Sphere

Sphere

ASIN: B00000DBYS

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Taking their name from Thelonious Monk's middle name, Sphere's latest album projects the relaxed self-assurance one would expect from this group of jazz veterans. Led by altoist Gary Bartz and pianist Kenny Barron, propelled by the effortless swing of drummer Ben Riley and bassist Buster Williams, Sphere stretches out on six mid-tempo originals and a blistering version of "Surrey with the Fringe on Top." Bartz's fat, slightly rakish tone imbued with a hint of the blues gives the group its most distinctive voice (imagine an older Steve Coleman), but it is the sense of a group mind at work that gives this music its timeless feel. The lengthy tunes (averaging eight minutes) allow for unhurried, four-way explorations of the "classic jazz" vernacular. Exuding an air of unpretentious conversation among fellow travelers, its grace and balance more than offset its lack, at times, of urgency and passion. The sole ballad, "Twilight Song," with Bartz on soprano, is gorgeous. --Wally Shoup

Tracks:

In The Beginning - Luretta Bybee
Simple Gifts
The Boatmen's Dance
At The River
Zion's Walls
Ching-A-Ring-Chaw
Help Us, O Lord
Thou, O Jehovah, Abideth Forever
Have Mercy On Us, O My Lord
Sing Ye Praises To Our King
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
The Morning Star
Green Fields
Death 'Tis A Melancholy Day
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Benedictus
Agnus Dei
Tribulationes Civitatum
De Profundis
When I Survey The Bright Celestial Sphere

Album Description

Celebrating the centenary of Aaron Copland's birth, Gloriae Dei Cantores presents a broad spectrum of choral music by Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson. These two musical giants exemplified the ideals of American culture and established a truly American style for music. The centerpiece for this recording is the first American recording in many years of Copland's choral masterpiece In the Beginning, featuring American mezzo-soprano Luretta Bybee.

Also included are Thomson's beloved Four Southern Hymns and some of his fascinating early works written during his sojourn in Paris, and a selection of vibrant choral arrangements of Copland's Old American Songs.

A Sphere in the Heart of Silence
Average customer rating:

It's surely not the worst!

10 out of 10

I would say it is my least favorite John Frusciante album.

probably overlooked...

Dissapointing yet,,,,

A Sphere in the Heart of Silence
John Frusciante , and Josh Klinghoffer
Manufacturer: Record Collection
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Shadows Collide with People

Smile From the Streets You Hold

You Come & Go Like a Pop Song

ASIN: B00065U08Q
Release Date: 2004-11-23

Tracks:

Sphere
Afterglow
Walls
Communique
At Your Enemies
Surrogate People
My Life

Album Description

After strong international success with the first four releases of his six record series, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist now reveals his fifth album with longtime musical partner Josh Klinghoffer. Frusciante has been recording an album a month, spanning pop, experimental, electronic, and acoustic genres. Already released are "The Will To Death", Ataxia's "Automatic Writing", "DC EP", and "Inside Of Emptiness".

Customer Reviews:

It's surely not the worst!.......2006-08-07

I read some of the reviews and I don't believe that they do so much dislike it. I know that you have to have a special sence for music to like Jonhfru. But, if you once start loving him, you can't stop. I mean, there are always Synthesizers and stuff on his lps. i have to confess that ASITHOS was maybe the hardest of the six albums for me to get into it. When I started to understand the rough beauty, it really catched me.

The best way to get to the album's soul is to listen to it backwards, start with the typical Johnfru-song My Life and end with the mind-smashing Sphere. Of course, noone should buy this CD just because he likes RHCP or the single The Past Recedes. This CD is better for dy-hards. I'm disappointed of them because only a few of them seem to have written a review.

This album isn't easy, it's electronic, still some pop, but never mainstream. And I love it.

10 out of 10.......2006-08-02

There are not too many artists around who can create such a wide variety of music. Especially none like John Frusciante or Josh Klinghoffer who together have created a very special album with 'A sphere in the heart of silence'. All six songs on this album, which runs for around 35mins, are completely different to any other John Frusciante release.
The album opens with 'sphere' - an 8 minute instrumental layered over the top of synthesiser and a lot of noise. The first guitar solo is John's and its brilliant. This song would have been better left at its original 30minute length, cos its quite a ride.
'The Afterglow' is probably the grooviest song on the record. A techno like song, this is John's vocal painted over the top of Josh's genius.
'Walls' is a great lyrical effort and the angriest song on the record with John's screams piercingly good.
The next song 'Communique' is one of the greatest songs I've ever heard. It is worth buying this CD for this song alone. The first I heard it I swear I had an out of body experience, it is amazing. This is Josh's song and it sounds like it is being performed live in your room. Any one who has heard it will know what I mean...
The next two songs both feature Josh on vocals yet again and sound brilliant, this guy can sing. John's guitar blends nicely into these two songs which again contain a lot of synthesiser.
The final song is a short, soft, 2min track with John providing vocal and piano. It is a nice way to round out the album. I hope to hear more from these two guys in the same mould as this album, it deserves an encore.

