REVIEW: MNPLTR - PRTTP

 

MNPLTR - PRTTP (Precipice Recs, 2001):

Track List: 1- cnfssn, 2- ftrlf, 3-ctchr, 4- mn, 5-pdwn,, 6- prnd, 7- nw wrld, 8- cls, 9- dlr, 10- ngl, 11- rmt, 12- shttr

Why the hell this band does not use vowels in the titles of his songs and in all the booklet?? Why?? In fact the name of the band would Manipulator if all the vowels were there. Well, I don´t know, but the music here is strange too. Somewhat industrial, somewhat trance. But I like it! From the start with "Cnfssn" (confession?, confussion?) with its electronic beats and the vocals that are sometimes singed, sometimes whispered. Track number two "Ftrlf" is heavier with distorted guitars, but the electronics and industrial sounds are still all over the place. The music here is really experimental (in some passages the singer reminds me of John Wetton in the great King Crimson album "Red"). One fundamental thing here is the electronic percussion that is heavily used aontrasting with calm vocals. A strange CD but all people who like experimental music will love it. Favorite tracks: "Ctchr", "pdwn" and "Shttr". Contact : precipice@mindspring.com

REVIEW: MISANTHROPE - LIBERTINE HUMILIATIONS

 

MISANTHROPE - LIBERTINE HUMILIATIONS (Holy Records, 2000):

Technical data:

Recorded and Mixed at Fredman Studios

Engineered and Mixed by Fredrik Nordström

Artwork by Severine for Holy Records

Track List: 1- Misanthrope Necromancer, 2- Matador de L´Entreme, 3- At 666 Days, 4- L´ecume des Chavans, 5- Total Eclipse Chaos, 6- Sous L´Eclat Blanc de Nouveau Millenaire, 7- Crisis of Soul, 8- Combatant Sans Sepulture, 9- Antiquary to Mediocrity, 10- Humiliations Libertines

As most of you surely know Misanthrope is one of the main bands in Holy Records, this label that always surprises with bands .like Stille Volk, Septic Flesh and many more. The music of Misanthrope is the most complex death metal with a lot of technical passages, sudden breaks and very heavy rhythms. This can be fully appreciated on this release because of the excelent mix done by Fredrik Nordström that gives a lot of clarity to the drums and bass and adds a lot of bottom end to the guitars making the result more powerful. Excellent rhythms and many arrangements are what makes this release so special. This is originality within the death metal realm. Favorite tracks: "Matador de L´Entreme", "At 666 Days" and "Total Eclipse Chaos". 

REVIEW: MING - RED

 

MING - RED (Hombré Recordings, 2000):

Technical data:

Mastered by Sean Magee at Abbey Road

Produced by Andy Knepp

Artwork by Miriam Stenning.

Track List: 1- Come, 2- Fish, 3- Vase, 4- Wings, 5- Yours, 6- Still, 7- Mine, 8- Angels, 9- Witch, 10- Taste, 11- Red, 12- Bailarina, 13- Wait, 14- Running

Ming is a project that makes electronic music in a more accesible format. I mean this because of the kind of rhythms that are used within this recording and because of the vocals that are used to which are really melodic. But in fact this is not music conceived to be in the charts, because the melodies are too ethereal, too obscure if you like or maybe they are different from what the people that like commercial music are accustomed to listen to. There are some beats that are fairly accessible and the songs have common song structures like intro - verse - verse - chorus - verse - chorus. SO who knows if Ming can not be in the charts in the future?. Favorite tracks: "Still", "Angels" and "Fish". Contact: www.hombre.co.uk

REVIEW: MILO FINE JAZZ ENSEMBLE - KOI / KLOPS

 

MILO FINE JAZZ ENSEMBLE - KOI / KLOPS (Emanem Disc, 2001):

Technical data:

Diigital Concert Recordings done by Milo Fine

Mastering by Dan Rein

Photo by Paul Higgins.

