Necronomicon

Necronomicon

Track Listings

1. Blind Destruction

2. Hades Invasion

3. Magic Forest

4. Iron Charm

5. Dark Land

6. Possessed by Evil

7. Bloody Revenge

8. Insanity

Necronomicon,Necronomicon,Kraze Records,Heavy Metal,Rock

Average customer rating:

Pure Atmospheric Awsomeness.

A musical tribute to H.P. Lovecraft

The Mythos comes alive!

A Masterful Musical Depiction Of A Terrifying Tome

Simply Brilliant

Necronomicon
Nox Arcana
Manufacturer: Monolith Graphics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0006OHMS8
Release Date: 2004-10-31

Tracks:

Mythos
The Nameless City
Alhazreds Vision
Necronomicon
Ancient Shadows
Azathoth
The Black Throne
Nyarlathotep
Temple Of The Black Pharaoh
Eldritch Rites
The Haunter Of The Dark
The Awakening
Yog-Sothoth
Guardian Of The Gate
Lords Of Darkness
Dagon
The Stars Align
Cthulhu
Ritual Of Summoning
Cthulhu Rising
The Great Old Ones

Album Description

Delve into the Necronomicon, a dark symphony based upon H.P. Lovecraft's forbidden tome of unspeakable horrors. This epic concept album is a spellbinding tribute to the Cthulhu Mythos, featuring a mixture of exotic, dark fantasy themes with 21 tracks of ominous orchestrations, Gothic choirs, Egyptian and Middle-Eastern melodies, eerie voices and otherworldly chants. This musical grimoir is a powerful and sinister soundtrack to evoke your darkest nightmare.

Customer Reviews:

Pure Atmospheric Awsomeness........2007-01-11

A "Must Have" for any Lovecraftian fan, afficianado...Or even if you just like creepy background music. Amid the haunting scores are several well done quotes from the fabled Lovecraftian tome, a chant to Nyarlathotep and the infamous "Ia Cthulhu Phtagn" passage done with 'proper' reverence and fanatascism. Definitely a "mood music" CD but one that sets the mood it intends very well

A musical tribute to H.P. Lovecraft.......2006-11-06

In this, the second CD realease from Nox Arcana, the focus is on Lovecraft and his works. The music explores the deities that roamed the earth when men lived in darkness and served these Gods as slaves. The listener is taken through a musical journey that explores the visions of Alhazred, the Mad Arab. The mythos of the Necronomicon takes you to the realms of Azathoth, Yog-Sothoth, Dagon, and Cthulhu.

I highly recommend this for anyone who has a healthy respect for myth, and can appreciate the dark musical talents of these gifted people. I certainly do.

The Mythos comes alive!.......2006-10-31

This is the perfect companion for sitting down and reading the works of Lovecraft. It makes for wonderful ambience! Excellent.

A Masterful Musical Depiction Of A Terrifying Tome.......2006-09-27

Not long ere this time, we were taken on a journey through the haunted halls of a ruined Victiorian mansion, home of the notorious Darklore family. Now we are invited to once again pay heed to the call of Nox Arcana... masterful and peerless minstrels of the macabre, as they invite us to walk with them once more. This time our journey is into a horrifying yet captivating musical opus depicting the pages of the mythos long ago scrawled by H.P. Lovecraft. Before you now lies, related to us in music, the ancient tome of the Necronomicon. Do you dare to open its pages and gaze upon them?

1. Mythos - Here we stand, at the beginning of a new journey, into both terror and wonder. It is begun with the sound of a howling wind. That frigid gale seems to have a keening quality to it, a moaning sound if you like, and a touch of faint "rumbling". It is soon joined by mournful yet melodious male chorus. Over this floats another voice, that of co-composer Joseph Vargo. He assumes the role of 'storyteller' for us once more, relating for us the following preamble:

"Long before mankind existed, the Old Ones trod upon the Earth. They worshipped the elder gods and served them as slaves, but in time, the Old Ones gained the knowledge of dark magic, and dared to use their sinister powers against their masters. The wrath of the elder gods was merciless and terrible, and those who rebelled against them were banished to distant dimensions, and imprisoned within the darkest recesses of the Earth. In deathless sleep the Old Ones dream and lie in wait for the time when they shall rise again. For when the stars come right, they shall awaken from their eon-old slumber. Then shall they return to hold dominion over our world once more, bringing woe and destruction unto mankind."

2. The Nameless City - This piece to me is beautiful. It depicts for me a wondrous journey to an unknown place, both dark and splendid. The piece is begun with a melding of what sounds like flutes combined with keyboard work whose tone is strongly choral in nature. It conveys a feeling of dread and awe together. Soon, percussion and strings join in with beautiful choir to complete the piece. The pacing is not quite a march-like one, but slightly quicker... depicting travel. In my mind I visualize traversing a desert amidst a raging sandstorm, and then crossing a turbulent waterway to behold an ancient city alive with dark and brooding majesty.

