SPECTRAL INCURSION
SPECTRAL INCURSION
It's been a while since I have written last review. One below is not the best example. It should be posted ages ago, but heck here it is today.
It's hard not to go boo-hoo when a thought what this band could brought us if it would not stop shortly after this eponymous release crosses the mind (mine at least). The potential which is shown here may be one of the biggest in whole Metal universe. Since I am a Watchtower-nut and totally VoiVod-crazed, I'd hardly resist not to check out anything that wears word »weird« on its sleeve. In fact my eyes caught it when I was browsing Vibrations of Doom classic vaults. The syntax »spectral incursion« would be unfitting for a NWOBHM or common 80's heavy metal product so it easily stood out between Sparta, Spartan Warriors and Steel Angels. It also signalled sth different – I was reminded of Nasty Savage's Incursion Dementia (NS's best track in my book). However, I usually get very pissed when band's name doesn't represent band's music, which is very common nowadays. The first evening spent with them was not very convincing, but the point of progressive music of all kinds is in successive listenings, spins, whatever you like. With one round one would not reap much. Actually it waited a year or so, before I gave it another try. Then a spin after spin I started to feel its grip tighter and tighter.
What I find especially alluring is the balance of quirkiness and classica. Not too quirky and not overtly melodic. Unpollished production helps to expose this feature as well. The »thrashiness«, the »progressiveness« and the »epicness« are well woven together. In fact the whole package if fairly coherent and almost 95% seamless with the rest 5% making it even more sympathetic. I would pick it even prior Sieges Even debut, for it is deeper and may open more surprising perspectives.
I wonder if it went totally unnoticed in its time (reviews in zines were probably unfavourable if there were any …), or there were few individuals who actually listen to it or even get inspired by. A few items from DaN's vaults make me think so.
Question for Mr.Keir : since you're hailing from Massachusetts … what are the prospects that you obtain their rehearsals DaN raves about and which make me salivating?
It's hard not to go boo-hoo when a thought what this band could brought us if it would not stop shortly after this eponymous release crosses the mind (mine at least). The potential which is shown here may be one of the biggest in whole Metal universe. Since I am a Watchtower-nut and totally VoiVod-crazed, I'd hardly resist not to check out anything that wears word »weird« on its sleeve. In fact my eyes caught it when I was browsing Vibrations of Doom classic vaults. The syntax »spectral incursion« would be unfitting for a NWOBHM or common 80's heavy metal product so it easily stood out between Sparta, Spartan Warriors and Steel Angels. It also signalled sth different – I was reminded of Nasty Savage's Incursion Dementia (NS's best track in my book). However, I usually get very pissed when band's name doesn't represent band's music, which is very common nowadays. The first evening spent with them was not very convincing, but the point of progressive music of all kinds is in successive listenings, spins, whatever you like. With one round one would not reap much. Actually it waited a year or so, before I gave it another try. Then a spin after spin I started to feel its grip tighter and tighter.
What I find especially alluring is the balance of quirkiness and classica. Not too quirky and not overtly melodic. Unpollished production helps to expose this feature as well. The »thrashiness«, the »progressiveness« and the »epicness« are well woven together. In fact the whole package if fairly coherent and almost 95% seamless with the rest 5% making it even more sympathetic. I would pick it even prior Sieges Even debut, for it is deeper and may open more surprising perspectives.
I wonder if it went totally unnoticed in its time (reviews in zines were probably unfavourable if there were any …), or there were few individuals who actually listen to it or even get inspired by. A few items from DaN's vaults make me think so.
Question for Mr.Keir : since you're hailing from Massachusetts … what are the prospects that you obtain their rehearsals DaN raves about and which make me salivating?
I am ... the One you warned me of
Ah! The reason I joined this forum!
I don't think they need a second guitarist. Besides Deathrow and Mekong Delta all the classic technothrash bands had one guitar in proud Rush tradition. If you're talking about a few overdubs in a studio, well there are some, perhaps there could be more. But not a constant second guitarist muddying the sound, unless he were extremely good.
There's a special charm in listening to a great guitarist playing 'rhythm and lead' at the same time. Robust chord work and then on the last bar a blazing legato form! I enjoy this lots.
Do we know what the people here did after Spectral Incursion? Has anyone contacted them? Is there any other material anywhere?
I don't think they need a second guitarist. Besides Deathrow and Mekong Delta all the classic technothrash bands had one guitar in proud Rush tradition. If you're talking about a few overdubs in a studio, well there are some, perhaps there could be more. But not a constant second guitarist muddying the sound, unless he were extremely good.