I would say it is my least favorite John Frusciante album........2006-06-18

After The Will to Death, I was convinced that John Frusciante is a god. His solo albums like Shadows Collide With People, Curtains, Will to Death, and Inside of Emptiness are so great that they get rotations in my CD player, and on my iPod every week. This album, well, it doesn't get too many plays because it just isn't as good as the rest of this amazing man's albums.

2 stars for two good tracks: Sphere, My Life.

probably overlooked..........2005-08-31

Fru fans, do not overlook this album. This one takes more time to get used to it - but, all Fru albums have that characteristic to some degree. Revisit this one again and again, and it makes more sense.

This album can't be categorized. Buy it if you enjoy unusual music with sophisticated melodies.

Dissapointing yet,,,,.......2005-05-26

better than most albums ive ever heard. All Johns albums from TROWFTD till Curtains are 5 stars except this album, which ironically i was looking most forward to.

THe low point is that it couldve been a whole lot better. For starters its too short considering the tracks move slowly as it, and should be atleast double the amount of songs to be really good, and despite being short, some songs could be better "walls".

Although the josh tracks and the track "THe afterglow are great and af the whole album wasnt as rushed and done in the same vein as in those songs, the album would be great.

"Curtians" and "The will to death" are my absolute favourite albums ever, so its fine to let one album slip, while im still absorbing the greatness from his other albums.

Average customer rating:

Stunning
Five Stars for Passenger Seat Alone
Amazing
How good can they get?
Experimental art-rock

Water Sphere
Pilotdrift
Manufacturer: Good Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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High Expectations/Low Results
Iter Facere
Innaway
Passover
At War with the Mystics

ASIN: B000ARWIH6
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Tracks:

Caught In My Trap
Bubblecraft
Passenger Seat
Late Night In A Wax Museum
Jekyll And Hyde Suite
Elephant Island
Rings Of Symbols
Comets
So Long

Album Description

Pilotdrift is from the Piney Woods of East Texas. Like it sounds, the state line of Texas and Arkansas runs directly through the middle of their city, Texarkana. Now, any preconception as to what a band from there might sound like, should be thrown out the window. Pilotdrift is an exploratory unit moving through atmospheres, stories, melodies, electronics, and orchestrations with surprising sonic precision. Pilotdrift truly exists in its own atmosphere and would be just at home on Saturn as it would be in Texarkana. "Home" is, however, very important to Pilotdrift.

The members of Pilotdrift began as a group of friends; most of them have known each other since adolescence. A musical bond originated out of their friendship with one another and soon something special happened as they began to find ways to express a developing musical vision of Pilotdrift's songwriter, Kelly Carr. Songs intermingle styles, expressions, instruments, and lyrical scripts in an extraordinary way.

Pilotdrift moved closer to its destiny after consigning a self-released CD at Good Records in Dallas, Texas. The self-produced CD caught the attention of Tim DeLaughter and Julie Doyle of The Polyphonic Spree, who own Good Records. Capturing the eyes and ears of the Good Records crowd became a catalyst for Tim and Julie to pursue Pilotdrift as the first band to be signed to Good Records Recordings that was not a product of Tim DeLaughter. Invigorated by the developing relationship with Good Records Recordings, Pilotdrift began to play to larger and larger crowds in the Dallas area and nationwide, sharing stages with the Polyphonic Spree and Eisley. Their unique pairing of cinematic orchestration and melodic rock amazes audiences; it is easy to see the shock in people's faces during their set. Pilotdrift is not merely knocking on destiny's door, but threatening to knock it down.

Pilotdrift's debut label album is Water Sphere--"Like a little movie rental store," says Carr, "you have your drama, sci-fi, thriller, fantasy, romance, historical documentary--whatever it takes to help you escape the daily grind." Water Sphere begins with the theatrical, haunting, dark, (and yet somehow inviting) "hit-you-from-behind" rock of "Caught in My Trap". Layers of instruments surround and enfold dangerously evocative vocals, drawing the listener, inescapably, into its net. From there it drops you into the unchartered pop waters of "Bubblecraft", which sounds like a 1970s James Bond, passed out in a jazz lounge, dreaming about the far future. After the electrical rain dance of "Passenger Seat," Pilotdrift entertains you with the fantasy story of "Late Night in a Wax Museum." The middle of the record is anchored by a haunting 10-minute epic entitled "Jekyll and Hyde Suite" that sounds like a two-faced orchestra battling within itself to free from a straitjacket. Immediately following is the Antarctic tale of Shackleton and his journey to "Elephant Island." A train ride through the Middle East takes you to "Rings of Symbols," an intense, mesmerizing sitar rock song. The album then cools you off with "Comets," a trance-instrumental that leaves you rested and ready for the last song, "So Long," an anthem in every sense of the word. Galloping and triumphant, it feels like coming up over a peak and seeing the sun burst out in front of you.

