seem most comfortable positioned just slightly left of the mainstream, playing melodic modern rock that wouldn’t leave listeners discomfited slotted between the Foo Fighters and Imagine Dragons.  That’s not to sully the group’s DIY credentials, just to suggest that on the next family road trip, you and mom might both enjoy a track like “Don’t Tell Momma I’m A Sinner.”

 The Disaster Medicine trailer is here.

Sound & Shape on Bandcamp.