Suspended Animation [Limited Edition]

Suspended Animation [Limited Edition]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
%@#$!!? Brace yourself, super group Fantomas is back with a vengeance on their fourth album SUSPENDED ANIMATION. Unlike the epic DELIRIUM CORDIA, SUSPENDED ANIMATION likens itself with Fantomas' first record (self titled) punctuated with cartoon escapades.

The first edition (Limited to 25,000) is a spiral bound 30 page eye popping package illustrated by world famous Japanese painter Yoshitomo Nara. The theme is a calendar, the month of April, the tracks appropriately named the days of the week.

Tracks:

04/01/05 Friday
04/02/05 Saturday
04/03/05 Sunday
04/04/05 Monday
04/05/05 Tuesday
04/06/05 Wednesday
04/07/05 Thursday
04/08/05 Friday
04/09/05 Saturday
04/10/05 Sunday
04/11/05 Monday
04/12/05 Tuesday
04/13/05 Wednesday
04/14/05 Thursday
04/15/05 Friday
04/16/05 Saturday
04/17/05 Sunday
04/18/05 Monday
04/19/05 Tuesday
04/20/05 Wednesday
04/21/05 Thursday
04/22/05 Friday
04/23/05 Saturday
04/24/05 Sunday
04/25/05 Monday
04/26/05 Tuesday
04/27/05 Wednesday
04/28/05 Thursday
04/29/05 Friday
04/30/05 Saturday

Album Description

%@#$!!? Brace yourself, super group Fantomas is back with a vengeance on their fourth album SUSPENDED ANIMATION. Unlike the epic DELIRIUM CORDIA, SUSPENDED ANIMATION likens itself with Fantomas' first record (self titled) punctuated with cartoon escapades.

Customer Reviews:

AMAZING CREATIVE WILD FUSION METAL.......2007-07-09

I think in YOU respect a good musician, you new to buy this one, incredible wild experimental fusion metal, I download it from a share music page, but they always recomend to buy it if you want it, I BUY IT.

If do you expect regular radio pop music, why you still reading at it.

Experimental any patton and Fantômas song makes you think why, whats that, I think the evolution of a great master musician, with a taste of old horror movie, eight thumbs up, if I was a octupus. hail patton.

10/21/06: "Suspended Animation Review" day.......2006-10-22

Mike Patton has proven himself to be one of the most prolific and unpredictable musicians in show business in his post Faith No More/Mr. Bungle career. Although I don't even begin to attempt to collect everything he puts out I do like to take a listen to what he's up to now and then.

SUSPENDED ANIMATION is packed with hundreds of ideas, of varying degrees of success. Some "days" have better moments than others, like the spooky intro for "04/11/05 Monday" that sounds like a room full of gurgling ghosts, or "04/27/05 Wednesday" 's sleigh-ride in outer space. Most of the other intriguing moments on this CD involve some manipulation of found sounds or electronic toys.

Patton's former band, Mr. Bungle, was also a band renowned for it's musical spontaneity, but whereas Bungle's songs worked through it's own inner logic and fluidness, making it easier to digest, the disparate elements of SUSPENDED ANIMATION doesn't hang together nearly as well as the best of Bungle work. It's progression is more akin to rapid-fire channel-surfing than an epic motion picture.

Despite the low rating I'm assigning this release, I must admit that I'm not sorry I bought it. I rarely reach for this CD to play, and when I do it's just to seek out a handful of random tracks, just enough to satisfy a need to hear something wild and chaotic. Perhaps the calendar concept of the song titles was meant to be followed literally, to listen to one track each day. Compressing an entire "month" in 43 minutes is too demanding a listening experience.

Baby please.........2006-07-13

The technique of cutting and pasting strange sounds and bizarre segments into songs was used by Frank Zappa already during the 70's. But Fantomas succeds better at making listenable music out of it, and they add their own unique sound to it, much thanks to Mike Pattons vocals.

But I agree that a full disc of it (or at least 40 minutes) becomes a little bit annoying after a while. I found that the songs worked a lot better when I made a compilation tape, mixing the songs with other Patton related work, such as "Director's Cut" and Mr.Bungle.

"Suspended Animation" was the album that got me into Fantomas and Mr.Bungle. I was surprised to find out that Mike Patton once was the singer of Faith No More, a band I really tried to like many years ago, but that I found very boring and uninspiring. He has come a long way.