Water Sphere carves out a genre that the world will soon know as the sound of Pilotdrift.

Customer Reviews:

Stunning.......2006-07-31

Pilotdrift is one of those rare bands who, when you hear them for the first time, your reaction will be "What the ---- was THAT?" And then you buy their album, listen to it from start to finish over and over, and you're still asking, "What the ---- was that?"

It would be too hard to try to describe them with the musical jigsaw puzzle method--i.e. "Imagine Radiohead crossed with..." so I won't bother The fact is, this album has a little bit of everything in it. Certainly there are aspects of it that remind me a bit of Radiohead circa Kid A, but at different points in the album I am reminded of such diverse things as "Girl from Impanema" and (during one of Pilotdrift's more upbeat songs) some of the bands on the Arts & Crafts label such as The Most Serene Republic. The songs clearly have a strong classical influence as well.

This is a progressive band, no doubt about it, so those who are looking for the kind of drivel they play on Top 40 radio might want to pass on Pilotdrift. But if you're the type who would like to expand his/her conception of what music can be but is sick of buying "progressive" albums that sound like a litter of kittens being fed into a wood chipper, give Pilotdrift a try. You won't regret it.

Five Stars for Passenger Seat Alone.......2006-07-28

This is one incredibly awesome, out of left-field, album. It is time for Pilotdrift to get more exposure - the melodies on "Water Sphere" would put The Secret Machines to shame. This is truly tripped-out rock with the right balance on most tracks. I don't find the album to be "perfect," but the songs that work, work better than 99.9% of other progressive music out there. Standouts for me include "Passenger Seat," "Bubble Craft," and "Comets." I've also grown to love the opening track - it verges on over-the-top, but works for this group, and it lets you know where you're headed. Enjoy.

Amazing.......2006-05-07

Simply no other words to describe it; these boys have a sound all their own and that sound is most excellent. If you have the chance to see them live please do so; you won't regret it.

How good can they get?.......2006-03-09

I bought Iter Facere after reading some local buzz about Pilotdrift. That buzz and the band's birthplace set me up to be totally off my guard for the amazing music I heard. Three of these tracks appear on this "major label debut." Personally, I prefer Iter Facere, but if you can't get that, enjoy the hell out Water Spheres.

Experimental art-rock.......2006-02-12

This band out of East Texas has a prog-influenced sound that would probably appeal to fans of groups like A Perfect Circle and Coheed & Cambria. Listening to the opening "Caught in My Trap" or the epic "Jekyll & Hyde Suite," you might think you're listening to Queen collaborating with Danny Elfman on an imaginary Tim Burton soundtrack, while the swinging lounge vibe of "Bubblecraft" sounds a bit like Radiohead covering a tune from Jane Fonda's sci-fi classic "Barbarella." If musical schizophrenia isn't your bag, Pilotdrift might not find their way into heavy rotation on your iTunes playlist, as drum 'n' bass beats ("Passenger Seat"), Asian-influenced psychedelia ("Late Night in a Wax Museum") and hypnotic trance-rock ("Rings of Symbols") all have their place in Pilotdrift's wonderfully warped sonic universe. But for us ADD-afflicted audio addicts who love to be kept on our toes by musical magicians with a bevy of tricks up their sleeves, this trippy signing from Polyphonic Spree frontman Tim DeLaughter's Good Records label offers an endlessly inventive fix.

Average customer rating:

This combination is exceptional
Dissapointed
Masterful Comeback CD...

Sphere
Ben Riley, Gary Bartz, Kenny Barron Buster Williams
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Something More
New York Attitude

ASIN: B00000DBYS
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

We See
Isfahan
Uncle Bubba
Hornin' In
Buck And Wing
Twilight
The Surrey With The Fringe On Top

Amazon.com

Taking their name from Thelonious Monk's middle name, Sphere's latest album projects the relaxed self-assurance one would expect from this group of jazz veterans. Led by altoist Gary Bartz and pianist Kenny Barron, propelled by the effortless swing of drummer Ben Riley and bassist Buster Williams, Sphere stretches out on six mid-tempo originals and a blistering version of "Surrey with the Fringe on Top." Bartz's fat, slightly rakish tone imbued with a hint of the blues gives the group its most distinctive voice (imagine an older Steve Coleman), but it is the sense of a group mind at work that gives this music its timeless feel. The lengthy tunes (averaging eight minutes) allow for unhurried, four-way explorations of the "classic jazz" vernacular. Exuding an air of unpretentious conversation among fellow travelers, its grace and balance more than offset its lack, at times, of urgency and passion. The sole ballad, "Twilight Song," with Bartz on soprano, is gorgeous. --Wally Shoup

Customer Reviews:

This combination is exceptional.......2003-02-18

Having seen Sphere live at the Vanguard, I was pleased when I found this CD, whilst not having the presence of the Live event, the combination of Barron, Riley, Bartz and Williams, just works! Bartz as a new addition to the original ensemble, is a perfect, foil to the rythm of Barron, and Riley (which is about as superb as is found in the Jazz World), and add Buster Williams, and you have a group that combines all the color required to produce an exceptional listening experience!

