Industrial Monk: Prophecies

Glenn Astarita

Senior Contributor since 1997

Longtime contributor to AAJ and Downbeat, Jazz Review, EjazzNews, Radio DirectX.

Recent articles (1,629 total)

Published: December 1, 2001

The message here might pertain to notions that religion (or religious connotations) can be a truly hip experience, thanks to the overall approach taken by sound engineer, Fred Vogler and Japanese born synthesist/composer, Takashi Kawai. On this release, the duo pursues nicely orchestrated loops, samples and Techno rhythms along with vocalists who chant Latin verse atop groove-based, ambient electronic soundscapes.

Vogler and Kawai also enlist the services of guitarist, Goffrey Moore, and bassist, Mark Jones to complement the vocalists as MIDI technology coalesces with Gregorian chant style, unisonous music. Essentially, this recording features a potpourri of windswept sounds, electronic percussion; synth textures and stinging lead guitar lines intermingled with the lead vocalists’ hallowed intonations.

At times, the vocalists and instrumentalists seem to get caught up in a bit of contention, largely due to the complex frameworks, layered synth voicings and pulsating rhythmical underpinnings. However, this is a minor beef as Prophecies is upbeat, positive in scope and highly entertaining. Recommended.

Industrial Monk

Track Listing: 1.Vide Domine 2.Beata Dei Genitrix 3.Prophecy 4.Ave Maria 5.Xenolith 6.Gloria 7.Salve Regina 8.Redemptor (Demi)

Personnel: Frederick Vogler: keyboards

Record Label: RCM
Style: Electronica