Awesome mind blowing!.......2006-06-13

I wouldn't expect anything less from Mike Patton and Co. A piece of art crafted from cartoon insanity. Their sound is like a kid making a "Mystery Pie" in the kitchen a mixture of cookie dough, paprika, OJ, Milk and Cap n' Crunch mixed in a pie tin and burned in the oven. Ingredients that don't mix. Some gag on the concotion others see the brillance of developing artist. I see the latter. I was left speechless after a listen to it. I love the damn thing! Not everybody's cup of tea and thats too bad.

CARTOON MADNESS!!.......2006-06-08

1. The entire record is metal and cartoon music/effects thrown together and spit at your bleeding ears.
2. Because of that some tunes are certainly better than others but the album as a whole is rad.
3. Perfet driving music when you're getting irritable with traffic.
4. Also good when whiskey is involved.
- a lot of whiskey.
5. Honestly only good if you are into crazy music.
6. ALthough not my favorite Fantomas (director's cut is still the best) it seriously just kills the first one and delerium cordia..
7. And no it doesn't sound anything like Mr. bungle sorry..

Average customer rating:

Brilliant
INCREDIBLE
good road trip album
Super Guitarist under achieves
awesome

Suspended Animation
John Petrucci
Manufacturer: Sound Mind Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Similar Items:

An Evening with John Petrucci & Jordan Rudess
Liquid Tension Experiment 2
Liquid Tension Experiment
John Petrucci - Rock Discipline
Get Out of My Yard

ASIN: B0009ZEC2I

Product Description

2005 solo release from the long-time guitarist of Dream Theater.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant.......2007-06-07

John Petrucci has created an amazing work here. Jaws of Life really displays his prowess and greatness. Glaskow Kiss is extremely musical and well composed/performed - VERY memorable. The third song is my favorite on the CD - extremely excellent. It reminds me of Raspberry Jam Delta V by Joe Satrianni. In fact, much of the music here seems to be influenced by Joe in some way (which to me is a good thing).

Regardless, this is an excellent piece of work - I highly recommend it!!!

INCREDIBLE.......2007-01-13

If you are a fan of Dream Theater, Satriani, Vai, this is a must-have. Awesome!

good road trip album.......2006-12-11

I don't usually dig completely instrumental music, and at first listening to this album I was like "it's just not the same without James!" but this album has grown on me. I identify the most with vocalists, but JP's guitar playing gives me the chills and even without a singer to centralize it, I still like this album. "Jaws of Life" is cool, kind of shark-like and threatening. I used to think "Glasgow Kiss" (which has that Irish kind of tempo) was corny, but now I like its positive energy and every time I'm driving around on a sunny day I'm like "quick! Put on Glasgow Kiss!" "Tunnel Vision" is another one that stands out (and it was cool going through a tunnel listening to it). The two slow songs, "Wishful Thinking" and "Lost Without You" are the ones I listen to the least; I thought they're too much like "smooth jazz" but when I did listen all the way through I heard some things I liked. "Damage Control" has a riff that was very attention getting. "Curve" reminds me a lot of "Flying In A Blue Dream", but Joe Satriani was his hero I guess. "Animate Inanimate" is the longest song, good and kind of middle-eastern sounding. OK, so this isn't Dream Theater, of course it's not going to be as great as all the members of DT together with all their talent and diversity, but JP is still pretty great. It's not as intense of a listening experience as Dream Theater, but it's a good album for when you can't concentrate as intensely. Some people have told me they like to listen to this album at work. My family liked it when we were on a road trip and I also like it for driving.

Super Guitarist under achieves.......2006-11-21

JP is a great guitarist no question, but I'm afraid it's impossible to differentiate between his writing(and playing) on this album and any of the Mike Varney sponsored 'shred' albums of the eighties.
The backing tracks are formulaic, the ballads appear as expected, the exotic scales are in place, even some 'bluesy' playing - it's as if JP is trying to emulate the instrumental albums that shaped his listening and playing - too bad he didn't listen to some Jeff Beck!
Both Joe Satch and Steve Vai are referenced heavily in JP's playing, (no bad thing, every guitar player is influenced by somebody), but he fails to take it to the next level beyond their collective shadow.
As far as I am concerned, it is unimportant if a guitar player of JP's calibre opts to play one or a thousand notes, so long as a)he has something to say and b)he says it with his own voice. JP fails to achieve this here.

