Section 37
Critical Mass
Jim has been talking to me about this project for quite some time and here we have the fruits of his and Stuart Harris’ labours. Jim’s Lucifaere project has often delved into the darker side of life and death and Stuart used to review some of the “darker” EM titles for SMD. Apparently Section 37 has something to do with one of the mental health acts and Stuart himself works in Psychiatric prison. He once also sent me a book of some of his poetry which quite frankly scared the shit out of me. You might realise already that this is not going to be easy listening. The theme seems to be a non too distant future when computers and machines rule and consumption and atomic power are the new man made Gods.

A Church bell rings out and a vast machine spews out steam as if some immense turbine is forced into action. Gothic chants are sung over the top as if in worship to the machine but can only rarely be heard over the rhythm. Next we get a vocal sample saying ‘Power Is The Law’, rather appropriate really as that is the title of this section. More sounds of machinery underpin a melodic motif. A whole collage of sounds can be heard underneath and at the half way mark a more conventional rhythm (ie drums!) can be heard. A superb high register sequence then pulsates forward fighting against the hellish brew, submerging then fighting to the surface again. The track finishes peacefully. ‘The Bishops Address’ makes use of slow rhythms some conventional and some more mechanical in nature. We then get a short spoken passage (from a Yorkshire priest). ‘The Lords Nuclear Prayer’ starts very cosmically then we get a futuristic version of ‘The Lords Prayer’ followed by more dark atmospherics accompanied by the sound of phantoms or the Undead. ‘In Nomine Patris’ is another highly atmospheric number with rhythmic detail joined later by more chanting monks. ‘Sellafield’ is a watery dripping track with the sound of keys knocking together as if we are in some abandoned works or even a dungeon. After a a short but superbly demonic spoken passage we get ‘Psalm 93 Dominus Regnavit’, again very atmospheric but this time with some vocoded spoken text. ‘A Blessing of Effluence’ is a very futuristic sounding piece with snatches of some broadcast again faintly rhythmic and mechanical. ‘Requiem For A Broken Machine’ juxtapositions sweet angelic vocals and synth pads in the background with noises of, well, a broken machine. Ethereal and effective. ‘Torn Shadows’ features uneasy backing with a poem which is not only superbly written but in the context of such a dark album highly effective. ‘Dark Matter Mechanics’ uses a mad mechanical universe as backing to a sequence which is right out of Jim’s top drawer. This is probably the most accessible track on the album (in relative terms) but still with that twist of manic weirdness.

If you are already into the darker works of Jim Kirkwood or Lucifaere I would recommend this album without hesitation. I thought it was awesome. If you are not already a fan of Jim’s I doubt this will convert you. As spoken in the final track’, “The Blessing Of God Atomic, The Fission, And Half Life Sum, Be Upon You, And Remain With You, Forever, Atem.” (DL)

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