ADMIRA

Apparently a live album of the Kluster group from the same year that the K became a C, when Moebius and Roedelius decided to keep the group's name (albeit slightly changed), once Schnitzler left the band in May 71. Sooooo what to do with this posthumous release, claiming to be live from that very same year, but having Schnitzler, but not Moebius and Roedelius, unless the last two are included in the "And Friends"? According to Asbjornssen, Kluster's last concert was in May 71 in Gottingen,, but I don't explain the line-up that doesn't mention Dieter and Hans. All I can say it that sonically speaking, this is certainly a real "K"luster album, going as far, if not even further than even Faust dared to. 12 tracks (ranging from 1 to 8 minutes) without names, with only one or two that have a structure or some kind of repeating pattern that can be either seen as rhythm or thread, Admira is certainly a weird disc, but by no means stranger than the Kluster preceding it or the Cluster following it. Often nightmarish, sometimes hypnotic, never melodic, always surprising, these tracks lead you from total insanity to complete madness without you even realizing it in just over one hour, but somehow the album manages to stand on its own and completes its quest for its grail without even battling it out, since its implacable logic leaves no room for discussion. Definitely a must for the "KC"luster fans, but it's hard giving 4 stars to such an album.

This studio album features mainstay 'Schnitzler' without regular bandmates 'Moebius and Roedelius' who appear to have have left in a huff literally weeks before this recording session. So much happened with 'Kluster' in '71 that it's difficult to follow any sequence of events. The passage of time hasn't helped matters either. It becomes ever murkier and darker.

Very little information regarding the two new interlopers 'Freudigman and Seidel' is at hand. They appear out of nowhere and suddenly vanish in a puff of smoke after this release. It's all very confusing...

'Admira' was originally released on the 'Qbico' label under the moniker 'Eruption' replete with spooky front cover displaying a silhouette of Schnitzler on a pair of stilts in a wet, grey German industrial complex.

'Admira' is a jarring, ugly album which reminds me quite a lot of the work of David Jackman's 'Organum' from the mid 80's with it's screeching acoustic strings, elongated phrases and downright tuneless, intimidating wanderings.

This certainly won't appeal to many Prog Archive followers. The ice cold echoes of acoustic instruments sound like they're dragged slowly across 10 foot long cello strings. It's all very menacing and dark, but surprisingly at times sounds similar to the more noisy parts of 'Floyd's' Saucerful of Secrets'.

Some violent 'scream' singing appears above the caterwauling din late on which will have most listeners pulling their bed sheets up over their noses as toes tremble.

Despite the limited technology and recording techniques available in '71 I have to say that it stands up pretty well in 2015 and sounds relevant in the electro-acoustic genre even today.

Certainly ahead of its time, 'Admira' has many similarities in its latter stages with English experimentalists 'Zoviet France' with phased, damaged and undefined acoustic strings played out over an unreleased horror soundtrack.

This is more of historical value than of any great earth shattering new find. I'm just pleased it was finally released after lying hidden in an 'Evil Dead' crypt for 37 years.