In summary: JP is awesome but fallible, he's only human after all.

awesome.......2006-11-02

Being a huge fan of Joe Satriani, but not so much one of Dream Theater, I hadn't heard of John Petrucci until I heard he did the G3 tour with Joe and Steve Vai. Then I heard he cut a solo instrumental album. Well, as far as I'm concerned, anyone Satch takes on tour with him must be pretty good, so I picked up the cd without having heard a single song on it. I was completely blown away. Petrucci is incredible. What a gifted guitar player. The opener, Jaws Of Life, sets the pace nicely. Glasgow Kiss is a lot of fun and appropriately named; it definitely has a Scottish feel to it. My favorite track is Curve. Wow, does this one rip through your speakers. The solo in this one is amazing. I've tried to get into Dream Theater without any success, but maybe it will soon click for me. What I do know for certain is that Mr. Petrucci is a sensational guitarist, and I hope that this isn't the only solo effort from this amazing musician.

Average customer rating:

Cartoon violence revisited
Brilliant jump cut record.
Thirty tracks of imagination
Suspend the "Animation"

Suspended Animation
Fantômas
Manufacturer: Ipecac Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Delirium Cordia
General Patton Vs the X-Ecutioners
Mit Gas
Director's Cut
Disco Volante

ASIN: B0009B0FRS
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Tracks:

04/01/05 Friday
04/02/05 Saturday
04/03/05 Sunday
04/04/05 Monday
04/05/05 Tuesday
04/06/05 Wednesday
04/07/05 Thursday
04/08/05 Friday
04/09/05 Saturday
04/10/05 Sunday
04/11/05 Monday
04/12/05 Tuesday
04/13/05 Wednesday
04/14/05 Thursday
04/15/05 Friday
04/16/05 Saturday
04/17/05 Sunday
04/18/05 Monday
04/19/05 Tuesday
04/20/05 Wednesday
04/21/05 Thursday
04/22/05 Friday
04/23/05 Saturday
04/24/05 Sunday
04/25/05 Monday
04/26/05 Tuesday
04/27/05 Wednesday
04/28/05 Thursday
04/29/05 Friday
04/30/05 Saturday

Album Description

The special spiral-bound edition is gone but not to worry, you shan't be deprived. Packaged in a digipak with a 30 page booklet of all of the same beautiful Yoshitomo Nara original artwork. This edition will remain in print in perpetuity.

Customer Reviews:

Cartoon violence revisited.......2007-04-12

Although not the best fantomas album, it's still awesome in my view. A mashup of noise, jingles and thrash metal. excellent

Brilliant jump cut record........2006-10-24

Fantomas' "Suspended Animation" is a great record, not for everyone, certainly. Mike Patton, clearly influenced by John Zorn's Naked City project and the work of Carl Stalling, has constructed a jump cut record that is not dissimilar to much of Naked City's output-- this is one thing I've found somewhat underdocumented reading reviews of the album, but having spent a little time listening to it, this was my first impression.

Patton does, however, find his own voice as he seamlessly blends genres-- notably cartoon music in the Stalling model and endless sound effects. Like Naked City, it can be frustrating at times when you find an idea you like and its development is abandoned in exchange for something else, but the statement as a whole is what's really important. Like all Fantomas records, there's a high theatrical feels on this one as it slides between various styles, always returning to a sort of sludgey metal feel and a cartoon feel. Patton's vocals are largely wordless, though there is some lyric here and there.

One thing that I see a lot of is fans of metal seeking Fantomas material having heard its a "metal supergroup"-- if you don't like experimental music, you probably won't like this one, regardless of who's in the band-- most of these guys have been associated with Zorn's work more recently than with metal bands, and it shows. On the other hand, if you are a metal fan and you're a bit open minded, there may be enough here to latch onto to allow you to develop an appreciation for it, but Fantomas is not something that will come easy-- you sort of have to get used to hearing it before it makes sense.

If you're a fan of Patton's work with Fantomas (even if you disliked "Delerium Cordia") or for that matter with Mr. Bungle, this is a good one to check out. I'd also recommend this to John Zorn/Naked City fans, they'll find quite a bit to like on this one (ditto for "General Patton vs. the X-ecutioners"). Conversely, if you did like this, check out Zorn's Naked City band, I think you'll find it very rewarding.

