| Divine Propaganda (CD) | 2003 | MeteorCity |
'Divine Propaganda' also explores politics and the mechanisms of social control, subjects hinted at in past work but not fully revealed. But, lest anyone thinks that the record is overly preachy, it ain't. After all, its only rock and roll, right? Even the most political of music can't really go totally in-depth on the subject, because the craft of songwriting demands attention to such things as rhythm and melody, all of which have to be integrated into the whole. So, for the real deal behind the philosophy in the lyrics, go to the list of suggested reading behind the CD, 'k? In the meantime, keep the disc on because the group is breaking some new ground here, from the punk feel of 'Screw the Naysayers' to the hypnotic, spiritual 'Prayer for the Night' to the Spirit Caravan-esque beginning section of 'The Last Tree,' which ends up going all over the map. Throughout the disc the group interplay is very strong, with the rhythm just as prominent as the guitar. The feel is energetic, with plenty o' heavy grooves and groovin' guitar tone. And those solos! Yeah, Wino's back all right.
For most of the western world, this MeteorCity release will be the first they've heard of The Hidden Hand, which was released earlier on Germany's Exile on Mainstream label to coincide with a European tour. Well, as usual MeteorCity's come up with a serious contender, one that will make a lot of "Top 5's" for the year. You've been warned.
1. Bellicose Rhetoric
2. Damyata
3. Screw the Naysayers
4. Sunblood
5. For all the Wrong Reasons
6. Tranquility Base
7. The Last Tree
8. The Hidden Hand (theme)
9. Divine Propaganda
10. Prayer for the Night
Approx. 37 minutes
| De-Sensitized (7") | 2003 | McCarthyism |
The 7" appears at first glance to be a S/T, but after doing some research I found that the band itself actually refers to it as 'De-Sensitized'. I am not sure of exactly why. However the title does fit the highly political lyrics that the band issues.
But before I move on to explaining the lyrics further I would like to introduce the music. Wino, one of the really famous names amongst traditional doomsters, is the leading force behind this project. It is basically heavy oldschool doom with a punky edge. I must admit I am not terribly familiar with the old school, but fans of Pentagram and Wino's earlier bands wouldn't want to miss out on this one.
Now, when mentioning a punky edge I don't mean an influence by the oldschool punkers who basically follow the line of "fuck authorities!". It is rebellious, but in a more mature way. If we could compare the edge to the old school punk attitude, The Hidden Hand would go more in the direction "things aren't right, let me tell you a few truths". Which truths are they telling you say? Well... As the name of the first track hints, it tells the truth about lies.
It's the only track that actually has any vocals on it. The other track, 'Instrumental', lives up to its name as a purely instrumental track. Actually, as nice as the lyrics are, I don't really mind having none on this track. Sometimes it's the heavy and slow riffs that really make the music good to listen to. I think you all know what I mean.
Although this is a really good release, it is still much to short. This probably makes it more interesting to collectors and Wino fans than the doom audience as a whole. The music itself is not limited to the small group of Wino fans, but for those outside that circle I would recommend the album 'Divine Propaganda' instead. Mostly because it gives much more music for the dollars spent.
1. Dis Information
2. Instrumental
Approx. 7 minutes
| Mother*Teacher*Destroyer (CD) | 2004 | Exile On Mainstream |
That was the state of things when 'Mother*Teacher*Destroyer' arrived in my mailbox. In a sense that was the best state to be in, because my feelings were rather neutral as I hit "play." Wow. 'Mother' is in every sense a better album than 'Propaganda.' The first album started a fire which eventually cooled, but this one is a doom conflagration that looks like it'll be around for the long haul. Someone wise must be in charge, because the group has honed their presentation to a tee, emphasizing their many strengths and cutting back on some other elements. They're still concerned with exposing the structure of deception upon which our daily lives are built, but it seems to be a bit less prominent this time. Those that had trouble with that on the first album will definitely want to give 'Mother' a chance. The shouted group vocals that peppered the first album are not in evidence either, much to my relief.
What we've got this time is a much better integrated album of progressive, psychedelic doom. This is not a "Wino album" at all; it's a feast of friends all of whom shine equally. Actually, I think the one who's improved most, and brought the whole group up a notch, is bassist Bruce Falkinburg, whose vocals and songwriting have grown markedly. Drummer Dave Henessey is still mightily in the pocket, and Wino is his usual extraordinary self. How does he keep pulling this marvelous heavy tuneage out of his hat year after year, when most others burn out after a single album? The remarkable thing is that despite his rep, he's just another player in this group, and that Bruce and Dave bring as much to the table as he does, and its all good. It takes a certain maturity to keep your ego in check like that, but it won't be any surprise to anyone who's met him. Anyway, the album is a combination of heavy doom ('natch), psychedelic vocal harmonies that sometimes seem to reach back to the 60s for inspiration, and progressive elements that bring English groups like King Crimson, Pink Floyd, and Jethro Tull to mind. All in their druggy 70s heyday of course: none of that later crap! And let's not forget the presence of that all-important 60s-70s hard rock underground vibe from the likes of Blue Cheer and Grand Funk. The lyrics are socially critical and/or allegorical and the playing is fluid yet as tight as Dave's snare head. As usual when Wino's involved, there's a heavy emphasis on melody. This is a band of equals that is hitting its stride for real.
The Hidden Hand is just now starting to fulfill the promise of 'Divine Propaganda.' They're becoming one of the most interesting bands in the whole heavy underground, shredding boundaries like the Tasmanian Devil shreds trees. If they keep going like this, there will just be no holding them back.
1. The Crossing
2. Half Mast
3. Desensitized
4. Draco Vibration
5. Black Ribbon
6. Magdalene
7. Currents
8. Travesty as Usual
9. Coffin Lily
10. Sons of Kings
11. The Deprogramming of Tom Delay
Approx. 48 minutes