IN THE DESERT

On this EP by Spiral, the first song, "In the Desert (Mind Trip in A Minor Part 4)" has a few guitars in the Phrygian mode with those Roger Waters copycat vocals shouting over the chords. It is entirely repetitive and has already worn out its welcome after a couple of minutes. The lackluster guitar solos don't add much excitement. Plain guitars in a minor key open the nine-and-a-half-minute second track, "Our Final Days on Bellicus Prime," while a monotonous voice quavers through an unfortunate tremolo effect. The subsequent guitar solo is fuzzy and fat. Eventually keyboards take over the chords the guitar was playing. In case the listener has dozed, the band choses to spend the final few minutes with thick distorted guitar, tempestuous screaming, and a repetitive percussion. I cannot recommend this, because it mostly relies on the same pair of chords and the same mood throughout. It is a pity the titles are the most interesting aspect.