Dark Aether Project - Feed The Silence

Year of Release: 1999
Label: self-released
Catalog Number: DAP2
Format: CD
Total Time: 52:01:00

Folks who are into space rock might like this disc, as it sounds like early Pink Floyd mixed with doses of King Crimson. Most of the tracks on this album are atmospheric in nature. That is, the songs are loosely structured and don't always seem to go anywhere specific. The first track, "Burnt Sunrise," is very Floydian -- if you can imagine Robert Fripp on guitar rather than David Gilmour -- and goes through several laid-back moods before the full band makes an appearance behind the main guitar theme. The second track, "Nightmare," one of my favorites, makes me think of Meddle-era Pink Floyd, but with a kind of tribal groove going on in the background. On this track, Ray Weston, once [and again] of Echolyn fame, tackles some mystical vocals.

The song "Stages" is probably my favorite on this album, what with its strong King Crimson flavor, like something from the first three Adrian Belew KC albums. "Building the Worm," on the other hand, is more of an ambient piece, with layers of droning keyboards, and whining Warr-guitar noodling. This track is not unlike one of Robert Fripp's solo musical landscapes, except that it's darker and harsher, like a soundtrack for a horror movie. Feed the Silence presents a mixed bag of styles and shifting meters, moving from mellow melodies to shrieking vocals and back again. The disc also includes a bonus live track, which shows that these folks can reproduce their dark, atmospheric sounds from the stage. Let's just say that the band's name fits their music!

All in all, this is a good listen, even if there isn't a whole lot to sink one's teeth into as far as classic prog-like intricacy goes. The musicianship is competent, if not virtuostic, and the grooves these guys come up with are often interesting, albeit sometimes a bit monotonous. Those who like complex prog rock probably won't find much here to quench your thirst, but if you're into early Floyd -- or are willing to try something a little different -- this fine album might hit the spot.

Tracklisting:
Burnt Sunrise (12:40) / Nightmare (8:14) / Stages (6:46) / Building The Worm (4:59) / Feed The Silence (10:22) / Out Of The Dark/Dark Aether (Live) (8:52)

Musicians:
Adam Levin - Warr 8-string guitar, keyboards, loops
Yaman Aksu - guitar, Hammond organ
Brian Griffin - drums, percussion
Ray Weston - vocals

Discography:
The Dark Aether Project (1998)
Feed The Silence (1999)
The Gentle Art Of Firewalking (2002)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: May 15th 2001
Reviewer: Clayton Walnum

Artist website: www.darkaether.net
Hits: 2782
Language: english