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Band: Blooding Mask
Album title: Autopsy Of A Dream
Release date: 10 September 2022
Label: Society Records
Genre: Electronic, Classical, Dark Wave, Opera, Tribal
Tracklist:
01. A Strange Introduction To Life
02. Join Me
03. Speed Of Love
04. Santa Muerte
05. Agnostici Numerici
06. Dragon Tears
07. Back To The Crime Scene
08. Ishtar & Hastur
09. L'Incubo
10. La Vie En Noir
11. The Beast From The Moors
12. Zombie Nation
13. Drag You To Hell
14. Naked
15. Stone Marble Cold
16. Ages Of Gold
17. Divide Et Impera
I have been following Blooding Mask since its Most Haunted Tour about a decade ago when I saw it at the Purple Turtle in London. I remember being impressed to spot Patricia Quinn in the crowd, being a Rocky Horror Picture Show fan. After many years I have been given a digital copy of Autopsy Of A Dream, and I must admit this project never ceases to amaze me - for the fluidity of the sound and the high tension every track injects. I was pleased to know that Paul Nash, founder of The Danse Society, has joined the project recently. With Maethelyiah, they create a wall of sound.
Autopsy Of A Dream is not an easy album to label: I have counted a plethora of genres in the 17 tracks, yet the trademark of sound is still there since All The Colors Of Death. Maethelyiah appears on voices and choirs, percussions, drums and synth; Paul Nash features synth and guitars. Both share the songwriting. Special guests are Diego Banchero on bass in "The Beast From The Moors" and Myrray Robinson on sax in "Drag You To Hell". The cover art is from Italian artist Alessandra Centi.
The long album seems to be split into acts one and two. "A Strange Introduction To Life" is possibly the darkest intro I have ever heard, with unsettling Carl Orff-inspired style choirs, the voice of a man talking about Lucifer chasing him and some Russian spoken words. "Join Me" defies pop music structure like an apple going upwards would give Newton a headache. A minimalist synth gets ripped by Maethelyiah's hypnotic voice - giving way to a creature resurrected after thousand years. The song proceeds at a quiet yet tense pace until powerful tribal percussions explode unleashing demonic vocals wrapping the listener in the middle of a ritual. Finally, the synth returns with a choir-like waking up from a very sweaty nightmare. The "Speed Of Love" is a superb 80s soundtrack with a very catchy chorus and verse. There's a strong melancholic melody in this track with a hint of pop without losing the depth of a truly dark song that will probably stick in your mind forever as it stuck in mine. "Santa Muerte" has a structure that again won't let you lower your guard. The first part is a very sexy melodic guitar and vocals duet. However, when you think the song ended, hell unleashes again with Maethelyiah on tribal drums and choirs again, on exceedingly distorted guitars from hell. At the end of the track, I honestly wondered where on earth I was. "Agnostici Numerici" is a flamboyant irreverent electro-dark-operatic uptempo song in Italian - bringing the listener back to Earth. I must confess I couldn't keep my legs still with it, but not for too long, as it's followed by a song in Japanese, "Dragon Tears", with mystical choirs and a very intense and beautiful solo vocal. "Back To The Crime Scene" could possibly hint back at The 5 Monsters? It's a rather unpredicted apocalyptic pop track about humans worshipping the machines, but as soon as you think you are into the song, a church organ blows you away with an operatic vocal that leaves room for the final incomprehensible spoken words not listed in the lyrics. The title "Ishtar & Hastur" really says it all. The track is compounded by two different ambients where Maethelyiah's extreme vocal range plays like the elements in choirs and noises with no instrumentation. Some of the high notes are sublime and in contrast with the low and growling vocals in the background.
"L'Incubo" opens the second act with the return of hammering synth with hints of Frere Jacque appearing in and out of the song. The track ends with a demonic choir. The track features also in the critically acclaimed Italian film Upside Down main score. "La Vie En Noir" appears to give voice to Mary Magdalene in this apocalyptic pop track, starting with an accordion synth swinging through bohemian choirs and keyboards, which would be easier to understand if not sung in French. "The Beast From The Moors" brings everything down to darkness, with Diego Banchero featuring on bass as a special guest (I remember him from the Purple Turtle gig). The song has a true dark prog soul with its slow and heavy march and harmonies that sometimes remind me of some old Pink Floyd tracks. "Zombie Nation" drags into an industrial goth track with some really unsettling vocals that, in my opinion, hint at some Nina Hagen glorious vocals at times. "Drag You To Hell" surprised me even more. The track is extremely jazzy and melodic with keyboards and guitars that remind me of my favourite The Cure songs, with Maethelyiah singing unusually in a light voice and a completely unexpected, excellent sax solo on the finale, which had me pinching my arm. "Naked" is what I would expect to listen to in a goth or BDSM club. With a few hints of German, the track is slow-paced but well danceable. Superb use of synths and very dark choirs during the bridge, ending with an operatic finale contrasting the almost whispered chorus. "Stone Marble Cold" brings the listener to a minimalist vocal and guitar song telling the story of a ghost that acknowledges her passing when a bus goes through her. Somehow I had visions of Barbra Streisand at a funeral during the listening. "Ages Of Gold" is a very long prog track with strong classical music influences, where choirs and symphonic waves drag you into the dream world where time is only an option. The vocals stretch from children to old men. I am always impressed by the flexibility of Maethelyiah's vocals. "Divide Et Impera" carries on the prog structure with a very odd tempo. The dream of patriarchy is dead, visions of gold, the goddess awakened. This track is the most epic way this long concept album could end. The finale reminds me of the best moments of Peter Gabriel's score for Birdy - well reinvented and defiant.
It took a while to review Autopsy Of A Dream. I know it's a concept album, and I will definitely run an interview to ask as many questions to find out what exactly this masterpiece is about. But meanwhile, I really recommend keeping an eye on the band's website and Bandcamp page because this is potentially the most original album of the last decade.
The review was written by Bryan Jones
Rating: N/A
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