YETI

There are many bands with the name YETI but this is the most complex and intriguing one. This YETI was based in Ft. Worth, TX and started out as the trio of Tommy Atkins on bass, Jon Teague on drums and Eric Harris on guitar but once keyboardist Doug Ferguson (Ohm, Muz, Tone Float, Vas Deferens Organization) jumped ship from a similar band named Est Mort in which both Atkins and Teague once played in, the final lineup was complete and the quartet cranked out this all instrumental album of four lengthy tracks that fused progressive space rock with zeuhl and avant-prog with sludge metal. The album is a sonic assault of the senses as heavy doomy guitar stomps and progressive rock workouts are joined by otherworldly spacey keyboard segments and dreamy atmospheric meanderings.

More than any other band, YETI reminds me of the French zeuhl band Archaïa which released only one self-titled album in 1977 in the way it delivers a jittery zeuhl sonic trajectory that zigzags accompanied by wild oscillating synthesized sequences throughout the four behemoth tracks with the finale "Est Mort" just shy of the 17 minute mark. While very much like Archaïa in the zeuhl department, the band crafts a much more sophisticated and sinister approach as it melds in long labyrinthine progressive rock workouts with angular heaviness in the vein of "Red" era King Crimson only augmented with a more doom and sludge metal delivery. The guitar is heavily distorted while the bass slyly slinks up and down the fretboard like a slithering snake on steroids. While the percussion isn't the band's strongest draw, there are moments when the frenetic drumming is allowed off its leash.

Due to the lengthy playing times, the album comes off a bit as an avant-prog band in the vein of those spooky early Univers Zero type albums such as "Heresie" with unrelenting bombast, haunting atmospheric jet streams that glaze the horizon just beyond the heavy rock oriented guitar, bass and drum and extremely interesting progressions that offer a wealth of variations around a central melodic theme that slowly drifts in and out of the main frame of reference. This is an album where the keyboards dominate with Doug Ferguson often stealing the show with some amazing finger workouts as well as strange atmospheric sweeps in the vein of Hawkwind. The tracks meander through various tempo changes and exercise caution in delivering bombastic outbursts of angular complexities but feel free to really let loose at times. Overall the music nonchalantly lollygags from one lazy fuzz-laden cadence to the next.

Each track has its own charm with the keys more often than not creating the distinction but the true treat comes in the longest track and closer "Est Mort" that starts off sounding more like a possessed alien accordion practice session that delivers a chilling atmospheric preamble which allows the frenetic guitar riff to burst in and the bantering bass line to create the proper stabilizing effect for the oscillating keys to whiz in and out of sequence like a possessed theremin in the midst of an exorcism. The track builds and builds as all the instruments take the liberty of building off of the other until a bombastic climax unfolds. The track goes through stages of lighthearted space rock and orotund metallic sludgery with the keys providing not only atmospheric instability but also the grounding effect of pleasant melodic ear hooks. This is one of my favorite prog space rock albums of the new millennium as it perfectly balances simplicity with some of the most outrageous prog gymnastics allowed by law. Highly recommended.

Not exactly the kind of music you'd associate Texas with is it? Often slow and doom-like, experimental something SHUB NIGGURATH would be proud of perhaps. This is their debut from 2000 and they are a four piece. Sadly Doug Ferguson the keyboard player passed away after this recoding leaving the remaining three to do one more album in his honour. Both are solid 4 star albums in my opinion and neither is for the faint of heart that's for sure. I was surprised to see Dave Willingham involved with both YETI albums as he also worked in the studio with one of my favourite Post-Rock bands LIFT TO EXPERIENCE another Texas band playing very untypical music from this state. We get mellotron on three of the four tracks but the synths are more prominent. Doug was a huge MAGMA fan and both albums get tagged with Zeuhl although I hear it way more on the second album.

"Two Fingers" has these ghostly synths to start as distorted guitar and drums start to come and go. The tempo picks up 2 minutes in and the synths eventually come in over top. It settles back around 3 1/2 minutes with some nice prominent bass then the guitar starts to solo over top. Synths are back around 5 minutes in then keys a minute later. The tempo picks up again. It turns almost light after 7 minutes but not for long as the sound explodes but contrasts continue. It turns dark 8 minutes in to the end.

"Interstellar Biplane" has some active drumming and spacey synths early on but soon a full sound kicks in. Contrasts between full and not so much continue. Pulsating synths 2 1/2 minutes and more active drumming as the guitar becomes dissonant and the mellotron rolls in. A calm quickly takes over with the bass leading then a full sound with mellotron before 4 minutes. Bass only again briefly then it turns doom-like and slower until around 8 minutes in. Some organ runs and spacey synths before 10 minutes.

"Go Like This" is surprisingly upbeat until it calms right down 1 1/2 minutes in. It turns haunting around 3 1/2 minutes. It picks up before 7 minutes then kicks in a minute later. It settles back after 9 minutes to the end. I like this closing section.