Thirty tracks of imagination.......2005-07-30

I don't even know where to begin. It's hard to write a review when you have "bring back that love and feeling" playing in the background...
Anyways.
As a musician, this is one of those albums that is either going to inspire you or make you want to quit because it is that good. I have yet to find a band that can match the intensity/originality of Fantomas. The fact that they can play live is amazing in itself. This is a great album for anyone who is looking for pure imagination and is tired of the same old basic song format. Suspended Animation pushes the boundries of what people label as music and opens a million doors of color, sound and emotion. Personaly, I am always quick to listen to something that has an element of originality and with Suspended Animation you get the whole package. Buy this album! Any album that will scare your grandparents and make your friends question your sanity is a good one.

Suspend the "Animation".......2005-06-14

Warning: The below album is an experience, and an intense one. It should not be listened to if your mind isn't open.

Okay, enough of that.

In early 2004, Fantômas produced the dark, mesmerizing "Delirium Cordia," a strange concept album with only one epic song... which happened to be 74 minutes long. It was a risk, and it paid off. So after something like that, what can a band do that doesn't sound like backsliding? Well, do the reverse.

Enter "Suspended Animation," an odd concept album built around the month of April. The band opts for faster, more cartoony songs this time around, but retains the mad-genius-doing-prog-metal-on-acid sound. It's the sort of music that one can't have mixed opinions on -- either you love this stuff, or you loathe it.

Frontman Mike Patton imbues "Suspended Animation with hints of blues, weird synth, jazz, metal, post-rock, strange sound effects and just about every other kind of sound, with some bombastic drums and razor-sharp riffs. The music should be a complete mess, but instead it sounds like Patton has managed to trap some rabid sound waves in a box. It's chaos, but controlled chaos -- the type that fascinates rather than repels.

And soaring over it all is the voice of Patton himself, sounding a bit demented. He's got an almost impossibly flexible voice, and the man puts it to extremely good use here. He's backed by the excellent Buzz Osbourne, guitarist for the Melvins, and nearly-as-good Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo.

Since the album is centered on the month of April there are... thirty tracks. Not one. Not ten. Thirty. Patton keeps things moving with cartoonish sounds and quick cuts from one song to the next. It's sillier than the morbid "Delirium Cordia" was, but by no means is it goofy or lightweight. Despite the closing sample, that is -- it borders on goofiness here and there, but never crosses the line.

It may not be dark and sprawling, but "Suspended Animation" is just as good as its predecessor. Mad, whirling and bursting with chaotic energies.

Average customer rating:

Action Guitar

Suspended Animation
Michael Fath
Manufacturer: Turnip
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00008FWO7
Release Date: 1994-05-16

Tracks:

Suspended Animation
We Gotta Get Out of This Place
Ballad of Colonel John
No Mercy
Jolaurel: Dantz
East Coast Toast
In Memory of Little Danny
Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Highway Star

Customer Reviews:

Action Guitar.......2005-04-27

This cat can play. His cover of Deep Purple's "Highway Star" proves his speed and fluidity in the realm of Richie Blackmore. His speed and jazz phrasing will remind you of Steve Vai or Joe Satriani.

Clean chops and a solid rock back beat make this an amazing listen. This is a good CD to listen cranked up, playing along on air-guitar.

Average customer rating:

Refreshing, Unique, but leaves room for improvement.
The second chapter of the X trilogy
An excellent progressive experimental release
SUBTERRANEAN MASQUERADE (NON-TEMPORARY METAL)

Suspended Animation Dreams
Subterranean Masquerade
Manufacturer: The End Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Temporary Psychotic State
Ashes Against the Grain
The Sense Apparatus
The Acoustic Verses
In A Flesh Aquarium

ASIN: B0009R1TAY
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

Suspended Animation Dreams
Wolf Among Sheep
No Place Like Home
Kind Of A Blur
The Rock N Roll Preacher
Six Strings To Cover Fear
Awake
X

Album Description

This ambitious follow-up to last year's acclaimed "Temporary Psychotic State" EP finds Subterranean Masquerade questioning the limits of metal and create an amalgam of genres and styles, from Urban Jazz to Folk, Classical to World Music and Progressive onto extreme Metal. Guest vocals by Paul Khur of Novembers Doom, Kobi Farhi of Orphaned Land, Mike Sarten of the US band Starmy and many more… "Subterranean Masquerade is by far the most brilliant and creative band I have ever heard. Using horn orchestras, string sections, a choir and a grand piano the boys magnificently blend classical, jazz, folk, progressive rock and heavy metal music into their album and created this hybrid utopia that is "Suspended Animation Dreams"

Customer Reviews:

Refreshing, Unique, but leaves room for improvement........2006-06-18

This is definitely one of the most interesting, refreshing and diverse CD's I have bought in a while, but I have my grievances about it too. You'll hear everything from death metal, jazz, middle-eastern folk, and calm ambience. Instruments include pianos, harmonicas, trumpets, saxophone, clarinet, trombone, violins, and flute. Vocals include death growls, whispers, choirs, female vocals, and well, regular singing.

