OZRIC TENTACLES
897872
CD
HIDDEN STEP (REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES)
ACID ROCK INST. (PSYCH)Remastered re-issue for an Ozrics album originally issued in the year 2000. The 7 tracks clock up a healthy forty-eight minutes worth of thunderous psych-rock, with big lead lines generated from spiralling synths, blazing electric guitars, psyched-up flute, expansive classical keyboard chords, sequencers, tight bass and crisp drumming. The album’s opener says it all as it goes into all-out attack and takes off to heights never before reached by this band. It just exudes class, quality and sheer power, and at its height the instruments play out a storm, yet never lose sight of construction, melody, heart and dynamics. This is psych / space-rock supreme - THE undoubted Ozrics classic crossover album, encompassing music for ‘Synth (T.Dream)’, Hawkwind, Gong fans and beyond – a work of great genius from one of the wonders of the modern psychedelic music world!
The opening track to this set (‘Holohedron’) makes for one of THE most seriously all-out attacking starts to an Ozric Tentacles album in many a year, but not only that, the composition itself and the arrangements are classy, with quality, power and production set at heights unparalleled in their career to date, with synths, guitars, bass and drums blazing and flying high. The sequencer line/synth rhythm that opens the title track is just breathtaking as it hurtles in, with more waves of synths developing around the thunderous mix, while a massive sounding lead line from the keyboards just steams in with a magical melodic element that they have never before possessed. Then Ed’s guitar bursts in and the track takes off to new heights, and your head explodes at the sheer overwhelming brilliance of it all – the group have NEVER sounded this good before, with playing that defies category, sounding so fresh, alive and vital, never mind downright powerful and dynamic. The construction of the layers and the way it all falls in place is one of the modern wonders of the new musical world – This is the sound of the Ozrics at a peak even the most devoted of followers could ever have envisaged them reaching. It’s music with total QUALITY written all over it in large letters, and one of the finest Ozrics tracks ever - One that would appeal as much to a synth fan who didn’t mind a bit of power in their music as any psych / space / acid rock follower and beyond. ‘Ashlandi Bol’ is track 3, and as the name suggests, it’s a bit more of an exotic piece, with a decided Moroccan feel, but in the hands of this band, it comes over as a positive delight. The combination of huge synth layers, fantastic flute lines, big expansive classical keyboard chords, sequencers, a tight and crisp sounding drum track and huge pounding electric bass just makes this into a sensational piece of music. Again the band allow the piece to build to such a height that you cannot believe it could climb any higher, but it does, as they bring in a blazing electric guitar that does exactly that. 4 further, and equally brilliant tracks follow and bring the playing time of this magnificent album up the forty-eight minute mark.
Weight: 150.00 g
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