SACRAL LAND

The album is opened by one of the Senmuth's longest tracks. If I'm not wrong it's the first time that I see a track longer than 10 minutes in one of his albums. This track "Great Daughter Of The Sun" has a long intro that would have been great if performed by a church organ. The electronic drumming adds the usual touch of techno. It's a pity that this time Senmuth hasn't chosen a more appropriate sound. Later the guitar comes to save the maestosity and, surprise, the chuch organ comes only after more than half of the track is already gone. It slightly moves into ethnic flavours. The unusually clean guitar is excellent.

The second track has an intriguing title: "The Architect Of The Black Earth". Here we are back to the usual (in this period) Senmuth's realm made of a fusion between industrial metal and indo ethnic music. As in the previous, there are moments of symphonic grandiosity, but this time there's a prevalence of percussions and the whole environment is darker. Great guitar also here.

"Osrion" is even darker. I'd like to know how he can produce that wooden flute sound...

It's like a descent into the darkness. "Per'Isis" goes deeper and deeper. Also now I think to how this album could have been if performed by an orchestra.

With "Ahet-Aten" we see some light. I think it has something to do with the battle of light and darkness. Another good track that would have been better server by a different instrumentation.

"Golden Nubia" is an explicit geographic reference to Southern Egypt. A bit too chaotic. It lacks structure or so it seems.

"Nitocryse" (Last faraoh of 6th dinasty, an interregnum queen - Wikipedia) is usual Senmuth but with a touch of the maestosity of the first two tracks provided by keyboards and clean guitar. It's the second time that he dedicates a track to an Egyptian queen even if I don't remember on which one of his previous albums is the first.

"Sacral Erotica Of Ancient Qemt" doesn't have anything particular, but Qemt is the title of an album released by Anima, another Senmuth's side project in 2003. I Wonder what Qemt means.

"Faros Tis Alexandrias" has the wooden flute of Osrion over low pitch keyboard and percussions. The contrast bewteen the discordant flute and the very melodic keyboards and guitar is very nice.

"Numero10gy" is evocative. low volume percussions and keyboard's voices, then it's the usual Senmuth. NOt bad also this, but not an highlight.

3.5 stars. It's really better than his previous "Consciousness of Being", but not finding the right sounds is terrible for a keyboardist. Rounded down to 3.