If I had to pick one band that Subterranean Masquerade reminds me of, it would probably be Maudlin of the Well. They just have that same extremely artistic, unique, creative, quirky personality, and their albums don't have too many death vocals on them and add a lot of other instruments like this, and the lyrics remind me of them. Fans of Porcupine Tree and maybe even Orphaned Land might be interested in this as well.

This band's lyrics are extremely wacky, in fact, a little too silly for me at times. But hey, they're having fun. Here's some excerpts:
"Face the sky, see the big cheese smile?"
"Talk about philosophy and what comes next; the man or the monkey in space"
"Will get a dark purple carpet so I'll never fall; never sink inside this hole..."
"Virtual ritual, desktop icon, link to your inside"

For some reason, for me, the death vocals on this album don't really seem to belong. It seems like the songs could almost be better without them most of the time. (which is also what I say about Maudlin of the Well and Orphaned Land) Don't get me wrong - I probably have about 150 CDs containing death or black metal style vocals, and I'm very used to them. But for this music, they just don't seem to fit. Like they're almost forcing them in so metalheads will be more inclined to buy it. In "Awake" there are death growls and the music behind it is this cutesy little delicate piano melody and fairly slow percussion. In most cases, I love when two "opposites" in music are juxtaposed like that, but that particular part just sounds goofy.

Another thing that bothers me a little is sometimes the songs just change directions very randomly. There's no logical progression or crescendo leading up to a different idea; it's just kind of in your face all of a sudden. There are exceptions, like in "Six strings to cover fear" when the lyrics "Is the carnival on tonight?" are uttered, right after a heavy death-growl section immediately there's a spooky-carnival/playhouse-like violin melody, and that's very wild and cool. But most of the time, I think the song structure could be a lot better. In "Awake," the calmer section in the middle is decent, but they just stretch it out so long without really going anywhere with it. And even after all that, it just basically stops and starts a completely different melody with heavy guitars and death growls. Some bands can pull this off with somehow making the song still seem coherent *cough*Opeth*, but Sub. Masq. seems to have a hard time making it work.

Sometimes as well, the guitar riffs are kind of bland it's like they're relying too much on the other instruments to spice it up. Not to mention, you can barely even hear the guitars compared to everything else.

I might as well say the parts that I really do enjoy though. I'd say my favorite song is probably "No place like Home" which throws the unexpected harmonica at you after 20 seconds or so, while you desperately try to figure out the extremely eccentric lyrics. The middle of the song goes though all kinds of shifts until the last few minutes which are this really nice up-tempo middle eastern folk kinda thing with what seems like some parodic chanting in the background.

The second half of "Rock and Roll Preacher" is really cool; there is actually some good progression building up and the clarinets and everything actually all come together really nicely in a full-band ensemble, but the first half of the song isn't anything spectacular. "Kind of a Blur" is a charming little instrumental with pianos and violins, and a choir at the end. "Six strings to cover fear" is a pretty good song for the most part, the guitar riffs mixed with the violins at the beginning are very nice, and the carnival-violin part I mentioned before is also a nice twist. The first half of "X" is nice and calm with acoustic strumming, laid-back Caribbean-style percussion and female vocals.

Who knows, maybe this album will grow on me. And whoever's reading this, might like it more than me. But personally, I think this band has a lot of room to improve. However, this was still a worthwhile purchase. I think I've been a little too lenient on giving 5 stars out lately.

The second chapter of the X trilogy.......2005-10-05

Unfortunately I haven't heard Subterranean Masquerade's debut EP which got lots of rave reviews, but after checking out their full-length disc Suspended Animation Dreams, it's a given that I will have to pick it up as soon as possible. This album is also the second chapter of Tomer Pink's well thought-out trilogy, marking the band's foray into a more focused yet broader songwriting approach. The list of non-metal instruments has expanded with the inclusion more ethnic percussion, horns, a real orchestra and a choir, mandolin, Hammond organ, electronics, violin, trumpet, and many others. Moreover, all these instruments are effectively utilised, lending the album a varied and non-conventional edge. The arrangements are deft, the instrumentation is progressive, and the vocal harmonies are well crafted.

