REGARDING PURGATORIES

There's a reason this is called Dave Kerman & 5UU'S now instead of just 5UU'S. Bob Drake the vocalist / bass player / producer has left leaving Dave to take the reins once again. Kerman is a multi-instrumentalist, and he pretty much does it all here including composing all the music and lyrics. He does have some guests helping out though including Deborah Perry (THINKING PLAGUE) on vocals, Keith Macksoud (PRESENT) on bass, Sanjay Kumar (5 UU's, U-TOTEM) on keyboards and there are others helping out as well. For me this is an upgrade over the previous two albums. Just my taste in music I suppose, but I really like this album.

"Meteora" opens with atmosphere and strange sounds early on. It kicks in before 2 1/2 minutes with drums and experimental guitar (I think). Voices fade in and out before 4 1/2 minutes. Angular guitar 5 1/2 minutes in. A bell and strange sounds including voices end it. "Pinwheel" opens with drums and other sounds as piano joins in. Guitar after 1 1/2 minutes. Great sound ! It settles with female vocals and piano before 2 1/2 minutes. It then kicks back in a minute later. A haunting calm before 5 minutes to end it. "Below And Beyond" picks up before a minute. It's kind of creepy here. Female vocals before 1 1/2 minutes with dark piano lines. It's building briefly 3 1/2 minutes in. "To Fall On Deaf Ears (Part One)" hits the ground running. It stops as a buzzer goes off. This sequence happens again then these distorted vocals arrive. It's intense 2 minutes in and check out the drumming ! It settles back 3 1/2 minutes in then the vocals return. "Half-Akin To Gladsome" is a short piano and female vocal piece. "Drachma" is more powerful with vocals. High pitched sounds around 1 1/2 minutes. It's haunting after 3 minutes including the vocal melodies.

"First Person Jocular" is dissonant then it settles as the vocals arrive. They stop as pulsating sounds take over. Guitar 2 minutes in then these whispered vocals also take part. It's experimental late. "String Of Hey- Days" has these mono-toned vocals until it changes after a minute.Vocals come and go. "Day 29" has a heavy beat with an eerie background as vocals and piano come and go. "Gordion Knot" sounds great when it kicks in before a minute. Vocals join in. "Stand On Ceremony" has these avant vocals, drums and overall sound. That changes before a minute. "To Fall On Deaf Ears (Part Two)" eventually pulses wth percussion and dark vocal expressions.Vocals after 3 1/2 minutes with piano. A calm with piano 7 minutes in then vocals and a fuller sound arrive a minute later. Lots of percussion too.

Just an excellent Rio / Avant album and proof that Dave Kerman is from another planet.

This album is one of the most interesting I've heard lately. Imagine a KING CRIMSON even darker than it already is, add a gothic and oppressive atmosphere, and you've got a good initial idea of ​​what this album sounds like. David KERMAN wrote all the pieces for the album, in addition to taking charge of almost all the instruments: guitars, keyboards, drums, bass, vocals, and strange noises. On this occasion, the rest of the group consists of Sanjay KUMAR (keyboards), Keith MACKSOUD (bass), Mark McCOIN (percussion), Deborah PERRY (vocals) and Charles TURNER (piano). The album, as its title indicates, reflects on the purgatories we have in life, and deals with themes such as loneliness, alienation from modern life and the force of destiny. Most of the compositions are based on dense layers of guitars and keyboards, marked with KERMAN's characteristic arrhythmic bars, on which they put irregular melodies, sinister songs, and a lot of strange noises. Quite a hearing challenge, which of course, I do not recommend to those with delicate ears! - Martín HERNÁNDEZ