Spiral – The Traveler

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“Space Rock On A Distant Quasar” SPIRAL were shaped rigidly in the infinite space in late 2000s by two constantly-spiral players named Chris BOAT (keyboards, bass, guitar, voices) and Aaron FRALE (guitar, voices) for playing their desert music (much influenced by 70s era Floyd and Tangerine Dream) amongst dunes and cacti. They’ve actively released albums in collaboration with a couple of guest musicians like Casey MRAZ (guitar) or Felicia KARAS (violin) via their bandcamp and launched some physical material since their debut full work “The Death Of Billy Jensen” was released in July 2010.

Let me say that they are really “Space Rock On A Distant Quasar” amongst dunes and cacti, but that’s NOT ALL.

From the beginning of the first track “The Red Giant Stirs”, their quirky, frozen guitar blizzard rages all around. The way they have showed their soundscape along with their rough-and-tumble music life sounds quite amazing for us. Their distorted shout and harmonized guitar weep are also cool and powerful. As if we faced the dark side of their mind or we jumped into a dangerous safari, magnificent catastrophe should bump up around us. The second scene after a dizzy calmness (that gives us a momentary safe and sound) grabs our physical and mental substance into the keyboard-based outer space – again, as numberless as the grains of sand on the desert, a bunch of growling guitar bullets hit our brain. Well understood they call themselves as desert rock creators. Not gentle at all. On the contrary, the next “An Epiphany Near Vega 9″ is a bottle of refreshing soft drink, sometimes feeling chilling coolness of rigid rock ices. Off-symphonic voices are a bit of regret but the song overall can be modulated methinks.

The third track “The Caves Of Anamnesis”, the longest one in this album, is another gem of them. Dim voices and fuzzy guitar works can be terrifically merged up completely, that notifies us something critical in near future. Fantastic contrast created with whistles and keyboard sounds is also beautiful but risky like mind-altering agents. Their fascinating jam session with heavy riffs and splendid psychedelic voyage from the middle part till the ‘sudden’ end cannot disappoint us definitely. Sometimes gets cool, sometimes violent, and sometimes depressive – their flexibility can alter their appearance frequently. Oh man, they have reminded me that I’d got immersed in that cool ‘Rock’ itself in my adolescence. The last “R.I.P. Rip” is controversial at least for me – exactly a space rock pretty influenced by Floyd in Waters’ period, with mellow, persistently meditative riff flowers in their garden, but less aggressive fever and freaky palpitation of them. Rather, such a typical spacey atmosphere sounds like they would launch another relaxed situation around, not very challenging though.

In conclusion and my total impression for the album, they play desert rock that is veiled not only dry and hot solidity but also warm and hearty fluidity (a bit). Excellent work really, please enjoy.

Tracklist:

1. The Red Giant Stirs (15:40)
2. An Epiphany Near Vega 9 (9:41)
3. The Caves Of Anamnesis (19:19)
4. R.I.P. Rip (12:16)

Total Time 56:56

Line-up:

* Aaron Frale – guitar, lead guitar, voices
* Chris Boat – voices, keyboards, bass, guitar

Special guests
* Casey Mraz – lead guitar
* Chris Walker – lead guitar
* Chris Beasley – lead guitar
* Denzel Thompson – voices, guitar

Links:

Spiral Bandcamp

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