Novembers Doom vocalist Paul Kuhr handles the vocal duties, providing a very diverse vocal delivery, from harmonised clean vocals to punishing death growls, and spoken parts to heart-stopping whispers. Don't be put off by the death growls, they're amazing. Kuhr's delivery is easy to follow, each word comes out perfectly discernible and impacts the listener heavily. At times he is backed up by a female choir adding wordless melodies or guest vocals by other singers that contrast his delivery and enrich the harmonies. One of these songs is "No Place Like Home", a terrific song that combines a multitude of genres and instruments. It begins with sad harmonica and is coloured by beautiful keyboard work and immediately brings forth Kuhr's brutal death growls. Drums enter the piece angrily along with fierce rhythm guitar and bass, only to give way to his amazing clean vocals. And what a voice - this could be his best performance ever. Slowly, the song develops a Middle Eastern atmosphere, enriched by ethnic percussion beats, Rhoads piano, and acoustic guitars. Orphaned Land's Kobi Farhi also offers his unique vocal chants that will please any fan of the Mabool album. However, the most beautiful part of the song is Tomer Pink's soaring guitar melodies. Perhaps the most amazing moment on the album, his guitar soars madly over the musical landscape, evoking the epic feel on Agalloch's Pale Folklore masterpiece. I have no idea if Pink had Orphaned Land or Agalloch on mind when he came up with this song, but the feel is certainly there. The last forty seconds of the song feature Kobi doing his Arabic/Israeli chants and it's incredibly beautiful.

Drawing similarities to other bands would be no use, as I consider Subterranean Masquerade to be a very original project. However, it's worth mentioning that I am reminded of several bands, listening to this disc. They're hard to pinpoint, but somehow I can connect them. The way the clean and death vocals on "Wolf Among Sheep" contrast each other, and the song breaks into a sombre acoustic break after the bridge has an Opeth vibe to it. Musically it sounds nothing like Opeth though, it's just the structuring of the song, as this piece is heavily psychedelic with a jazzy outro supported by flute melodies. The semi-instrumental "Kind of a Blur" is a bit like maudlin of the Well, for its jazzy landscape, cleverly orchestrated classical side, and female choir. The piano, trumpet and horn sounds on this track are magnificent. "The Rock N' Roll Preacher" features guest clean vocals by Mike Sartain who constantly harmonizes with Kuhr's extreme voice. Except for its end, this song isn't as dark as the other tunes because of its more upbeat rhytmic anchor. However, there is a very evil jazz guitar solo that blends with a moody piano section towards the end. "Six Strings to Cover Fear" is one of the heaviest songs for its tremelo-picked guitars, alas mixed a bit low, psychotic death growls and its relatively more laidback second half where the guitars play textural notes and dive into psychedelia of the highest level.

"Awake" is the epic of the album with 14 minutes running time. It embodies everything Subterranean Masquerade represents, from fierce staccato riffs to epic guitar harmonies, a choir, string solo, flute and violin sounds flirting with each other, jazz guitar, and awesome female vocals by Wendy Jernijan. As on "No Place Like Home", Tomer Pink's guitar theme on this track is timeless. The album closes with the acoustic-driven "X", a song that features a killer blues solo that fades into infinity. The abstract lyrics on the album are full of imagery and symbolism, and hard to grasp at first listen. But they are very well written and Travis Smith has managed to translate them into images for the artwork. Regarding the production, although I think there isn't much to complain about, I have yet to be fully convinced of the reasons the guitar tones were mixed so low. In this respect, I am reminded of some of the older Psychotic Waltz records, and firmly believe if they'd been more upfront, the dynamics of the album would have had more impact. That's just a minor complaint though.

Tomer Pink has created a great album. If he manages to turn this project into a full-time band, however unlikely that may be at this time, Subterranean Masquerade could become an equally amazing band along with other The End Records acts such as Winds, Age of Silence, Green Carnation, and Ulver. Fans of all these bands as well as Kayo Dot, Camel, Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree may enjoy this release. It's one of the year's best.

An excellent progressive experimental release.......2005-07-20

At the end of the first track, a spoken voice says, "For the rest of the session, you'll be asking yourself: Am I going crazy?" Good preparation for a highly eccentric yet brilliant album. This is music that is progressive in structure, instrumentation, and vision. Tomer Pink melds (slightly) distorted guitars and death growls (performed well by Novembers Doom's Paul Kuhr) with clean acoustic sections, saxophones, strings, and even some world music.

