Maelstrom

Maelstrom is an extremely impressive debut release, a hyper-aggressive tour de force of instrumental psychedelic jazz-rock, at times reminiscent of Steve Hillage-era Gong or progressive Italian groups as Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso.
"Dragon Feed" immediately sets the tone -- ten explosive minutes of sax and guitar solos, as the rhythm section shows great restraint and dexterity, keeping the affair perfectly focussed -- think of Ozric Tentacles, without keyboards, and you will have the idea. The guitar riffage and sax honking evolve surprisingly into a brief, almost quiet bass solo, then once again become an onslaught from the two leads. The twisting and turning continues with "Archimedes Tub," introducing flute into the mix in a nice blend with the guitars -- think Martin Barre and Ian Anderson -- with the flute managing to stay lucid and compelling despite the driving underpinning of the rhythm section. Next is "Oceania," a beautiful melody that starts with a vaguely pastoral guitar riff, gently introducing the main theme, then building to a percussive workout that includes excellent didgeredoo sonics by Steve Roach. The closer, "Path of the Firewinds," opens with shimmering glissando guitars and lush flute, slowly building into a space rock jam with wailing sax, a guitar riff growing in power and complexity until it finally settles into a melodic groove, leaving the listener ready to spin the CD again. Despite the instrumental pyrotechnics, this is a well-written album, showing considerable craft and a mature sense of dynamics and structure. The band knows how and when to shift gears, finding a balance between the hyper-aggressive and melodic. While Maelstrom is definitely retro in its style and approach, it will appeal considerably to fans of the loud middle-era King Crimson or Gong, and as such is definitely recommended. ~ Laurie Mercer|