Dystopian Future Movies- ‘War of the Ether’ (Septaphonic Records)

Dystopian Future Movies- ‘War of the Ether’ (Septaphonic Records)

I first came across DFM way back, having been bounced a you need to have a listen to these guys from Pity my Brain main man Jamie Richards, and was instantly blown away by the depth atmospherics and intensity of the music, that initial LP Time was followed on in 2020 by the superb Inviolate, stretching the intensity out, building on the first LP showing a band choosing a direction, both powerful, observational and more to the point drawing the listener in to a dark dystopian world created by none other that Caroline Cawley and Brother Bill Fisher from the Church of the Cosmic Skull, but music that shines as the complete antithesis of that body of work.

But on to the current release (War of the Ether), preceded by the self-titular single War of the Ether, again this is seriously powerful stuff. As the press release illustrates, “Lyrically, the album dives deep into a recent scandal surrounding 796 skeletons found on the grounds of the former Catholic-run Tuam Mother & Baby Home in Caroline’s native country of Ireland. To hide the shame of pregnancy out of wedlock, women were sent to homes like this all over the country. Forcibly separated from their mothers, many of the children died in infancy due to neglect, and some were trafficked for adoption to the US”.

First track up She came from up the Dromban Hill draws you in before the poetic spoken vocals lead you through the story unfolding. At times I get drawn back to some of the almost autobiographical work of Joolz, real time observational, an outsider recanting the story, looking in and backwards, the first thoughts I’m starting to build as we move into second track up Critical mass is how sharp the whole sound is, focussed, driven and intense. This feeling of intensity is an off set to the almost at time ethereal vocals, but the vocals form only part of the whole, all the parts twist and engage wrap around each other, cocooning you in an aural soundscape.

Next tracks up The Veneer and Walls of Filth and Toil, again lead you step by step engaging, driving and moving you inwards spiralling into the soundscape of the story unfolding. Then the Title track War of the Ether, hits in hard, the intensity ratcheted up another notch, the guitar work enhancing and pushing the vocals ever higher. License of their Lies maintains the intensity. By the time you reach No Matter, your held by the story unfolding, gripped by the soundscape and hit by an almost Primal Scream of emotion. Finishing the LP off A decent class of girl a fitting tribute and uplift to the sounds and story that we’ve been told.

This an LP that again draws you in, the subject matter, coupled with the intensity of the music and some staggering good ethereal vocals really demands your attention, well worth checking out released in October, with a tour following, this is the type of music that really needs to be witnessed live.

You can buy the LP here, keepin’ it independent!!

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Author: Nev Brooks

Bill Fisher – ‘Mass Hypnosis and the Dark Triad’ (Septaphonic Records)

Bill Fisher – ‘Mass Hypnosis and the Dark Triad’ (Septaphonic Records)

In this world of Lockdown bereft of live music, who’d have thought it, how many of us are searching the internet picking up on new stuff due out, or stuff in different genres we’d never have contemplated before? With that in Mind I got bounced an email from Church of the Cosmic Skull’s main man Bill Fisher with an invite to join the Billuminati and a link to a mysterious new LP (the one in my title Mass Hypnosis and the Dark Triad). With said LP duly ordered, the first press sold out in under24 hours!!! Really makes you wonder whether record companies are interested in old school promotion in music or is just the endless clicking on streams or downloading single songs for playlists that spark their interest.

 

As is the want after reading the blurb I was expecting a heavier offspring to the Church of the Cosmic Skull and fair play it’s been duly delivered. Opener “All through the night” took me right back to the 70’s and early Sabbath/Black Widow era, but the vocals link it to the Church inexorably, it’ll hold on to and satisfy the fans of “The church of the cosmic skull, the heavy intense riff overlaid with some great guitar work leading us throughout.

 

Next up “Mirror of tomorrow”, opens with that down tuned riff that we all appreciate, but heavily distorted evoking some of the heavier elements of Alice in Chains, moving the LP in a very different direction, held in sway by those un-mistakable vocals.

 

Moving on into “Celador” led through the opening by the vocals, the incessant guitar picking at you before it shifts up a gear, the riff rising and falling building throughout to a crescendo.

 

“The Dark Triad” again harkens back hitting that intense Sabbath style riff, led by the vocals again guiding you through the song, Then we move into a personal fave “Psychopathy” this is all over the place up a gear, with the bass starting to step in and take a lead, I think this is the song that pulls all the influences together, crystalizes the difference between this solo venture and the main band guitar and solo vocal replacing and leading rather than harmonizing through multiple vocal lines.

“Days of old” moves back into the 70’s picked guitar and solitary vocal producing the soundtrack to a new age of Aquarius, this is the song that will ground the LP holding on to the ethos of Church of the Cosmic Skull.  This feeling of the 70’s continues into “Message from the sky” before we move into LP closer “Mass Hypnosis” a much heavier beast but finishing the LP on a real high. If you’re a fan of Church of the Cosmic Skull, get this in your collection, if your not then back track and give them a listen, but make sure you give this LP the time it deserves, Lp’s sell out that quickly for a reason, we’re working through the second pressing now, join the Billuminati!!!!

 

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Author: Nev Brooks