Track List: 1- MF/SG 121001, 2- MF/SG 121002, 3- MF/SG/JS/NS 22011, 4- MF/SG/JS/NS 22012, 5- MF/SG/SN (incorporating elements of "181" by Scott Newell)

Milo Fine plays a lot of instruments ....and on this recording he is playing electronic drums, drums, piano, clarinet, electronic clarinet, violin and celeste (what a variety of different instruments!!). The recordings presented here are from three Milo Fine concerts, one on Decmber 2000 and the others on February an April of 2001. He is joined here by Steve Gnitka on amplified guitar, Jason Shapiro on piano and synthesizer, Nathan Smith on acoustic bass and guitar an dbass clarinet and Scott Newell on tenor saxophone and vocals. Playing in different line ups through the recordings, allows Fine to experiment with different musical formats, letting his imagination fly, and combining his sounds with the ones produced by the other musicians in order to create his musical structures. There is a lot of jazz influence on this particular recording, specially on the first track where Milo pays the piano and on certain acoustic bass passages. This is recommended listening for those who like improvisation and spontaneity. Favorite tracks: "MF/SG 121001" and "MF/SG/JS/NS 22012". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

REVIEW: MAINPOINT - HEAVEN / EARTH

 

MAINPOINT - HEAVEN / EARTH (Morbid Records, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at DJ Sound Production Studio

Recorded, Mixed and Edited by Dirk Grabow and Mainpoint

Artwork by Mainpoint, Medienoperaring Kleemann and Mudu.

Track List: 1- Under the Cross, 2- Frozen Girl, 3- Again, 4- The Faithless Power of Jesus Christ, 5- Heaven and Earth, 6- Times, 7- Misanthropy, 8- Anaemic State, 9- Contaminated

How can I describe the music of Mainpoint and be fair? I think that sayiong that it ahs element of gothic music, and a lot of elements of metal would be a correct but short sighted way...but the elements and influences in Mainpoint are so many to be described in just a few words. Here we have nine powerful tracks which are completely different one from the other. Some in the vein of maybe Moonspell (the vocals sometimes remind me of that band) but heavier. And what gives a lot of identity to the band are the keyboards that are all the time playing arrangements in all the songs. One word that I would use to describe this CD is dense. It is like being in the middle of a fog that starts surrounding you without letting you breath. The guitars are extremely heavy and have a very particular sound (they sound like eighties heavy metal but playing a completely different music). Favorite tracks: All the CD. Contact: www.morbidrecords.de 

REVIEW: MASTIFAL - HOLOCAUSTO MENTAL

 

MASTIFAL - HOLOCAUSTO MENTAL (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded and Mixed at Estudios Sebastián de la Riega

Engineered by Sebastián de la Riega

Cover Art: Huno

Track List: 1- Holocausto mental, 2- Devastación, 3- Espectáculo macabro, 4- Apodado hijo del diablo, 5- Privado de Libertad, 6- Lenta Muerte, 7- Indiferencia, 8- Ebola, 9- Cuando el sol crucifique mi nombre, 10- Fabrica de Monos, 11- La plegaria del obrero

This is pure thrash metal with elements typical of that style like certain drum patterns or guitar riffs. I like the way the tracks are made with a lot of arrangements on the guitars (like on "Devastación" in the middle part). The vocals are more brutal than in most of thrash metal bands and I think this give identity to the band, specially when used diferent from other bands. The main element here are the guitar riffs combined with the drums and the vocals (in the choruses there are screamings like in bands like Exodus for example). The CD is mixed in a way that reminds the thrash bands from the late eighties and beginning of the nineties with the bass really up in the front. The lyrics of this band are centered on the problematics of modern society, specially in third world countries...as an example check "Ebola" or "Devastación". Favorite tracks: "Holocausto mental", "Cuando el Sol crucifique Mi Nombre" and " La Plegaria del Obrero". Contact: www.mastifal.com.ar

REVIEW: M3 - UN EAR THING

 

M3 - UN EAR THING (Sublingual Records, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at PlayRooMuzik

Recorded, Mixed and Edited by M3

Digital Mastering by Pete Araya.

