Neophile Gets Ex-sited
And Now S-he Starts Laughing

The second and latest offering from Sala is a two track CD, similarly packaged and released as "Schut ente Ring worts" [read review here] only this time it’s a live outing for this dynamic act. "En Trance" fully captures Sala, details of where they played the concert / gig isn’t mentioned, in a harsh ritual mood this time around. Maybe ‘harsh’ is a tad unfair and should be substituted with ‘powerful’ and ‘unrelenting’ which would make for a more precise summation.

Track one, the twelve minute ’Neophile gets ex-sited’ sets the tone nicely. Over a swirling all encompassing electronic backing the horns of war are set loose to blare into the distance whilst various items are smacked and hit with gusto and demonic sounding voices moan and pierce the air occasionally. The piece then throws in some beat strewn patterns and samples as it nears its end which must have completely thrown the audience as it will the listener. Track two ‘And now s-he starts laughing’ is the apocalyptic 28 minute tour-de-force. The smacked out rhythmic drum patterns gradually slow down in pace whilst the electronics escalate to become a frenzied psychedelic wig out over torturous vocals and chants which takes no prisoners.

Sounding in places not unlike an earlier more heavy going Hunting Lodge…minus the songs…"En Trance" is dark ambient ritual magical music taken to a higher difficult plane. Unlike the easy accessibility of "Schut ente Ring worts" the music here is provocative and challenging with a degree of unease running through it. As such you should be forewarned to expect the unexpected from this uncompromising act

ANM