TEMPLARS-IN SACRED BLOOD

This is the sixth release by John Zorn's Moonchild Trio (Mike Patton - Vocals, Trevor Dunn - Bass, Joey Baron - Drums) here augmented by John Medeski on Organ. Probably the most 'accessible' of all the Moonchild discs, it is still not for everyone. Not even most people. Mike Patton's chainsaw banshee wailing and screaming can clear a room in a heartbeat, and even inspire anger in some. If you have a sense of humor and an appreciation for unconventional vocals, he can be endlessly entertaining, funny, and astoundingly creative. The first Moonchild release, Songs Without Words, set the template for the five to follow, with Patton contributing non-verbal glossolalia-like Ur- Language vocalizations, screams, grunts, growls and mouth noises, over complex, unpredictable, at times chaotic sounding rhythmic excursions by Trevor Dunn's distorted bass and Joey Baron's inexhaustibly creative drumming. 'Six Litanies for Heliogabalus' arguably represents a pinnacle of this approach. 'Templars: In Sacred Blood' however, bucks the trend and takes a decisive step towards structure, and employs actual words for the first time on any Moonchild release. It is in fact as close to what one might call 'Prog Rock' as any work Zorn has ever produced, though still laced liberally with his characteristic, RIO-ish, free jazz approach to sonic chaos.

This music is thick with brooding, medieval atmospheres, as befits the subject matter - the legend of the Knights Templars, and their accusation by the Catholic Church of Baphomet / Devil Worship, which subsequently led to their persecution and near extinction (allegedly so that the Church could get the 'treasure' they thought the Knights had supposedly acquired) John Medeski's organ paints mysterious swaths of darkness in candle-lit monastic hallways over Baron and Dunn's jazzy rhythms while Patton whispers impressionistic poetry about alchemy and magick, alternating between Latin and English, suddenly lurching into dissonant, King Crimson-ish blasts of metal, Patton shrieking and screaming and roaring words of "murder!" "flames!" "rupture!" It is this characteristic see-sawing between delicate impressionistic medieval jazz and barbaric metal noise slabs that cause some to consider this 'more accessible' than the other ones (consistent structure as opposed to constant chaos) yet, as I discovered to my consternation, disturbs others to the breaking point. A couple of songs nearly sent my girlfriend into an anxiety attack. I thought she would appreciate the quiet sections, but nope, they just made her more nervous, waiting for the screaming to come back around. I cant play it for her anymore. Considering it involves both John Zorn and Mike Patton it was probably hopeless from the start!

This is the first Zorn disc I have ever fully loved, and I bought all the previous Moonchild discs because of it. To my ears, his music has never before been so arranged, so focused in its effect. He has the best musicians here to help him. Trevor Dunn and Joey Baron can do anything they want with bass and drums, and the addition of Medeski's organ adds an indescribable and unexpected beauty. For me, the music is never better than when Patton is reciting Zorn's graphic and evocative poetry (inspired by and dedicated to the works of Edgar Varese, Antonin Artaud, and Aleister Crowley) over the swirling vortex of sound this ensemble creates. Patton is the best, most interesting, most versatile vocalist around, and his wordless screaming and gibberish on "Heliogabalus' is a listening experience like no other, yet his effect here is intensified even further by the rhythmic / phonetic demands of reciting actual words over this music.

For the musically adventurous this is one of those great coaster rides that must be experienced all the way through. But the feint of heart beware: there is some dark, powerful magick at work in this music. Careful what you think about as you listen, for it may give you the power to manifest it, as befits, I suspect, Zorns' will and purpose.