Aural Innovations: Crystal Crow-Bar

Ole Lukkoye – Crystal Crow-Bar
(Think Progressive 2000, 06280-2)

We have all been waiting quite some time for the new CD from this group of eclectic Russians. The band recorded this CD down in Germany with Hans Joachim Irmler from Faust producing the record. This CD continues on from where the last one left off, with dark haunting tracks with strange lyrics and chants but with an even increasing addictive quality to the intense rhythms laid down by the band. I would say that there are perhaps some more strange sounds mixed into the background on this CD but the music is very powerful and psychedelic and puts the band in a unique class of their own. The CD is 72 minutes long and has only 8 tracks, most around the ten minute mark. The band has also changed the percussion player Yuri from the previous CDs to Tanja, who also adds some female vocals as well. This might be the band's best CD yet. Most of the songs are played in a slower pace and it makes me miss the uptempo tracks the band has produced like the Raven, one of my favorites. Excellent, very unique material. I should also mention the digipack is beautiful with a very nice booklet with pictures and a history of the band in English.

Crystal Crow-Bar is distributed by Klangbad-Think Progressive. You can visit the Klangbad web site, or email them at info@klangbad.de.

Reviewed by Scott Heller, Aural Innovations #13 (October 2000)