Post by thesoundmonitor on Jun 11, 2004 7:07:10 GMT -5
SANCTUM
Let’s Eat
(Cold Meat Industry)
Eight years between meals is enough to make anyone hungry. But that’s how long a wait it’s been since Sanctum offered their debut feast Lupus in Fabulaa veritable smorgasboard of neo-industrial noise clashing with sweeping neo-classical string arrangements complete with ageless words of wisdom. Granted there has been the occasional snack, namely the superbly packaged The Answer to His Riddle10”, an American tour and subsequent live document NYC Blusterand numerous side dishes (Parca Pace, Mago and Azure Skies) as well as sporadic remixes for a variety of industrial and metal acts. But otherwise it’s been a fast of Ramadanic proportions.
But the downtime has not been altogether unfruitful. Indeed time away from the studio has enabled the band to return to the scene with equal enthusiasm and emboldened experimentalism just as they did back in the mid nineties. Though considerably stripped back in comparison Let’s Eat nevertheless matches their debut in terms of introspective brilliance and grandiose dramatics.
Founders Jan Carleklev and Palle Paulsson are the mainstays here, with time taking it’s toll on both Marika Ljungberg and Lena Robert. On the upswing the duo have employed the services of Sara-Lo av Ekstam to provide the female vox, which she does with aplomb. Though limited to the one track (‘A Pose’) her vocal beauty is no less attractive, lilting much like Ann-Mari Edvardson of The 3rd and the Mortal, as she weaves between the mechanical furor and dank industrialization.
The album is then carved up into a number of instrumentals and Paullson fronted tracks, with the title track following a path of depressive string movements, backed by isolationist piano, a subtle vocal sample and clanging beats dulling the senses.
‘Sister’ empathises with the plight of woman in a patriarchal world, while ‘Nar?’ takes a Depeche Mode type rhythm and beefs it up to all living hell, with Paulsson’s vocals menacing and aggressive emphasizing the tune’s hostility.
Album closer ‘A-Part’ takes has nihilistic objective complete with fragile male vocals and densely moving beats, morbid vocoder treatments and the repeated phrase: ‘This place is full of tears’.
Any fan of Sanctum prior to Let’s Eat may be forgiven for giving up hope of a follow-up, despite the bands insistence that it was coming. One can now only pray that we need not wait until 2012 for the band’s third platter.
By Warren Wheeler
Let’s Eat
(Cold Meat Industry)
Eight years between meals is enough to make anyone hungry. But that’s how long a wait it’s been since Sanctum offered their debut feast Lupus in Fabulaa veritable smorgasboard of neo-industrial noise clashing with sweeping neo-classical string arrangements complete with ageless words of wisdom. Granted there has been the occasional snack, namely the superbly packaged The Answer to His Riddle10”, an American tour and subsequent live document NYC Blusterand numerous side dishes (Parca Pace, Mago and Azure Skies) as well as sporadic remixes for a variety of industrial and metal acts. But otherwise it’s been a fast of Ramadanic proportions.
But the downtime has not been altogether unfruitful. Indeed time away from the studio has enabled the band to return to the scene with equal enthusiasm and emboldened experimentalism just as they did back in the mid nineties. Though considerably stripped back in comparison Let’s Eat nevertheless matches their debut in terms of introspective brilliance and grandiose dramatics.
Founders Jan Carleklev and Palle Paulsson are the mainstays here, with time taking it’s toll on both Marika Ljungberg and Lena Robert. On the upswing the duo have employed the services of Sara-Lo av Ekstam to provide the female vox, which she does with aplomb. Though limited to the one track (‘A Pose’) her vocal beauty is no less attractive, lilting much like Ann-Mari Edvardson of The 3rd and the Mortal, as she weaves between the mechanical furor and dank industrialization.
The album is then carved up into a number of instrumentals and Paullson fronted tracks, with the title track following a path of depressive string movements, backed by isolationist piano, a subtle vocal sample and clanging beats dulling the senses.
‘Sister’ empathises with the plight of woman in a patriarchal world, while ‘Nar?’ takes a Depeche Mode type rhythm and beefs it up to all living hell, with Paulsson’s vocals menacing and aggressive emphasizing the tune’s hostility.
Album closer ‘A-Part’ takes has nihilistic objective complete with fragile male vocals and densely moving beats, morbid vocoder treatments and the repeated phrase: ‘This place is full of tears’.
Any fan of Sanctum prior to Let’s Eat may be forgiven for giving up hope of a follow-up, despite the bands insistence that it was coming. One can now only pray that we need not wait until 2012 for the band’s third platter.
By Warren Wheeler