Radio Massacre International Emissaries

We start in windy atmospheric mode readily bringing up pictures of the title 'Seeds Crossing the Interstellar Void'. Mellotron can then be heard amongst the cosmic effects. Flutey synth sounds take over and things become quite calm. Mournful electric guitar then makes an entrance backed by more tron then the first sequence starts up, quite a syncopated metallic one. Another sequence is added, combining wonderfully with Gary's guitar. Further sequence / mellotron combinations get 'A Priest Crossing Frozen Water' underway. Cosmic effects whoosh and twitter as more sequences move into formation alongside the first. Delicate lead lines give a slightly mournful feeling. Percussive splashes provide just the right foil for some wonderful little guitar licks, placed perfectly in the middle of the mix. 'Mad Bob's Self Inflicted Torment' begins with a sublime little melody, dripping melancholy, complimented by superb flutey synth then mellotron accompaniment. From the half way mark the lead line descends into a sonic gloop of half heard vocoded vocal colouring and cosmic effects. 'The Emissaries Reveal Themselves' hurls us straight back into sequencer driven territory. The mellotron is again brought into play, acoustic guitar giving extra colour. 'The Ice Garden' is suitably cold and crystalline with metallic tones initially providing the main focus. These depart to be replaced by bright note droplets. Things then become more abstract and atmospheric. More like something from a fevered nightmare actually. 'A Promise of Salvation' starts with a deep reverberating drone but then things get quite syncopated accompanied by another fine melody and excellent spaced out guitar.

Disc Two starts well out in the cosmos, which is rather appropriate for a piece with the snappy title 'An Interstellar Vacuum is Far From Empty'. Little melodies drift on the ether but things become increasingly abstract as we progress. There is loads going on though- in no way is this just float. The pace quickens considerably right from the beginning of 'Mobile Star Systems' as a whirling rotor blade type sequence starts up. An even faster high register one then replaces this then yet another sending bass rumbles from the speakers as if it's an earthquake! More and more pulsating patterns are coaxed into action. Electric guitar wails like some injured beast then disappears. We finish the track with the sequences making an even greater surge forward. 'A Piano Wanders the Incandescent Vapours' (quite!) initially features growling guitar effects over soft pads rather that the aforesaid joanna. It eventually makes an appearance around the two-minute mark, all rather gentle and meandering. Things become calmer with the guitar now providing little licks here and there. It really is lovely spaced out stuff. The guitar becomes even more tuneful on 'Sympathy for the Bedeviled' but still with delicate cosmic backing then excellent organ sounds. The sequences start to surge again just as we move into 'The Arrival of the Seeds'. This bounces along nicely, a further bass sequence making an entrance after a couple of minutes. Lead lines and melodic pads become more of a feature around the six-minute mark but the pulsations still remain the main focus until the tenth minute where things become very sparse, the attention now being directed to dark guitar effects. Melodic sequences return for 'Deliverance From Nuclear Winter', at least three lines of them in fact, spreading all over the sonic spectrum. Things very gradually become more intense building to a complete barrage of pulsations. Lead lines do become more prominent after the half way mark but the sequences remain the main focus and source of energy right until the end.