At Mortlake
The Scryer And The Shewstone
Across The Bridge
Nothing But The Way
The Witchbottle Of Suffolk
The True Cross
Kakatak Tami
Another Day
Through Those Eyes
Flesh To Flame

Prodigious talent, Peter Ulrich, returns with his second full length release, one that cannot belie his pedigree with renowned world music group, Dead Can Dance, and divers hands 4AD group, This Mortal Coil, though his history in no way besmirches his own music.

This album shares a more folk orientation than the worldly feel on his first full length, "Pathways and Dawns", but given that Brendan Perry was not only producer and arranger that could most likely not have been averted yet "Enter the Mysterium" evinces an evolution rather than continuation of previous styles. The strong folk and medieval elements have a decidedly British quality about them with which Ulrich's voice is coterminous. A list of vast array of natural instruments performed mostly by Ulrich can be found at his website (too exhaustive to list) and his performance with all is without fault, lushly arranged and variegated. Oriental influence creeps into several tracks alluding to Ulrich's previous musical forays though he twists each with his particular presence. As once-percussionist for Dead Can Dance the rhythmic backing for his tracks is without fault, especially the jaunty, 'Nothing but the Way'.

The album's production is refined and lucent; you can hear the careful diligence applied with every instrument's entrance. This album is released in a Super Jewel Box (sic), rounded corners with a four edged tray providing a unique presentation, not to mention eye-catching appeal. The artwork is simple yet evocative, dark forest greens recess photographic apertures. A full colour eight page booklet replete with lyric sheet affixes uniquely to the inside of the tray. Also to note, this European release of "Enter the Mysterium" is a SACD/Multi channel Stereo/DSD disc though it can play perfectly on any CD player, though without doubt the rich instrumentation would truly come alive in 5.1 surround sound.

NYR