EVERY PIXIE SELLS A STORY

17 years without a review here ! fix that real quick!

I have this one sitting pretty but quietly, like a shy girl at a timid prom just waiting for an invite to dance. Well "Whiter Shade of Pale" this isn't I can guarantee you , rather way beyond the Pale if you catch my cosmic drift! This obscure Swedish band is an immense enigma at first listen, leaving the listener somewhat unable to rapidly get one's bearings, I mean is it Alternative , is it Industrial like Ministry, gothic like Bauhaus or harsh electronic like Killing Joke? Or is it just old fashioned space prog, albeit with a deranged twist ? All of the above really, the music is austere with constant bursts of raging mellotron, angular guitar and driving beats. Peder Jansson is the crafty guitarist, Kenneth Magnusson the 'tronman and synthesist as well as the Moorochestra on dual drums, dual bass (Stefan Renström of future Simon Says is a star) a second guitarist and a sax blower. They all relish in the role of hawkfans and play accordingly : brutally frank and unrelenting . But the true deviator is the gruesome and bleak vocals from Hans Moll, who can recite one moment and growl the next. On the sizzling opener "Consider Death" (see what I mean by macabre?) ambient synth scapes often enter the fray as if to somehow anesthetize the foreboding and morbid onslaught. Once you start getting into it, the genius shines through like when the bass rumbles through the haze, the sparkling guitar right behind and poised for the soar. "Neo- Futurist Fantasy "(now that's what I call a title!) slings the enjoyment in a totally late 80s groove, reminiscent of weird groups such as A Split Second, Cassandra Crossing and Moev, full of nasty lyrics about "unshaven legs, small tits and big asses" and a few f*** bombs thrown in for good measure! Gloomy fun! "Candlelight" is closer (oops!) to Joy Division with synths, a haunting mellotron sweeping through the fray, monolithic pounding and a supremely detached voice that has some Robert Calvert leanings (which is a very good thing). "Now" features a gripping axe solo, lusty and abrasive towards the plaintive voice, a sheer document on delirium of the wildest kind, while "Night & Day" is nearer territories covered by odd 90s bands like Trisomie 21 and Front Line Assembly, who where more electro-punk than progressive , relying almost exclusively on synths and computers to wreak their brand of havoc. But when church organ appears out of nowhere and ushers in even more grandiose mellotron (especially the choir samples for which I am a total gaga sucker), how can you not be enthralled, enraptured and flung into a very original style of prog. The Hawkwind vibe appears very evident on "Angels of Death" (another cheery title!) since it was penned by Hawkman Dave Brock and there is nothing here but celestial bliss, a screaming rocket groove that even has those Moev style vocals as Moll intones "We Are Warriors on the Edge of Time", absolute fun if you are not expecting complexity but just sonic delight as with the whistling synth solo that careens frantically over the horizon, the merciless binary beat unforgiving. Superb song! "Mines of Moria " is a brief ambient interlude that lays the groundwork for the epic "Alien Statement", a 10 minute + galactic crusade where Moll recounts how "My craft is loaded with vicious anti-matter" (laughter track!) and where the mighty Magnusson mellotron rules again supreme in most brilliant fashion , verging almost into the experimental and the symphonic. Unexpected after all the relative minimalist onslaught. While perhaps not everyone's cup of tea but under certain circumstances, this album will provide a lot of enjoyment as well as a slick conversion tool towards prog from fans of the above mentioned. You never know, they may actually succumb to the heady sounds and endless voyages! I cannot wait to hear about some of your comments, as Space/Psychedelic fans, as well as Heavy progsters will love this stuff, as long as they have an open mind. Give it a try ! 4.5 wading bogs

Sweden is defintitely at the forefront of the Psychedelic / Space Rock movement these days. THE MOOR released this their debut back in 1993. As I read their bio here and tszirmay's review I was really looking forward to this one as it sounded like it was right up my alley. As I checked it out on other sites though I noticed they were unaminously poorly rated. I went into this with an open mind but soon found myself siding with the majority. The vocals are not good at all, mostly spoken and Gothic, while the music is samey with that heavy beat along with synths and mellotron. Oh and throw in the odd guitar solo too. I'm glad I don't have the lyric sheets either as what of it I could understand (he mutters) was embarrassing.

"Consider Death" opens with that heavy beat with synths. It's catchy as these spoken Gothic vocals join in. A spacey calm before 5 minutes as the beat and vocals stop. Drums 7 1/2 minutes in as the guitar comes in and cries out to the end. "Neo-Futurist Fantasy" is embarrassing as he talks about sex and drops the f-bomb.Totally tasteless and 80's sounding. "Candlelight" has more of that dance beat as those Gothic vocals come in with synths. I like the guitar after 4 minutes.

"Now..." is better as we get more guitar and the vocals are actually singing here. Strange lyrics though. The guitar dominates after 3 minutes. It ends with this uncontrollable laughter (no that wasn't me). "Night & Day" is really more of the same although it sounds orchestral after 4 1/2 minutes to the end. "Angels Of Death" has this beat with vocals. Guitar solo after 3 1/2 minutes. "Mines Of Moria" is different as we get picked guitar and synths. Mellow. "Alien Statement" is the closing 10 1/2 minute epic. It becomes uptempo quickly with vocals, a beat, guitar and mellotron. The tempo changes often on this one.

I understand their next one is better and that Robert Calvert guests on it. Unfortunately I don't think even Robert could save this one for me.