
Xela - The Dead Sea [Type - 2006]Using Italian horror and zombie films and their soundtracks as an influence. Along with drone , folk,electronic, rock elements, to Conceive a wonderfully eerier and water bound concept album about a zombie attack on the high seas. Things start off in stunning fashion with The Gate, it ushers in a wall of droning dread, Conjuring up a Cyclobe like track lost in sinister sea mist, with eerier folk tinkling and odd voodoo god attiring in the background. Wet bones links sea boy tolling, with string instrument scuttling.You can really imagine staring out into the ocean- sure something’s coming, something’s watching you, almost this could be updated soundtrack to 80's video-nasty baby eating classic Anthopophagous the beast, but just when you think it’s settled into it’s tone a strummed acoustic guitar enters along with harmonica or sea flute like tones to make a spooky sea shanty, with creaking and sway of the ships weight under neater. Creeping flesh is heavy electro voodoo throb, which really does bring to mind sea bond zombie epics of Lucio Fulci's Zombie Flesh eaters and the cheesy rip off tactics of zombie come cannibal film Zombie holocaust. You can almost smell the dead, almost hear there mournful groans . The exit track never going home, brings together great creepy electro scuttling and waves of drone music. Utilizing deeply sombre guitar and synth rub, you can imagine the last survivor bobbing along in the sea. The camera focus in on them and you what you initial thought to a piece of drift wood ,turns out to be a rigor-mortis stiffed leg with which our last hope starts to rip into with rabid gusto, roll the credits. Really this is aching for a movie to made to fit the soundtrack, but maybe that would ruin ones own internal movie. One for all the horror movie fans and those who enjoyed darkly atmospheric music. An eerier and foreboding, sea salt filled decaying trip into audio terror and One of this year grim treats.      Roger Batty
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