Dissapointed.......2000-12-03

Damn... this music was good, but it pisses me off that a jazz band has a name like sphere. I mean what the hell?.. Sphere should be a rock band..

Masterful Comeback CD..........1999-04-29

I first saw Sphere at its November 1998 performance at Purdue University, and I left it feeling greatly captivated and refreshed! They've got a hip easy-listening sound that's in a class by itself. This self-titled comeback album contains all of the tunes lined up from that show. Take my advice, you're in for a musical treat!

Average customer rating:

Superb.

Sphere

Manufacturer: Tzadik
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Merzbuddha
Amlux
1930
Merzbear
Merzbuta

ASIN: B0007WFXQW
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

Sphere Pt.1
Sphere Pt.2
Sphere Pt.3
Untitled For Vasteras

Customer Reviews:

Superb........2005-06-28

Wow.

This CD is my first heavy exposure to Merzbow-- when I was in college I borrowed a CD from someone but wasn't quite ready to hear it. A new release on Tzadik seemed the ideal place to start, I've found the material on that label to be of consistently high quality. I certainly wasn't disappointed.

The CD is divided into two parts-- the roughly 37 minute three part "Sphere" and the half hour long "Untitled for Vasteras".

The title suite starts off with an opening percussion line, aggressive, pounding tribal rhythms, with electronics and patterned noise growing in the background until it takes over the piece altogether and the drums are barely perceptible (around 6min). As this climaxes, the second movement starts with a bass loop, sometimes accompanied by drums, often with noise on top. Curiously (for a Zorn fan), around 12min into the piece, what sounds like a sample of the breaking glass from "Never Again" on Zorn's "Kristnaacht" shows up on top of the bass loop. Around 14min into the piece, the bass loop all but evaporated, the drums suddenly slow down in rhythm before dropping out altogether for the third part-- an exercise in industrial noise. The rhythmic, almost "angry ambient" sound, pounds relentlessly in rhythm until it is joined by a feeding back guitar (about 5min) which duels aggressively with it. Largely this is the highlight for me, the sheer level of sound this generates is fairly impressive. About a minute before wrapping up, suddenly the drums return, although they are so well buried in there that they feel implied rather than actually stated.

The second half, "Untitled for Vasteras" is a bit different-- there's less sort of familiarity to the sound, with no bass, guitar, drums, or any sort of instrument sounds, just samples and noise. Largely the pattern is driven by what sounds like crushing leaves, but layer upon layer of sound, from the same sort of breaking glass effects to looped explosions to readily unidentifiable noises creep in. Remarkably, I've found this piece bizarrely relaxing, almost trance-like, though I can't speak as to why.

This is not music for the feint of heart, thats to be certain, and at around 70 minutes for the disc, it can be a tough listen-- "noise" is an adequate genre for this. But don't think of this as a criticism, its really quite a well structured and defined recording, and its clear, at least to me, that Merzbow isn't just twiddling dials and randomly generating noise. And for those of us who can digest this kind of stuff (and most people can't), its the kind of thing that should be heard. I'm glad I did, and I'm looking forward to checking out more of his work.

Now I've just got to start saving for that Merzbox...

Average customer rating:

Beautiful, but where's June?
The Carter Sisters shine on this great CD.

The Carter Family: Together Again
The Carter Family
Manufacturer: Sphere Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000JTNO1O

Product Description

Recorded in 1991, this is the last album recorded by Helen, Anita and June Carter Cash, The Carter Family. This CD sat on a dusty shelf untilrecently when it was released by Sphere Records in nashville. It consists of 12 tracks, all of which are Carter Family favorites from years gone by.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful, but where's June?.......2007-06-16

This a fantastic album of Helen and Anita singing together. If June's there, she's not singing, just playing. That being said, I love this album. Helen and Anita were great singers in their own rights, and they sound great together as only sisters can. (Nerissa and Katryna Nields, are you listening?) The musicians on this album are stellar, too - the picking and playing is top-notch. I really enjoy it all, but I truly love "Clinch Valley Home" and "Lonesome Valley."

