LEAVING YOUR BODY MAP

3.5 stars. In my close to 20 years on here I've always picked up any albums that have been rated very high. Even if it's not something that I think I'll necessarily like. Call it "due diligence", or me knowing that I've been pleasantly surprised many times by doing this. "Leaving Your Body Map" and "Bath" were both released in 2001 and are truly companion albums. The music from both coming from demos as far back as 1997 that they re-worked and added new material too. Same band, same guests on both albums. It was just a matter of what tracks go on which record. And most that have both say "flip a coin" as to which one is better.

These two 2001 recordings were rated really high in the late 00's. The problem for me was finding a copy. I actually got their "Part The Second" from 2009 first, a sort of comeback, but mostly a gift for the fans. I did end up with a cdr of "Leaving Your Body Map" which was better than nothing. And I was actually quite pleased with this one. I'm not into the death growls and extreme sounds which they removed for "Part The Second" their highest rated album. But I can handle them. It's just the enjoyment factor isn't high enough for me to go 4 stars here, unlike "Part The Second".

MAUDLIN OF THE WELL would break up in 2003 the year Toby Driver the leader here started KAYO DOT. Sort of an evolution you could say from one band to the next. I mean have you heard "Choirs Of The Eye" that first KAYO DOT record? Man! As for this 2001 release, there are seven musicians that formed this band, while we get three guests. Some different flavours as well surprisingly like viola, clarinet, trumpet and flute. When Toby formed KAYO DOT he took three of these musicians with him. Sam Gutterman on drums, guitarist Greg Massi, and multi-instrumentalist Terran Olson who plays keyboards, flute and clarinet on here.

So we get just over an hour of music over ten tracks. And while I don't usually mention bonus tracks the first of the two is worth mentioning. It's called "Secret Song" and it's maybe the best track on here, and the only track actually released as a single. What?! Just a great combo of death and atmosphere. Others similar on the main album would be the opener "Stones Of October's Sobbing", "A Violent Mist" and "A Curve That to an Angle Turn'd". I'm not into the screaming, like someone is being tortured or suffering badly to end part 1 and start part 2 of "Riseth He, The Numberless". This is not entertainment for me, although I like the sinister sounding vocals on the second part before 4 minutes. I'm pretty sure I heard sleigh bells on that "(Interlude 4)" instrumental. Strings later.

Very much a hit and miss affair in my music world. I much prefer KAYO DOT, even if I'm not into all of their albums. This feels like a tuneup for what was coming, namely "Choirs Of The Eye".

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