Don't pick this up if you're just looking to headbang to something, or if you have little patience. The music is not heavy but is quite beautiful, and succeeds well in creating a slight melancholic mood. The rather lengthy compositions will reward repeat listens as more of the music becomes apparent.

I only have one minor complaint about the album, which prevents it from a 5 star rating; sometimes, the transitions seem a bit arbitrary, a change for the sake of change. However, on the whole these moments do not detract from the overall experience. If you're a fan of Novembers Doom or Opeth, while not exactly similar, you should definitely give this a chance. Some of the softer acoustic passages, such as the passage that starts at 3:20 in "No Place Like Home", would not sound out of place in an Opeth compisition. Highly recommended.

If you want to try before you buy, follow this link to hear "No Place Like Home" (The End Records label website).

http://media.theendrecords.com/SubterraneanMasquerade_SuspendedAnimationDreams_NoPlaceLikeHome.mp3

SUBTERRANEAN MASQUERADE (NON-TEMPORARY METAL).......2005-07-07

FOR THE ONES WHO ALREADY KNOW, SUB. MASQ. IS SLIGHTLY NEW AND HAVE JUST RELEASED THIER FIRST FULL-LENGTH ALBUM "SUSPENDED ANIMATION DREAMS" FOLLOWING THIER VERY SUCCESSFUL EP "TEMPORARY PSYCHOTIC STATE". THE MUSIC IN GENERAL, WELL.... IS NOTHING OF THE ORDINARY ....REALLY! WITH A FULL ON METAL APPROACH THIS ON-OF-A-KIND BAND HAS PUT FORTH THE MOST AVANTGARDE AND AURAL ASSAULT ON THE METAL WORLD, PERFECTLY BLENDING THE APPARENT FOLK WITH INTENSE JAZZ AND WHIRLING CLASSICAL PIANO MELODIES INTO THE MONSTER THAT "S.A.D." IS ALL ABOUT. INCLUDING SOME DAZZLING MOODY PIECES THAT SHOWCASE VIOLIN, ELECTRONIS, MOLLOTRON AND EVEN SOME RARE SPOKEN WORK, WHICH IS RARE IN THE METAL WORLD TODAY. I FIND THAT THE MUSIC MAY ALSO BE AN EXPLORATION OF THE MEMBERS TO MIX ALL THIER BANDS INTO ONE (JUST AN OBSERVATION). CONSIDERING THE SUPER LINE-UP, INCLUDING MEMBERS: PAUL KUHR (NOVERMBERS DOOM), J.W.W. (AGALLOCH, NOTHING, SCULPTURED, E.L.S.)AND THE VERY ONE AND ONLY TOMER PINK OF (THE END RECORDS) THIS BAND IS NOTHING SHORT OF TALENTED. IF THIS ALBUM INTERESTS YOU, CHECK OUT THE EP "T.P.S." WHICH FEATURES ANDY WINTER (WINDS, AGE OF SILENCE) ON MELLOTRON. I COULD ONLY HOPE THAT THIS REVEIW MAY SERVE AS A SPLINTER THAT ITCHES AND STINGS UNTIL YOU BUY THE ALBUM, IT'S DEFFINITELY WORTH IT. CHECK OUT THIER "MYSPACE" PAGE FOR A COOL LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF BAND THEY ARE, AND LISTEN TO FULL LENGTH SONGS OFF THEIR 2 RELEASES,
THANKS HERES THE LINK [ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B0009R1TAY/ref=cm_rev_all_1/103-3721198-5551807?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=music ]
(TODD BEARDMORE 7-6-05)

Average customer rating:

the monks, 'suspended animation' isn't worth $99 but i wouldn't shake a fist at $2
If you liked bad habits...
A GREAT FOLLOW-UP TO "BAD HABITS"

Suspended Animation
The Monks
Manufacturer: Resurgence UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000JQLU
Release Date: 1999-08-24

Tracks:

Don't Want No Reds
Suspended Animation
Don't Bother Me-I'm a Christian
James Bondage
Grown Ups
Coolway to Live
Oxford Street
Go
I Can Do Anything You Like
Plastic Max
King Dong
Space Fruit
Gold and Silver [CD Bonus Track]
Cybernetic Sister [CD Bonus Track]
Ann Orexia [CD Bonus Track]
Beasts in Cages [CD Bonus Track]
Slimy Gash [CD Bonus Track]
Lost in Romance [CD Bonus Track]

Customer Reviews:

the monks, 'suspended animation' isn't worth $99 but i wouldn't shake a fist at $2.......2005-08-12

the monks have summed themselves up in one song, 'i can do anything you like'. good british musicians who regonize 'punk' as sound not fashion; but know that no one else does. all the same, its hard to take a song seriously when it feels like its making fun of you. no matter how many canadians want to sing along.