There's a special charm in listening to a great guitarist playing 'rhythm and lead' at the same time. Robust chord work and then on the last bar a blazing legato form! I enjoy this lots.
Agree. Actually there's some pretty advanced voivody harmonics in parts of these, and there is paid special attention to how riffs 'loop'. Meaning that whenever the guitarist wrote parts he wanted to repeat a lot of times in a row, he made certain that the riff didn't seam back into itself in a way that was predictable, but it wasn't jarring either. Good metric concepts, very nice pauses that accent oddness. Generally very nice mesostructural attention. I'd like lyrics too to know what it's about but can't have it allWhat I find especially alluring is the balance of quirkiness and classica. Not too quirky and not overtly melodic.
Correct! I find the production PERFECT for this. I did normalise +6dB the rip that I downloaded from here because it was too quiet, but otherwise this is robust and breathing. Great for noticing detail, but also heavy fuckin' metal. In some ways this is exactly how I want my ancient metal to sound. Like human beings play it, no metronomes, rugged but with clarity and order. A nice juxtaposition of human and superhuman traitsUnpollished production helps to expose this feature as well. The »thrashiness«, the »progressiveness« and the »epicness« are well woven together.
I'd say you're going too far here. The first Sieges Even has endless structural depth to examine. A few songs in there are absolute gems of song-making, not just riff-making or complication-making Definitely the most listenable TT release after Control and Resistance. This comes in third though!I would pick it even prior Sieges Even debut, for it is deeper and may open more surprising perspectives.
Do we know what the people here did after Spectral Incursion? Has anyone contacted them? Is there any other material anywhere?
I didn't say that it is more accompished than Life Cycle, but that it is less indebted to Control And Resistance or Watch Tower in general, and as such quite a potential to develop into sth unique and massive.
I dare to say that Mr. Preston actually knows more about SI, than we could ever guess. Am I wrong, Keir? What actually happened with this band? It seems they weren't mentioned in any 'zine or leaflet ...
I dare to say that Mr. Preston actually knows more about SI, than we could ever guess. Am I wrong, Keir? What actually happened with this band? It seems they weren't mentioned in any 'zine or leaflet ...
I am ... the One you warned me of
- doomedplanet
- Posts: 2154
- Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:48 pm
- Location: Oregon
just noticed this topic.
I have the "Middle of Nowhere" demo that is here on the band page?
http://www.myspace.com/spectralincursion
and "NOWHERE FAST" demo and GRAVEN IMAGE POST-S.I Demos
So I guess I need to rip this for the forum is what you are saying? did I promise it once? I forgot if that is so, along with TEMPEST it looks like!
I have the "Middle of Nowhere" demo that is here on the band page?
http://www.myspace.com/spectralincursion
and "NOWHERE FAST" demo and GRAVEN IMAGE POST-S.I Demos
So I guess I need to rip this for the forum is what you are saying? did I promise it once? I forgot if that is so, along with TEMPEST it looks like!
- Steel Tsar
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:43 pm
Spectral Incursion is OK. It's a record that I'd have to be in a particular mood to listen to. There were three demo tapes that I know about, with the first being made under the band name Graven Image. Here are some cover photos
Graven Image demo 1987
http://www.users.qwest.net/~paulchain/gravenimage.jpg
Nowhere Fast demo 1988
http://www.users.qwest.net/~paulchain/sinowhere.jpg
Middle of Nowhere demo 1991
http://www.users.qwest.net/~paulchain/simiddle.jpg
My tape player is not hooked up so I'll leave it to doomedplanet to rip them for us all.
Graven Image demo 1987
http://www.users.qwest.net/~paulchain/gravenimage.jpg
Nowhere Fast demo 1988
http://www.users.qwest.net/~paulchain/sinowhere.jpg
Middle of Nowhere demo 1991
http://www.users.qwest.net/~paulchain/simiddle.jpg
My tape player is not hooked up so I'll leave it to doomedplanet to rip them for us all.
Recovering metal junkie
Well, after I checked the old thread in Poisonoise, I saw you really promised to post demos. Do as you see fit.doomedplanet wrote: So I guess I need to rip this for the forum is what you are saying? did I promise it once? I forgot if that is so, along with TEMPEST it looks like!
I am ... the One you warned me of
- doomedplanet
- Posts: 2154
- Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:48 pm
- Location: Oregon
- Steel Tsar
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:43 pm
- ION BRITTON
- Posts: 6645
- Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:07 pm