Mater Dronic – Mundo Espectro (2013) review
Mater Dronic “Mundo Espectro” (Discos
Juana, 2013)
Juana, 2013)
Exquisitely packaged, limited edition (200)
double-vinyl reissue of the debut psych monster from these Spanish phenoms,
boasting the incredible mind-melting guitar pyrotechnics of Jose Carlos Sisto.
Across four sides (including two side-long masterpieces) and 80 jaw-dropping
minutes, this power trio delivers a veritable smorgasbord of psychedelic
listening pleasures, from dreamy, acoustic interludes to full-frontal
brain-frying assaults. The table is set with the disorienting “Angeles De Opio”
[Opium Angels], which begins with a violin opening that sounds like you’ve got
a mispressing and ended up with a excerpt from a classical string concerto
until… Whoa! That violin morphs into explosive string-bending of another type
as Sisto wrestles control of the track and turns it into a rather catchy pop
psych treat.
double-vinyl reissue of the debut psych monster from these Spanish phenoms,
boasting the incredible mind-melting guitar pyrotechnics of Jose Carlos Sisto.
Across four sides (including two side-long masterpieces) and 80 jaw-dropping
minutes, this power trio delivers a veritable smorgasbord of psychedelic
listening pleasures, from dreamy, acoustic interludes to full-frontal
brain-frying assaults. The table is set with the disorienting “Angeles De Opio”
[Opium Angels], which begins with a violin opening that sounds like you’ve got
a mispressing and ended up with a excerpt from a classical string concerto
until… Whoa! That violin morphs into explosive string-bending of another type
as Sisto wrestles control of the track and turns it into a rather catchy pop
psych treat.
The mindwarping home recordings of psych
maestro Nick (Bevis Frond) Saloman are among several signposts for what unfolds
across the rest of the album. Sisto ups the distortion ante throughout “De Todo
Y Nada Y Mientras”, which ends in a blaze of fire-breathing guitar
pyrotechnics. “Mascaras De Cielo” [Masks of Heaven] settles down for a soothing
acoustic respite, with Sisto’s gently strummed guitar weaving effortlessly
around warm female vocals. Imagine Ennio Morricone’s muse, Edda Dell’Orso
visiting a Black Sun Ensemble recording session to accentuate the late, great
Jesus Acedo’s ostrich-plummaged guitar accompaniment and you’re halfway there.
maestro Nick (Bevis Frond) Saloman are among several signposts for what unfolds
across the rest of the album. Sisto ups the distortion ante throughout “De Todo
Y Nada Y Mientras”, which ends in a blaze of fire-breathing guitar
pyrotechnics. “Mascaras De Cielo” [Masks of Heaven] settles down for a soothing
acoustic respite, with Sisto’s gently strummed guitar weaving effortlessly
around warm female vocals. Imagine Ennio Morricone’s muse, Edda Dell’Orso
visiting a Black Sun Ensemble recording session to accentuate the late, great
Jesus Acedo’s ostrich-plummaged guitar accompaniment and you’re halfway there.
The first of two side-long monsters, “Sin
Fin” [Endless, and at 19½ minutes, it surely is!] opens delicately, as Sisto
whispers his lyrics above a tender ruminative guitar backing which closely
approximates angelic harps being tenderly plucked in heaven. But, hark,
something ominous this way comes. Synths burst into electric currents of
buzzing flies, a piano tinkles recklessly in a nearby room, and Sisto stalks
into the room behind Cater Jones Strand’s frantic, falling-down-the-stairs
drumming which threatens to jump out of your speakers and grab you by the
throat and drag you down with it. The heart quickens as the pace builds to a
no-holds-barred conflagration of epic proportions and the race is on to
discover which soul-cleansing roar will succumb first – Sisto’s
throat-shredding screeching or his finger-bleeding guitar destruction bordering
on the orgiastic fretwork of Japanese guitar gods Haino Keiji and Kawabata
Makoto.
Fin” [Endless, and at 19½ minutes, it surely is!] opens delicately, as Sisto
whispers his lyrics above a tender ruminative guitar backing which closely
approximates angelic harps being tenderly plucked in heaven. But, hark,
something ominous this way comes. Synths burst into electric currents of
buzzing flies, a piano tinkles recklessly in a nearby room, and Sisto stalks
into the room behind Cater Jones Strand’s frantic, falling-down-the-stairs
drumming which threatens to jump out of your speakers and grab you by the
throat and drag you down with it. The heart quickens as the pace builds to a
no-holds-barred conflagration of epic proportions and the race is on to
discover which soul-cleansing roar will succumb first – Sisto’s
throat-shredding screeching or his finger-bleeding guitar destruction bordering
on the orgiastic fretwork of Japanese guitar gods Haino Keiji and Kawabata
Makoto.
The second album opens with another
melancholic floater, the suitably-titled “Amor Glacial”, which helps restore
our bearings following the previous brain-frying assault. The contemplative
mood continues on the eerie “Como Extrano”, whose arpeggioed guitar echo
recalls The Bevis Frond’s “Song For The Sky” until Sisto’s fingers do the
talking and turn his guitar into a six-string flamethrower.
melancholic floater, the suitably-titled “Amor Glacial”, which helps restore
our bearings following the previous brain-frying assault. The contemplative
mood continues on the eerie “Como Extrano”, whose arpeggioed guitar echo
recalls The Bevis Frond’s “Song For The Sky” until Sisto’s fingers do the
talking and turn his guitar into a six-string flamethrower.
A soft flamenco-styled guitar intro
announces the 20-minute side-long closer, “Sanctus Mantra” and this is sacred
guitar music indeed. Sisto and Co. pull out all the stops enroute to sonic
nirvana, as Hendrixian improvisations scream out of Sisto’s guitar, pinning the
listener to the wall as blood trickles from various orifices and ecstasy is
achieved. About halfway through, the song comes to a complete halt – a
minute-plus respite of auditory silence that allows us time to gather our
senses and prepare for the song to return as if a marching band were approaching
form around the corner. But once they arrive, it’s everybody for themselves, as
violins soar above Sisto’s chanting vocals – and the sacred mantra of Mater
Dronic permeates our psyche for an aural experience that will not soon be
forgotten. Act fast to own a piece of history and grab this collector’s item
before they’re all gone.
announces the 20-minute side-long closer, “Sanctus Mantra” and this is sacred
guitar music indeed. Sisto and Co. pull out all the stops enroute to sonic
nirvana, as Hendrixian improvisations scream out of Sisto’s guitar, pinning the
listener to the wall as blood trickles from various orifices and ecstasy is
achieved. About halfway through, the song comes to a complete halt – a
minute-plus respite of auditory silence that allows us time to gather our
senses and prepare for the song to return as if a marching band were approaching
form around the corner. But once they arrive, it’s everybody for themselves, as
violins soar above Sisto’s chanting vocals – and the sacred mantra of Mater
Dronic permeates our psyche for an aural experience that will not soon be
forgotten. Act fast to own a piece of history and grab this collector’s item
before they’re all gone.
Review made by Jeff Penczak/2013
© Copyright
http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2013
http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2013
