INDUSTRIAL SABOTAGE

Justifiably MARS EVERYWHERE, at least this album, can be treated as an insiders' tip if you're going to point out some unique space rock classics. Hailing from the Washington DC area they started as a duo acting in the vein of the good old Berlin School producing electronic sounds coming from diverse analogue synthesizers. Several recordings from this period are existing on cassette only. But more and more the project evolved towards space rock when incorporating bass and drums and experienced several line-up changes. Now this album seems to be the band's culmination point speaking of the artistical qualities. Unfortunately soon after they disappeared from the scene.

It's wondrous that this album is not digitally re-issued yet - the original vinyl is very hard to find though - relatively expensive at any rate. Here we have a lot of contributors and the electronic component is still very dominant - what means nearly every musician handles a synthesizer or similar equipment. This will be confirmed when starting with the opener The Enchanted Domain and experimental electronics first, slightly implying some war adapted sounds I would say. But soon they contrast when fading into a melancholic gliding phase where bass and drums appear. They provide a wonderful spacey mood with sparkling organ similar background, later supported by trumpet which even serves an avantgarde touch. And then founder Ernie Falcone comes up with an expressive guitar solo. Man .. this is really impressing!

Steady State Theory now shows them blending spacey and jazzy fusionesque elements, Barney Jones uses the clarinet - stylistically this reminds me of Doug Walker (Alien Planetscapes) who unfortunately passed away far too early. The intriguing Mare Chromium leads you to other planets once again, echoing clarinet and soaring guitar are duelling - the synthesizers take a backseat here. Zöln continues with a weird vocal contribution and then again they start to another journey accompanied by twittering synths. A mysterious pulsative behaviour, many breaks and turns - this is pushing the track to something highly entertaining, wow!

'Industrial Sabotage' offers space rock off the beaten path because MARS EVERYWHERE provide a very unique and enjoyable cocktail here. Highly recommended if you have the chance to reach for a vinyl copy.