OFF: Circle, Pharaoh Overlord, Paul Chain

[Stephan Forstner]

Well, I've only had a chance to listen to them thru once - its going to take
a lot more listens to properly digest these, but here's some comments:

>>Circle - Taantumus
>
>Oh, so the 'new one' Richard was talking about is really the new one that
>Jussi had sent me before (seeing that Taantumus is Track 9 on what I have).
>How do you like that "Lyhytaallosta" track...awesome, eh?
>
On the release I have here Taantumus is Track 11 (of 12), so there must have
been some rearranging or additions in the meantime. The title track is
beautiful, laid-back and melancholy (or at least laid-back for Circle).
Lyhytaallosta by contrast is thoroughly freaky! I love that huge fuzzy bass
in there. And the following track Ranta is over the top, 30 seconds of
yelling over a wall of noise. I think the high points on this album (and
there are a lot) are the equal of the best of Circle's previous output (and
that's saying a lot), but  first impression is that the album as a whole
misses being a masterpiece on the order of Zopalki, Pori, or Prospekt: those
3 were more cohesive collections of music. This is still some pretty
fantastic stuff.

>Who has released this one?  Metamorphos is gone, so I guess Ektro (Jussi's
>label).  Is it/will it be on tUMULt here in the US as well?  I guess I will
>have to find out.
>
Taantumus is on Bad Vugum, but I think andee of tUMULt has said that he will
be releasing it in the US.

>>Pharaoh Overlord - #1
>>
This one is on Ektro,and it is outstanding. The drums have a lighter feel
than Circle, but they take a page from that band, sounding completely
rock-steady while at the same time continually changing in proper Circle
fashion. Unlike Circle though, where the percussion tends to drive the song
forward, here it's the guitars that pull the pieces along while the drums
seem more static, acting as an anchor for the fantastic guitar fest riding
on top of them. Reviews I've seen compare the guitars to Ash Ra Tempel and I
agree, there is that feel to them, or like a more structured and melodic
SubArachnoid Space. I think this album does attain the heights of the Circle
trinity I mentioned above, although by a somewhat different, and maybe a
simpler, path. I think this is more accessible than Circle as well, and this
is one of those rare cases where that is not a bad thing. Did I mention I
think this is outstanding?

>
> Wonder why Frustram Quartet didn't make it on that one.
>
If we're lucky, maybe we'll get a whole CD's worth some time in the future.

Paul Chain - Signs from Space
Richard was plugging this earlier, and he is right: these guys really do
have the spirit, if not quite the chops, of '72 Hawkwind.

Note, I am not a critic or musician, so take all that I say with a grain of
salt - hopefully we will get more qualified people giving their reviews of
these titles.

Stephan