Track List: 1- Crossing Guard, 2- Mobile, 3- Batique Space, 4- Occultation, 5- Then I Walked Further On, 6- Code Gate, 7- Impregnant, 8- Crooked Mile, 9- Triangular 1, 10- Triangular 2, 11- Plow

M3 is an improvisational trio consisting in Roger Miller on bass and electronics systems/looping and drums, Laurence Miller on drums and Benjamin Miller on guitar, arch-top guitar and drums. The musiuc here is really spontaneous and at the same time has great coherence among the three musicians, creating passages that go from really hevay like on the first track "Crossing Guard", to almost ambient sounding ones in the next track "Mobile". I find this trio an experimental group that is far more interesting than most of the other outfits that are out there because their ideas are better presented and they have achieved great results here. It is interesting to see how while Benjamin and Roger create weird sounds and new stuff, Laurence manages to do some interesting rhythms to make the tracks more experimental and accesible. A good release for fans of improvisation. Favorite tracks: "Batique Space", "Code Gate" and "Plow". Contact: www.sublingual.com

REVIEW: LIFEND - ENTWINED EMOTIONS

 

LIFEND - ENTWINED EMOTIONS (Independent, 2001):

Track List: 1- First, 2- Wait in Silence and Die, 3- This Cold Life, 4- Violence in Music

A magnificent keyboard introduction leads us into the world of the music of Lifend. This is an italian ban thart makes a music that we can call death/black/gothic metal, that was formed in 1999 (under the name My Dark Side before changing their name to Lifend on September 2001). Thir music is heavy and extremely dark and melodic at the same time. And they rely heavily on the use of keyboards (Davide is great in making all the melodies tha make so special their music) that contrast with the crushing guitars (who also make sad melodies in the vein of early My Dying Bride). One thing that I would like to remark is the great combination of vocals...there are two types of male vocals (one more gothic and the other more death/black metal) and also a female vocalist called Sara who has a really personal vocal style and adds a great contrast to the music. I can define Lifend´s mnusi as Light nad Darkness, that is full of contrasts between the instruments and the voices. A great first step for this band. I hope to listen more of their music in the future. Favorite tracks: "This Cold Life" and "Wait in Silence and Die". Contact: www.lifend.cjb.net

REVIEW: KOAN - FRONTIERS

 

KOAN - FRONTIERS (Red Stream, 2000):

Technical data:

Recorded by Spher

Art by Steve Miller / Extremities

Track List: 1- Transe in (Forest), 2- Innocent, 3- Unfolding Spaces, 4- Neon Dreams, 5- Underwaters, 6- Looking for the frontiers, 7- Disintegrating, 8-Chaos, 9- Transe Out (rain)

Koan´s music is really weird. Full of electronics and ambient parts with some vocals, and heavy use of keyboards and programming. In fact the vocals here are used as another instrument. That is, the voices here are doing melodies in order to make the result stranger and sometimes they are harmonized in order to create some weird chants (sometimes kind of gregorian, sometimes kind of tribal). There are some electronic drums that give rhythm to some of the tracks contained on this CD. If you like experimental music and electronics with innovative composition, this can be yours, if you don´t like it, probably you will hate it. Favorite tracks: "Unfolding Spaces", "Looking For the Forntiers" and " Chaos". Contact: www.redstream.org

REVIEW: KENT CARTER - BEAUVAIS CATHEDRAL

 

KENT CARTER - BEAUVAIS CATHEDRAL (Emanem Disc, 2001):

Technical data

Recorded at the music room of the Chateau de Maignelay (except 12 recorded at a radio station in Paris)

Recorded by Daniel Deshay and Kent Carter.

Mastering and design by Martin Davidson

Track List: 1- Cello Solo: Pinch, 2- Dance Two: Rhapsody, 3- Play Time, 4- Stretch, 5- Bass Time For Max, 6- Chateau de Maignelay, 7- Other Fingers, 8- Cello Solo 2: Beginnings, 9- Michala Dance, 10- Bass Suite Nº1: Fingers, 11- Beauvais Cathedral, 12- Thumps, 13- Steps, 14- Tarragona

Free Improvisations done by cello and double bass master Kent Carter during 1974 and 1975 , recorded at the Chateau de Maignelay. This are spontaneous ideas that MR. Carter had in his brain while playing in that moment. You can listen a lot of variations in his music, going from melodic lines using the lower spectre of the instrument sound to some high pitched sounds. But it is incredible how coherente and yet experimental is the music that Kent Carter does...how he has in mind certain structures nad he constantly uses them and breaks them and puts them together in a different way creating a collage on its own. While being certainly strange in some moments, the music here is not as difficult for the normal ear as sometimes improvised or spontaneous music can be. In fact the sound of the cello and double bass is so warm and the mastery of the instrument that Carter has are enough to guarantee a great result. Favorite tracks: "Cello Solo 1: Pinch", "Bass Suite No 1" and "Tarragona". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com