BRUCE LAMONT (Feral Songs For The Epic Decline) CD
Bruce Lamont's first solo album is absolutely beautiful. One gets the impression that it is partly grounded in the shamanistic heritage of Native American culture. This is especially true for the epic opening track 'One Who Stands On The Earth'. Although the folk influence cannot be ignored, it is fascinating to hear how it transforms itself into a tribal beat. At the beginning the song is dominated by Lamont's acoustic guitar and his dark incantatory voice, but later on the mescaline kicks in and one gets the feeling of sitting at Shiprock or Cedar Mountain. But 'Feral Songs For The Epic Decline' has much more to offer. 'Year Without Summer' is deeply rooted in Heathen folk and reveals an apocalyptic vibe that runs like a red thread through each of the seven tracks.
I am not sure whether 'The Book Of The Law' is about Crowley's mysterious book 'Liber Al vel Legis', but this tracks sounds as if it was recorded at Boleskin House. Bruce Lamont is also an excellent saxophone player and 'Disgruntled Employer' is an impressive demonstration of his skills. In spite of the sax, the song doesn't lose its lysergic and ritualistic character. In the event that you hate jazz, there's no need to panic, because 'Disgruntled Employer' has not much in common with jazz. 'Deconstructing Self Destruction' is the most aggressive and disturbing song on 'Feral Songs For The Epic Decline'. Don't be fooled by the smooth guitar tones at the beginning, because it takes only a short time and you will be confronted with a merciless mixture of power electronics, grind, and psychoactive noise. It is thus all the more surprising that there is a sudden end.
The album ends with '2 Then The 3', which once again picks up the folk influence. Bruce Lamont's intense vocals are just gorgeous and again, the sax as well as the harmonica generate a fine atmospheric mood. Tender melancholy and the feeling of isolation can also be found in '2 Then The 3', as is inner contemplation and the faith in a better tomorrow. This album was created for and still effectively used for the enjoyment of powerful psychotropics (but it also works without mind-altering substances), and it is multi-dimentional in nature, at times frightening, other times, soothing, bizzare and very cerebral. Furthermore it is incredibly visual and very vigorous. It's full of a strange, inexplicable magic and it has a mysterious, distinctly pagan quality. It is highly recommandable to open minded people.
(KK)