HIGH INFIDELITY

Things get started with the over 27 minute "Souls For Sale". It's divided into 6 parts that blend together.This is the most intense ride you'll ever take. It sounds so amazing cranked up loud. The outbursts of brass and heavy drums is very industrial as angular guitar grinds away and keys come and go. It settles down in part 2 as faint vocals can be heard(they come and go throughout this part) with bass and drums. It then kicks back into that same industrial crashing that comes and goes. The contrast continues. I love the angular guitar in part 3. It settles down in part 4 as drums, cello and guitar carry on. Fripp-like guitar comes in as the sound builds. The brass screams out as piano and drums continue. This is one intense section(ok they all are). Part 5 opens with mellotron and the sound of someone breathing heavily. Words are then spoken and yelled throughout. Otherwise this section is pretty calm. The final section is utempo with heavy drums and that industrial sound from earlier. Piano, drums and horns lead the way. Angular guitar and a dark atmosphere the rest of the way.

"Strychnine For Christmas" (The Truth About Santa Claus) is almost 11 minutes long and it's divided into 2 parts. Part 1 opens with mournful cello as drums and other intricate sounds come and go. Vocals and more of a melody including mellotron 2 1/2 minutes in. Part 2 opens with very heavy drums and horns that give a doom-like feel. You know, like it's going to be over very soon. It then lightens as vocals(Kerman) and piano come in. The mellotron that follows sounds awesome. Cello and drums before the tempo picks up 3 1/2 minutes in. Vocals, piano and cello are back followed again by majestic mellotron waves. Creepy lyrics by the way from Kerman on this second part. "Rive De Fer" opens with bass as piano then sax comes in. This song reminds me of HENRY COW actually. Heavy industrial sounds come and go. It gets very intense 6 minutes in as we are hit with a furious soundscape. It calm back down before 7 minutes as dissonant sax comes in and rips it up to the end of the song.

I feel very fortunate to own UNIVERS ZERO and PRESENT recordings.These two bands despite coming off as being quite sinister are both brilliant. Like modern classical musicians from hell.

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