If you liked bad habits..........2004-07-24

If you liked bad habits their 2nd album is a gem, hard to find today, I've kept my original vinyl & tape copies...still looking for the cd..It is a must if your a real fan !

A GREAT FOLLOW-UP TO "BAD HABITS".......2001-02-25

This is the second album by The Monks. It is a fun album to listen to for the same reasons the first monks album was so much fun: it puts Punk into a whole new perspective. I combines the musical talents of several very accomplished musicians with very diverse musical backgrounds with Punk to provide a very enjoyable listening experience. The songs are filled with lyrics that could be very serious subjects and puts a politically incorrect twist on them. Just wonderful!

Average customer rating:

Suspended Animation

Manufacturer: Tall Tree Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00021N9F0

Average customer rating:

Suspended Animation
Fantômas
Manufacturer: Indie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000803FX6
Release Date: 2005-05-02

Tracks:

04/01/05 Friday
04/02/05 Saturday
04/03/05 Sunday
04/04/05 Monday
04/05/05 Tuesday
04/06/05 Wednesday
04/07/05 Thursday
04/08/05 Friday
04/09/05 Saturday
04/10/05 Sunday
04/11/05 Monday
04/12/05 Tuesday
04/13/05 Wednesday
04/14/05 Thursday
04/15/05 Friday
04/16/05 Saturday
04/17/05 Sunday
04/18/05 Monday
04/19/05 Tuesday
04/20/05 Wednesday
04/21/05 Thursday
04/22/05 Friday
04/23/05 Saturday
04/24/05 Sunday
04/25/05 Monday
04/26/05 Tuesday
04/27/05 Wednesday
04/28/05 Thursday
04/29/05 Friday
04/30/05 Saturday

Average customer rating:

EXTRAORDINARY SINGER/SONGWRITER-BRAVO EVIE!!!
Suspended Aaimation

Suspended Animation
Evie Sands
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Blue-Eyed Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Girl Groups | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005MI86
Release Date: 2001-08-22

Tracks:

Lady of the Night
Keep My Lovelight Burnin'
Take a Little Love - Evie Sands, Ben Weisman
I Can't Wait for You - Evie Sands, Ben Weisman
As We Fall in Love Once More
Get Up - Richard Germinaro, Evie Sands
You Sho' Look Good to Me
You Can Do It
I Don't Wnat to Let It Go
Brain Damage

Album Details

24bit K2 digitally remastered

Customer Reviews:

EXTRAORDINARY SINGER/SONGWRITER-BRAVO EVIE!!!.......2004-05-05

While in my teens in the mid-sixties, Evie Sands "Take Me For A Little While" was a total soul-athem that caught my attention and made me a fan for life of this overlooked extraordinary talent!!! Every release from Evie has always been a major happening in my life and any work that you can get on this gifted singer/songwriter will be something you always will go back to over and over!! I am thankful that in Japan they have the sophisication to release all of Evie's major releases and I now have them all and I am enjoying MY own personal "Evie-Fest"!! Grab these while you can and now Amazon has all but the incredible "Estate Of Mind" which I found direct on a Japanese sight and "Estate" is a classic that in indescribable in its depth and beauty and even has a couple of cooking Motown covers that burn!!! Until the sublime "Women in Prison", this solid work was Evie's last major release and the haunting "As We Fall In Love Once More" is a masterpiece and the [attractive] "You Can Do It" is the ultimate sensual Evie at her peak!! Don't miss this classic as vocally she has the best voice of all the female singer/songwriters of the past forty years!! Evie is soulful and passionate and should be recognized for the brilliant talent that she is!!! Bravo Evie and keep them comming!!!

Suspended Aaimation.......2003-07-30

This album got pass over when it first came out. A long time ago. But Evie Sands is a great talent, and was never a Super Star like she should have been, but this album is a must have, This woman puts a lot of herself in her music, and it comes out very well on this record. Check it out, you will not be disappointed..