"Est Mort" is the almost 17 minute closer. It opens with accordion-like sounds then the guitar kicks in before 1 1/2 minutes. Bass joins in then spacey synths as it builds. It turns heavier around 3 1/2 minutes. Spacey sounds over top before 5 minutes. It slowly plods heavily along until kicking in after 7 minutes. It settles beautifully with mellotron and slowly played guitar after 10 minutes. It kicks in again just before 13 minutes then settles again. A big chaotic finish 16 minutes in to the end.

Not as good as I had hoped but I like this style of music especially with mellotron being a part of it. The second album is more experimental and "out there" but this is a band worth checking out if you like dark and experimental music.

YETI were a quartet from Texas who really took me by surprise. I was given a nondescript-looking two song demo CD to review back in 1999, and I was floored the moment I put it on. Soon thereafter, their debut album, Things to Come, was released, and it did not disappoint. The two songs from the demo were included in slightly (but not much) cleaner versions, and they were joined by two more equally impressive tracks. In the past few months, I have been revisiting this CD, and it sounds as good now as it did then, long after the novelty has worn off. And the more I listen to it, the more convinced I am that it brilliantly succeeds at everything it attempts; and since I love the kind of thing they attempted, I'm gonna give it five stars.

YETI are an all-instrumental group of guitar, organ, bass, and drums, and if I had to sum them up in one sentence, I'd say that this is a group that takes the spirit of Magma's classic song "De Futura" as a starting point, and expands out in all directions from there. Long, trudging, bass-heavy epics with a strong rhythmic undercurrent, over which guitar and organ wring out the coolest possible sounds you can imagine. Heavily phased wah-wah guitar, haunted Mellotron, screeching Lowery organ (like the Soft Machine), distorted bass riffs, stop-on-a-dime ensemble twists, it's all here and more. Each of the four tracks offer a different angle on this approach, and all are equally compelling, creative, and create a lasting impression (13 years and counting for yours truly).

"Two Fingers", the nine-minute opener, starts things off on a relatively brisk and funky note, never staying in one place too long as it develops several themes and switches fluidly between them. "Interstellar Biplane" (10 min) follows with some rather frantic and fast-paced ensemble playing before settling into a strange slow section interrupted every few measures by a burst of rhythm, followed by yet another groovy Zeuhl-ish bass line. "Go Like This" (10 min) starts in a quick tempo'd fashion but soon moves into a real spooky ominous section colored by a thick layer of dark wah-wah chords on the guitar. This section builds slowly over most of the piece's duration. One might figure that this is the "doom" number on the album, until the final track "Est Mort", hits the speakers. Approaching 17 minutes in length, this is a horribly great river of dark sludge. Beginning with a theme introduced on guitar, similar to the main guitar theme of Magma's aforementioned "De Futura", the songs soon collapses into a slowly moving tornado of organ and guitar noise, threatening to dissolve into chaos, but always moving forward ever so slowly. The band eventually rescues itself from this pit, only to throw itself into another one. This is the track most likely to melt your brain if the other three haven't already.

Perfectly executed album featuring elements of several progressive music styles that have always been favorites of mine - adjectives like "dark", "intense", "groovy", "daring", and "noisy" come to mind. If you love Magma's heavier works like "De Futura", the anarchic noise of the early Soft Machine, and music that doesn't mind going over the edge of sanity now and then, then this album is for you. Highly recommended.

YETI are down to a trio here, i'm not sure what happened to keyboard player Doug Ferguson, but they dedicate this recording to him. They also thank SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM. The music itself is very dark and brooding with outbreaks of violence.There are vocals scattered throughout including some yelling and screaming in the background. I can't believe these guys are from Texas, I thought there was an unwritten rule somewhere that said this type of music could only be played by bands from Belgium or France. Haha.

"Cusp Of Something You Don't Understand" opens with lots of atmosphere as different sounds come and go slowly. A melody rises up after 1 1/2 minutes. It's getting heavy 2 1/2 minutes in as vocals yell in the background. It becomes doom-like 4 1/2 minutes in before it kicks back into that heavy sound from earlier. An eerie calm comes in at 6 minutes as vocals whisper. A heavy doom-like soundscape returns at 8 1/2 minutes as vocals yell in the background a minute later. It ends in chaos. "Strangled By Light" opens with lots of atmosphere like the opening track. The synths sound like a girl screaming, very haunting as this sound comes and goes. The tempo starts to pick up with some nice deep bass lines. Drums come in as the sound builds. Here we go 4 1/2 minutes in as drums pound and the vocalist spits out the lyrics with contempt. It lightens somewhat 6 minutes in then kicks back in a minute later. Death growls after 8 1/2 minutes. The guitar takes over a minute later in a dissonant manner. It ends experimentally.