Track list:
1. Foggy Mountain Top
2. In The Valley Of The Shenandoah
3. Clinch Mountain Home
4. The Winding Stream
5. Blue Eyes
6. Lonesome Valley
7. Worried Man Blues
8. Home By The Sea
9. I Never Will Marry
10. You Are My Flower
11. Diamonds In The Rough
12. Amber Tresses

The Carter Sisters shine on this great CD........2007-01-24

This is the last known recording (1991)of the 3 Carter Sisters, June, Anita & Helen. There are 12 songs, all classics of the original Carter Family which included their mother Maybelle Carter. Most songs are done with delightful + spirited uptempo guitar playing + singing. Anita as she did in the day sings lead most of the time. Because she is now about 60 years of age her voice is much lower than the soprano she was 30-40 years earlier. But still she sings as beautiful as in her younger days. What a shame the earlier record albums of Mother Maybelle + the Carter Sisiters are not yet on CD. This CD is a rare jewel for anyone who loves the music of the Carter sisters but is frustrated like me that more of their recordings are not available on CD.

Average customer rating:

unoriginal
where does 'core' come in here?
Quality melodic death from The Red Chord vocalist & bassist
ITS PRETTY 'GOOD'
Amazing metalcore

Earth & Sphere
Beyond the Sixth Seal
Manufacturer: Lifeforce Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

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The Resurrection of Everything Tough

ASIN: B00007FKUC
Release Date: 2002-11-26

Customer Reviews:

unoriginal.......2005-03-22

This band steals riffs.. seriously.. they steal AT THE GATES riffs. you want to listen to At the Gates riffs buy terminal spirit disease, if you want to listen to someone ripping off at the gates guitar riffs buy beyond the sixth seal.. this band angers me... a lot

where does 'core' come in here?.......2004-08-09

there are absolutley no blast beats or breakdowns on this record besides the hidden track, thus making this metal. not metalcore. everything particularly heavy and new gets labeled metalcore a lot these days. just needed to clarify.. btss broke up already...they are now focusing on black market activities and the red chord.

Quality melodic death from The Red Chord vocalist & bassist.......2004-08-06

Bt6S features one of the best metal vocalists of today. His growls are deep, but you can still understand the lyrics. The vocal delivery as well as the lyrics are very dark, brutal, and crushing. Every song is tightly mended with the next fitting perfectly with each other. None dissapoint. While Bt6S don't break any new boundries with Earth and Sphere, they do offer up something that only elite bands (Darkest Hour, Unearth, Lamb of God) can match, a quality album through and through. My only complaint is that all the intruments feel somewhat weak when compared to the vocals. Very solid release by a very solid band. Can't wait for the new stuff.

ITS PRETTY 'GOOD'.......2003-12-24

Well, I picked up this album just because I took a chance on it, never heard of them before... its decent overall, the best track by far is Awaken. Who to compare them to, uh, hmm, well its got some melodic guitars, one fluid deep growling throughout with an occasional scream. I mean its not original sounding, its like 'good' but there are so many other 'good' bands that sound 'good' but this isn't 'great', its just 'good'... saw these guys live at new england metal hardcore fest, pretty 'good'.

Amazing metalcore.......2003-02-25

This band just plain rocks. Best vocalist I've heard in a long time too. 2 members of the Red Chord are in this band, and it's absolutely amazing. Very brutal, and very melodic. A definate must have for any metalcore fans.

WARNING - Vocals sooooo brutal it crushes your face!

Reality Dysfunction
Average customer rating:

Progressive Alien Conspiracy Theorists

Superb technical progressive jazz metal

Reality Dysfunction
Linear Sphere
Manufacturer: Harderbaran/Code 7
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Origins of Ruin

ASIN: B000C05XTQ
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Tracks:

Reversal
Father Pyramid
Ceremony Master
Division Man
Life Of Gear
Marketing
From Space To Time-Pt 1: Evolution / Pt 2: Bodes / Pt 3: Separation / Pt 4: Eden

Album Description

Linear Sphere has been formed by some of UK's finest musicians, three of them teachers at one of Europe's leading music colleges (The Guitar Institute). Featuring Martin Goulding and Charlie Griffiths on guitars; Dave Marks on bass; Nick Lowczowski on drums and Jos Geron on vocals. Together with highly intricate and sometimes epic compositions Linear Sphere demonstrates a very highest level of musicianship, setting a new standard with their diverse blend of Progressive Rock, Jazz-Fusion and a subtle dose of technical Death Metal. Harderbaran. 2006.

Album Details

Linear Sphere was Formed in 2002 in West London, UK the Band's Unique Approach Has Already Earned them Cult Status with Listeners Worldwide. Featuring Artistic, Highly Intricate and Sometimes Epic Compositions that Demonstrate the Very Highest Level of Musicianship, Linear Sphere Sets a New Standard with Its Diverse Blend of Progressive Rock, Jazz-fusion and a Subtle Dose of Technical Death Metal.

