Stepping away from the titans of Egyptian death metal know as Nile, Sanders once more provides us with a unique perspective of his talent. On this his second solo project, he again delivers an almost completely instrumental journey back to the ancient lands that is so imbedded in his music. Relying on some very unique instruments and playing them totally by himself, Sanders has captured the sound and feel of antiquity on this album. With the only vocals being tribal like chanting that accompanies the music it is easy to be swept into a world that is long gone.
Ok…to be honest when I first heard the opening song "Preliminary Purification Before The Calling Of Inanna" the first thing that popped into my head was the scene from the movie King Kong where they are sacrificing the girl to Kong. On this album Sanders really emphasizes the rhythm with amazing use of the percussion at his disposal. Although he is not known for his work on the drums, Karl proves to be very good at it. He also can bring to life the ancient world that he is trying to depict. Sure, I thought of the jungle when I head the beginning but it could have just as easily been a trip down the Euphrates River on a barge.
Using instruments such as his Baglama Saz and Glissentar among others, Sanders is on a mission to teach us as much about the time period he is fascinated with in as authentic a way as possible. Along with this he also adds some very magical sounding acoustic work to which he adds a little bit of a modern touch such as on "Contemplate This On The Tree Of Woe". Here he does a little bit of nylon string shredding courtesy of his Baglama Saz on this haunting piece.
The main emphasis of the album though is the percussion. This is one of those discs where if you throw on the headphones, it will take you to a time when there could be a virgin sacrificed to their chosen deity and this CD will make the visualization of such a ritual very easy. It is a fantastic atmospheric piece that will do things to your head like only great music can.
Those who think they are going to get the leftovers from the latest Nile album will be sorely disappointed. Those who can appreciate the intricacy and multiple layers of this disc will find a perfect companion for those times when you want to just forget about it all and get swept away in the music. This is an album that engages the grey cells and each time you listen it will invoke wild thoughts of what the music can mean. It is a truly great piece that most certainly deserves a place in your collection.
Track listing:
1. Preliminary Purification Before The Calling Of Inanna
2. Rapture Of The Empty Spaces
3. Contemplate This On The Tree Of Woe
4. A Most Effective Exorcism Against Azagthoth And His Emissaries
5. Slaves Unto Nitokris
6. Shira Gula Pazu
7. Kali Ma
8. Curse The Sun
9. Implement And Cruxifiction Of The Last Remnants Of The Pre-Human Serpent Volk
10. Dying Embers Of The Aga Mass SSSratu
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