More than any other genre, metal dialogues on a global basis with regional trappings both preserved and adopted while remaining colorblind to all but its true hue: black. Pittsburgh instrumental duo Zombi races Germanic per usual on Spirit Animal (Relapse), its second full-length since 2004’s Cosmos, 2006 precursor Surface to Air solidifying a parallel to West Berlin institution Tangerine Dream. The 14-minute title track spooks open a synthesizer aria of African sweep, while the succeeding “Spirit Warrior” does what Steve Moore (bass, keys) and A.E. Paterra (drums) do best – electro pulses not flipped since the aforementioned citrus gliders scored cinematic blackouts with Sorcerer (1977) and Thief (1981), although Miami Vice seeps in midway. That director Michael Mann (Manhunter, Heat) connects the latter two, and by extension Edgar Froese with Jan Hammer, decodes centerpiece “Earthly Powers,” after which “Cosmic Powers” gives chase. “Through Time” rumbles seismographic for 17 minutes that segue perfectly into English prog by Diagonal. The Brighton septet’s self-titled debut on UK indie label Rise Above bridges Krautrock to 1970s British Isle organ fries on the order of Deep Purple, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and King Crimson, 11-minute opener “Semi Permeable Men-Brain” pure flashback to the Isle of Man, Wight, or any other landlocked tidal pools of improvisation. As Norwegian black metal standard Satyricon approaches the two-decade mark on the continued coalescence of Satyr Wongraven and stickman Frost (1349, Keep of Kalessin), the two-headed cloven beast shakes off its stiff 2006 predecessor, Now, Diabolical, for the Def Jam metal of seventh LP The Age of Nero. That U.S. singer-songwriter/roots imprint Koch Records has committed to an anvil division wreaks bold even without this summoning of Rick Rubin-era Danzig. Black Hawk “Commando,” new black metal classic “Black Crow on a Tombstone,” and “Die by My Hand” translate into any pierced tongue.
This article appears in February 20 • 2009.