Customer Reviews:

Progressive Alien Conspiracy Theorists.......2007-04-10

Linear Sphere, an unsigned progressive metal band, released this album last year to acclaim from several prog music review websites and very little other public knowledge or interest. After giving it a few spins, I simply cannot exaggerate the innovation, complexity, musicianship, and intensity of this album. Any fan of experimental or progressive metal, dark conceptual story albums and artwork, or simply unbelievable guitar playing should really check this out. I haven't been this blown away by a progressive metal album since Spiral Architect's "A Sceptic's Universe".

First of all, the musicianship factor-the standard by which most modern "progressive" or "technical" or "math" (the latest hip label for this kind of music) metal is usually judged. Lets put it this way...these guys probably teach modern progressive guitar soloing clinics in their spare time. This seething, chaotic and complex album is chock full of impossibly technical, fluid legato quasi-jazz fusion soloing over some absolutely bizarre chord progressions and inscrutable, shifting time signatures. This whole disc feels like the bastard son of Meshuggah, Dream Theater, and Planet X. Harsh, angular metal riffs collide sideways into abrasive, bizarre neo-death metal vocals, producing an intricate, labrinthine and unorthodox album of very intense experimental metal.

Lyrically and conceptually, this disc is very strange; apparently a concept album about a conspiracy involving the Freemasons, aliens, and the government. Seriously. It also features some very interesting and sinister artwork which is quite surreal....Completely bizarre and original...any fan of extremely technical metal or just amazing musicianship should check this one out (if you can find it).

Superb technical progressive jazz metal .......2006-04-05

The first time I heard Linear Sphere, I thought of two bands in particular: Watchtower for their heaviness and Spiral Architect for their ultra-technical metal with strong jazz overtones. However, repeated listens suggested that Linear Sphere's Reality Dysfunctional transcends comparisons. Therefore, any band I mention in this review is merely to provide a musical reference point; Linear Sphere is quite a one of a kind band.

Hailing from London, England, the band consists of Jos Geron on vocals, Martin Goulding and Charlie Griffiths on guitars, Nick Lowczowski on drums and Dave Marks on drums. All of the musicians are technically amazing, especially guitarists Goulding and Griffith. They marry a diverse range of musical styles consisting of ever shifting rhythms and odd-metered time signatures. Their playing is a hybrid of the jazzy sides of players like Greg Howe and Allan Holdsworth and the more metallic sides of Paul Masvidal and Fredrik Thordendal. The best part of the guitars is the dichotomy they provide during the harmonies; when Griffiths plays a distorted heavy section, Goulding immediately backs him up with a very clean jazzy passage. The same contrast is present in vocalist Jos Geron's singing. Gerons utilises a harsh, raspy delivery, which is often enhanced by distorted vocals or added sound effects, not because he is uncapable of singing, but moreso to give the music and vocal harmonies an extra depth. That said, Geron's singing style may be the make-it-or-break-it factor for some listeners. Personally I think he is an amazing singer and a very key element in the originality of Linear Sphere. He reminds me of a European version of Jon Oliva singing in a grittier tone, kind of like Garden Wall's Alessandro Seravalle. Throughout the 65-minute album, there are lots of spoken passages, mostly in the beginning and breakdown sections of the songs. These voice-overs may sound a tad distracting at first, but they represent the lyrical aspect of the album, which seems to deal with capitalism and industrialisation. In this respect, Jos Gerons often portrays a wide range of "moods" in his voice, going from clean regular singing to lower, raspier screams (hence the Garden Wall comparison).

The music is highly intricate and multi-layered. Cynic's Focus and Spiral Architect's A Sceptic's Universe are obvious reference points given the technical death metal riffing blended with textural guitar harmonies and ambient textures. "Reversal" contains brutal death metal guitars embraced by meticulous jazz solos and distorted vocals; whilst "Ceremony Master" is a superbly executed post-shred fest we'd normally expect from Thordendal or a Cynic album that was never released. The rhythm duo of the band is phenomenal as well. A good dose of Sean Reinert and Dennis Chambers with plodding bass add more colour to the band's already solid songcraft, and elevate it to a higher level. Note the relatively slower guitar solos on "Marketing" and "Life of Gear"; both drip with sheer emotion, gripping melodies and charging power. "Marketing", being acoustic driven, lets vocalist Geron shine like never before and do killer vocal harmonies. "Life of Gear", on the other hand, is one of the most sinister songs on the album, especially with its eerily beautiful outro and textural guitar work.

However, the indisputable highlight of the CD is the 25+ minute monumental epic, "From Space to Time". This is the ultimate embodiment of the band's rich musical background as it covers death metal, prog rock, technical metal and jazz, and melts them all into a single form seamlessly. The first couple of minutes of the song are full with incredibly rhythmic melodies and guitar runs; then we're off to a nice, slow middle section with prominent keyboards courtesy of Adam Robinson, and then back to the mercilessly heavy mood with the addition of evil vocals offering socio-political commentary. As the music itself, the artwork and booklet of the album are also dark, cryptic, yet, for an independent band, very professionally put together. The guys in Linear Sphere wrote, recorded and released Reality Dysfunction as independent artists, and the sincerity in their music is not too difficult to notice. This album could be the best debut of 2005 and a future underground classic for lovers of technical prog metal.