"Blood Lotus" is a cool track that sounds like a Zeuhl song on speed. The vocal melodies with heavy bass and drums are "Zeuhl 101". He then starts to yell out the lyrics theatrically. The Zeuhl passage is back ! The guitar that follows grinds away slowly then starts to churn the soundscape over and over. The sound changes after 3 1/2 minutes as the guitar still leads but in a different syle. Bass helps out as well as do the vocals in the background. The tempo is picking up slowly until an all out assault 6 1/2 minutes in to the end as the vocalist yells out. "Black Pills" is the longest track at 19 minutes.This one builds slowly until drums and mellotron arrive before 5 minutes. They continue to come and go. The sound explodes 9 minutes in as guitar, vocals, drums and bass erupt. He's yelling again before 11 1/2 minutes.The guitar comes in on fire after the vocals stop. It's experimental and noisy after 14 1/2 minutes. A change follows as a good heavy rhythm takes over with guitar playing over top. It ends in chaotic violence.

This is a difficult album to digest. Recommended to fans of Technical / Extreme Metal, as well as the adventerous. I know who you are.

If you love Zeuhl, Rock In Opposition, Heavy and Symphonic Prog, then you've come to the right place. This 2000 release from Stateside instrumentalists Yeti, is a sensational, and very successful melding of these styles, and then some..... These guys are right on the money !! First side, Track 1 - 'Two Fingers' (9.01) is as subtle as a sledgehammer ! I would say they've been inspired by MAGMA's 'Udu Wudu', HENRY COW's 'Western Culture' with some nightmarish tones of UNIVERS ZERO and the heaviness of 'Red' era KING CRIMSON. It may sound like you've heard it all before, but it's never been done in such a stunning manner. Absolutely gruesome low-end Bass, heavier-than-heavy Drums, spacey Synths and textural Guitar-work all create a phenomenally in-yer-face wall of sound. Angular melodies and tempo changes abound, only occasionally locking into an odd groove, but always inserting some sudden, violent twists and turns. You can also hear some searing Mellotron Choirs and Gothic Harmonium throughout the journey. A frantic beat kicks off 'Interstellar Biplane' (10.31) which doesn't let up until a swirling String- Synth appears with a lagging dirge-like attack full of de-tuned Bass. Not too long and the music picks up again with a fuzzy groove, full of intense Drumming and highly impressive Guitaring. By now, we are subjected to bursts of pure adrenalin. The song then returns to the ponderous dirge from earlier for a minute or two, and finishes off with a section comprised of a lighter sound of clean-toned Bass and a Synth solo, backed with a solid beat. A burst of Mellotron Choirs wraps up the piece just nicely. Side 2 features 'Go Like This' (9.10). This piece starts with a fast paced Bass riff, with some jazzy Drumming and light synth touches. Some atmospheric Guitar and nebulous noises in the background. This builds with a mysterious tri-tone groove and erupts with twisted synths and crazy rhythms and returns to the opening riff. Mind-blowing, pure and simple. 'Est Mort' (15.09) opens with eerie chords of unaccompanied Harmonium, then the band is back again, fully disecting and intensifying every moment heard on the record up until now, and churns out a whirlwind of sound which takes you, shakes you, and catapults you straight into Hades (and beyond) and never lets up. And I mean 'never'. I always return, but never the same. This is one SUPERB album, and I just don't understand the hum-drum ratings it has been awarded. 5 HUGE stars from me, maybe I've gone mad !!

This wild Texan quartet is one of the pleasant surprises of the new millennium and so far from two albums only, they managed to raise a few eyebrows in the prog world. While the artwork of Things To Come is a bit misleading (we are far away from the usual spacey prog, there is a cosmic feel to it), somehow it does it no disservice either. Notice the rotten human skull on the lower left corner.

The classic prog quartet plays an instrumental Zeuhl, that can remind what a few newer Cuneiform label groups are doing: I am thinking of Nebelnest or later Djam Karet or even the later Guapo (but without the post rock), but there is a rough, raw and unrefined feel that makes it veer to some RIO intonations: Present comes to mind here. Four tracks only, but all over the 9-minute-mark, the group develops a wild mix of semi-Zeuhl music (from Magma to Univers Zero are obvious historical influences here) to more conventional groups like Crimson. Yeti never lets up throughout the 46 minutes of this album, even if there is a much quieter passage in Go Like This.

This album gives me a small dilemma: while not essential (far from it), I like it enough to give its fourth star, but cannot bring myself to recommend this album, but to confirmed fans of the genre. Hence I will stick to the 3,5 stars.

Quite interesting album of this American instrumental guitar-bass-keys-drums quartet. Stilistically we can find the hints to zeuhl, Rock In Opposition, also to experimental post rock. In my oppinion really the best work of them. And every composition on this record includes some very strong moments. Fortunately the arsenal of keyboards includes analog synthesizer and harmonium - this fact is very important because of the "juiciness" of sounds. This record is fine bunch of longish dark-edged travels!