AND THE WATERS OPENED

In the liner notes guitarist Roberto Detree says that their ambition in making "And The Waters Opened" was not that different from that of the debut. The big difference was that band leader Peter Hamel had been to India many times and practically showered the band with the Indian approach to music and spiritual ideas. The first album "Einstieg" was occupied with experimental sound research as it were, while this album was occupied with the Arabic-Indian tradition. Peter Hamel said "After the LP came out, we were told we were making music that did a lot of people good, that they used it to meditate, to relax, to heal themselves. Naturally we thought that was great ! We were making New Age music before the concept existed. By the time it(New Age) did, we didn't want to have anything to do with it, because it often concealed an extremely low musical level, shallowness in a culture of purity". What I love about this record besides how spiritual it is, is how dark and haunting it often is.

"Journey To The Ixtland" is very ominous with spooky sounds and percussion. 2 1/2 minutes in we get some flute-like melodies along with what sounds like violin screeches and pounding kettle drums. And "The Waters Opened" offers up more haunting music and humming sounds. After 2 minutes ethnic sounds take over. It comes to a dramatic head 4 minutes in as it gets very loud and experimental. As it settles down percussion comes in, and the tempo picks up a minute later. Congas 7 minutes in before what sounds like water a minute later over-runs the soundscape. Vocal melodies as percussion continues to beat. Strummed guitar and flute 9 1/2 minutes in. "Uroboros" opens with more ethnic sounds with this hum in the background. It gets kind of crazy 2 minutes in as all kinds of sounds can be heard. A melody then comes out of it with percussion. Vocal melodies followed by aboe as it gets an Indian flavour. "Syn" opens with waves of sounds as it feels like we are floating in deep, dark space. Yet I can see why this might be healing music. There is something about this that is moving my inner soul.

"Devotion" is a catchy but soothing song with vocals. I was reminded of POPOL VUH. Percussion and ethnic sounds are joined by keys 1 1/2 minutes in. This is great ! "Happy Stage" opens with aboe as flute, strummed guitar and percussion eventually join in. Some keys come and go. Strummed guitar and percussion dominate 9 minutes in. "Samum" opens with acoustic guitar that lasts a minute then percussion and aboe join in. It sounds like wind blowing before 3 minutes until it dominates the sound a minute later. This creates a very eerie soundscape. The final 2 tracks are bonus songs(as was the opening track). "Kalenda Maya" features aboe and percussion, while "Former Times" features some excellent flute with piano and percussion.

Well i much prefer this to the experimental "Einstieg", even if it's not nearly as adventerous as that one. This record just flows like the waters were opened.