Average customer rating:

two trips into Rihm's soundworld
Two major Rihm works otherwise unavailable

Wolfgang Rihm: Ins Offene...; Sphere

Manufacturer: Col Legno
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000006AQU
Release Date: 2000-08-12

Tracks:

Ins Offene... - Czech PO/Gerd Albrecht
Sphere - Siegfried Mauser

Customer Reviews:

two trips into Rihm's soundworld.......2007-06-24

This Col Legno disc from 1995 presents premieres of two Rihm compositions, "Ins Offene... fur Orchester" (28'37" -- 1990-92), and "sphere" (22'36" -- 1992-94), for which the subtitle reads "Counter-Structure with Piano Contra-Body for Piano, Winds and Percussion." "Ins Offene (Into the Open), is performed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Gerd Albrecht, while "sphere" is performed by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra with Siegfried Mauser, conducted by Alexander Lazarew.

Rihm's music is sui generis, but in these pieces, and "Ins Offene..." especially, various influences can be detected -- Lachenmann, the late Nono, and even Feldman -- as Rihm pursues a tendency, found in his String Quartet No. 8, toward quieter and more spacious sounds. As with much of this sort of music, "Ins Offene..." doesn't reach out and grab the listener. But if you are in the right mood and frame of mind to really listen, it has much to offer, as it intensifies and then subsides in a long arch.

The better of the two, though, is "sphere." The ensemble centers on the piano, and includes no strings, so it has a sharper, more percussive feel. Here is a passage from Anton Sergl's liner notes: "The piano should be heard 'without pause' during the course of the 390 measures. Its part is dominated by quickly rhythmic, chordal impulses in the low register, which in the middle section are expanded into brief ostinato series and to cascade-like passages, which are then driven toccata-like through a wide compass... Nowhere does the piano setting allow for 'melodic' ligatures, motivic structures, or even cantilenas that might go beyond a stepwise, broken layering of chords." "sphere" is excellent, as are the four concertos presented on the recent Hanssler disc RIHM-EDITION, Vol. 1 (concertos for oboe, cello, violin and viola-and-cello -- see my review).

Wolfgang Rihm, long a major voice in contemporary German music, seems to finally be gaining a critical mass of documentation on disc sufficient to emerge as a major voice in the rest of the world as well.

Two major Rihm works otherwise unavailable.......2003-12-23

This disc from the invaluable Col Legno label features two related works by the German composer Wolfgang Rihm. Ins Offene... (played here in its second, revised version) is coupled with the piano concerto sphere, based around the same material as Ins Offene..., though realised completely differently. (Incidentally, the solo piano part of sphere was itself used as the basis of the very fine piano work Nachstudie, recorded on the Kairos label.)

Ins Offene... is a half-hour work for moderately large orchestra, scored for three piccolos, three clarinets, bass clarinet, double bassoon, three horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, harp, piano, five percussionists, two violins, two violas, six cellos, four double basses. As with many of Rihm's 1990s orchestral works, the shadow of late Nono--particularly that of A Carlo Scarpa and No hay caminos--hangs heavily over the music, though as ever Rihm's writing is less obsessive, less singleminded, more colourful than Nono's. Single-note passages alternate with forceful chordal eruptions and soft, floating melodies throughout the work, which is in a roughly arch form, beginning and ending in silence and climaxing about half way through.

In the concerto, sphere, the solo piano is surrounded by an orchestra of four flutes doubling piccolos, two oboes, two cors anglais, four clarinets, two bass clarinets, two bassoons, two double bassoons, four horns, four trumpets, two trombones, two tubas, two percussionists plus four offstage performers: two trumpeters and two percussionists. The solo piano part is not conventionally virtuosic or melodic; it is primarily based around tremolos and repeated chords, and explores the effect of resonance within the piano body. The orchestra amplifies the effects of the piano writing, almost as Rihm was wishing to turn the entire ensemble into a resonant cavern. The work itself lasts just over twenty minutes, the first half of which involves a gradual intensification of the material until at the climax the offstage performers start to play. After an extensive trumpet dialogue, laid over the solo piano part, the closing stages involve the gradual disintegration of the musical material and the collapse of the musical tension.

These works both are Rihm at something close to his considerable best, and I would rate this as one of the best Rihm discs on the market. The performances seem very assured and the excellent piano soloist Siegfried Mauser is a long-time Rihm specialist.

Average customer rating:

Good Italian Power Metal

Good, but Scent of Human Desire is still better...

The Italian legacy ...Power ,Speed and melody!!!!!!!

Heart & Anger

worth the few extra bucks

Heart & Anger
Secret Sphere
Manufacturer: Avalon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Scent of Human Desire

Mistress of the Shadowlight

Savage Land

Regressus

A Twist in the Myth

ASIN: B0007WZXV2
Release Date: 2005-05-02

Album Description

Details TBA. Avalo. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Good Italian Power Metal.......2006-10-05

This is the only album I've heard by SS, so i can't compare it to their others. In short, H&A is rather similar to early Labyrinth (even having Tiranti on guest vocals for one song) mixed w/ a little bit of recent Edguy (esp. on the track 'Dance w/ the Devil', which sounds like something right off of 'Hellfire Club'), but just a little more aggressive at times. Fans of those two bands should be pleased w/ this album. Note that this album can be found ALOT cheaper elsewhere ($7 or $12 New at CMDistro); I'm not sure why Amazon has it so high unless this is an asian import version.

Good, but Scent of Human Desire is still better..........2005-07-11

Secret Sphere has to be one of the most interesting bands as far as my experience with the European metal scene goes. Most of the bands I enjoy listing to today where formed way before I got interested in this genre of music, so I don't have the luxury of having been "there" for landmark releases and memorable moments. However, considering Secret Sphere has only been around since 1999, I honestly can say I have observed the band since its infancy.

Secret Sphere has indeed grown by leaps and bounds over the past years. Going from a debut album (1999's Mistress of the Shadowlight) I honestly would use as a coaster for a soft drink to an album that I would call pure sonic pleasure (2003's Scent of Human Desire), Secret Sphere are definitely a band to look out for.

Heart & Anger itself pretty much picks up where Scent of Human Desire left off, containing a overall similar style and feel. Considering the fact I don't really care for the band's first two releases that much (well, A Time Nevercome had a few decent tracks), this is exactly what I had expected the band to turn out following the massive overhauling of their sound on Scent of Human Desire.

However, unlike Scent of Human Desire, which was somewhat of a deviation from the band's first works, Heart & Anger seems to take a page or two from the band's earlier music. Songs are longer than on the pervious album, reaching to the length some might consider progressive (depending on your definition of progressive is). Fortunately, while some of the songs are longer, they don't degrade to the point of senselessness, as the bands has obviously discovered the idea behind balance since their first two albums.

Still, not is all well on Heart & Anger. While the need for experimentation for the sake of style and musical progression is necessary for any band or album, Heart & Anger is home to some failed experiments. The biggest example of this is the track Faster than the Storm. While the track has the potential to be a killer fast track, singer Ramon Messina's fails to keep up with the tracks various and multiple tempo changes, which is unfortunate. Nonetheless, Messina is still a talented vocalist.

Despite this, the album is still chuck full of great songs, such as the emotional opener Where the Sea Ends, the oddly named First Snake, to the psychotically heavy Lights On and Loud & Raw. Even though I feel Scent of Human Desire remains the bands best work to date, Heart & Anger is definitely worth a look, if not a purchase.

The Italian legacy ...Power ,Speed and melody!!!!!!!.......2005-07-10

I was really waiting for this album to come , i finally have it and what a masterpiece!!! this album is in the vein of their "A time Never Come" another great masterpiece which i consider their best album.
Dont hesitate buying this album you will find uptempo songs,mid tempo and even 2 ballads!!!! if you like Agressive but still catchy and melodic power metal, im sure you will have a great time here. :)

Heart & Anger.......2005-06-25

What we have here is a solid work of melodic speed metal with a progressive touch. It's very typical for the genre and lacks variety. If you are not specifically into this kind of progressive speed metal it will sound very samish and booring despite it's quality.

I personally liked the vocalist Secret Sphere used for their first two albums better than this guy but this guy is definitely servicable. I have not heard this album more than a few spins but I am confident their second album "A Time Nevercome" shall remain my favorite of thiers as I feel it has stronger songwriting with more variety.

All in all I am certainly satisfied with the release but it does nothing to distinguish itself in such a crowded genre.

worth the few extra bucks.......2005-06-14

i bought there last cd but did not write a review for it.
after reading alot about there previous cd that came out before scent of human desire, i believe it's called a time nevercome or something like that i was really looking foward to it, i was let down, i thought there last cd was mediocore at best, well this cd is not, this cd is very enjoyable. i have just finally finished listening to this entire cd and it will not go into the back of my cd case like scent of human desire.
now all I have to do it buy time nevercome cd.

if lord chimp gave it 5 stars i'm pretty confident i'll like it.
it takes alot to impress me with power metal bands, power metal isn't really my thing but there are a few bands that do stick out, i'm more of a death / thrash listener. but this cd should put secret sphere in the uppper echelon on power metal bands. i hope you all enjoy this cd as much as i have.

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