3. Alhazred's Vision - This piece has a very adventurous feeling to it. It seems to be a companion piece to track two but that's a good thing. Brooding strings and purcussion are joined by the tambourine to give it a more exotic flavor. Majestic choir returns to the piece in a way that gives it a very nice completion and fleshing out.

4. Necronomicon- Here, it seems, we are given a thematic piece. Haunting keyboards and sinister choral work pay us a visit to reprise and expand on the tune from the first track, making it the "star" of this piece rather than an undercurrent to narration. This is a good thing. It depicts in music the Necronomicon itself and is a more than fitting theme for a tome whose ancient pages are replete with dark wonders and ghastly secrets.

5. Ancient Shadows - Percussion, keyboards and strings do another dance for us. Choral accents here are very strong and powerful. As I close my eyes here, I can conceive in my mind an image of a barren land with a flame-red sky, slowly being swallowed by gathering stormclouds. It's a very strong piece and a great mood-setter for the terror to come.

6. Azathoth - This piece is a description of one of what Lovecraft's mythos refers to as the Great Old Ones. We are treated to a macabre choral melody over which Joseph Vargo's own voice gently drifts telling us of this creature : "From his black throne at the center of ultimate chaos, Azathoth, lord of madness and the abyss, rules supreme over all time and space... for he is the master of all that dwells in the darkness."

7. The Black Throne - Darker and darker it seems do we get. Ominous chorals and percussion mate with keyboards and tolling bells. To me, this piece blends terror and majesty in a manner that I might only call completely flawless.

8. Nyarlahotep- Here is another descriptive piece. Once again beautiful keyboard work with choral accents joins Joseph Vargo's hypnotic narration as we hear him say: "To Nyarlahotep must all things be told, for he is the traveller between the spheres, and the messenger between the realms of the living and the dead. He shall summon forth the ancient ones, and wake them from their deathless slumber. Then shall the Elder Signs be shattered, and the lords of darkness be released."

9. Temple Of The Black Pharoah - If I had to use one word to describe this piece, that word would be exotic. It is a beautiful piece, comprised of soft keyboard wizardry and chorals, mated with Egyptian style percussion and mysterious chanting. Part of it for a while sounds like pan pipes were used, at the beginning perhaps. Again I visualize crossing a river in a rustic canoe and coming to an ancient temple, a site to inspire both terror and awe being rooted deep within the heart of any who see it.

10. Eldritch Rites - Here, we are given a dose of the ominous and the sinister. This is a "simple" piece but I say that in a good way. It is a genuinely frightening vignette, given to us in a simple manner...proving that sometimes less is indeed more. A chilling sound, a resonant gong... is joined by brooding male chorals. They are overlaid by the voice of Joseph Vargo performing what appears to be an incantion of sorts... one that seems to summon the Great Old Ones by name, to bring them back from their deathless sleep.

11. The Haunter Of The Dark - This piece to me is scary but beautiful. A tolling bell is coupled with ominous choral melody and darkly majestic keyboard work and strings. Pipe organ compliments and fits into the piece wonderfully. The impression is one of being watched and stalked by a relentless and unstoppable force. The thunderclap at the end is an awesome touch and welcome indeed. Beautiful work.

12. The Awakening - "That is not dead which can eternal lie... and with strange eons even death may die." With this famous line from Lovecraft does the hypnotic narrating voice of Joseph Vargo introduce us to this piece. Heartbeat-like percussion soon drifts in, coupled with the steady, swirling sound of strings. Compelling choir soon makes its prescence known to us. I would name this one "invigorating". It's pace is march-like, and it carries a quite epic feel.

13. Yog Sothoth- Another homage to one of the Great Old Ones. Stately percussion and a soft but deep and resonant gong are the backdrop. Joseph Vargo's narrative voice joins us once more, as if telling a chilling tale of imminent catastrophe that merely awaits the right moment to fall upon us. "From across the black seas of infinity and beyond the mists of time, Yog Sothoth watches and waits. For he is the guadian of the gateway between worlds, and he alone holds the key to unlock the gate. For when the ancient rites have been spoken, and the lords of darkness have been awakened and summoned forth, then shall the gateway between the stars open once more. Past, present, future... All are one in Yog Sothoth."

14. Guardian Of The Gate - Here, keyboards and strings begin a new waltz for us. The strings swirl about us, as if driving us closer to the heart of a violent tempest. Darkly regal choir joins in. The tempo of these choral parts in particular, provide "spikes" of tension, as if the bolts on a great portal are being ever so slowly but surely and inevitably drawn back... it is only a matter of time before our worst nightmares come to pass.

15. Lords Of Darkness- This one is comprised of steadily paced strings, percussion and tolling bells. Choral majesty gifts us with its prescence also. This brings to mind a macabre twist on a kingly procession. It further lets us know that, all too soon... our nightmares will be real.

16. Dagon - Yet another description is given to us here... a piece of heraldry. Subtle keyboard wizardry combines with a choral moan of sorts. Joseph Vargo's voice chimes in once more: "Behold mighty Dagon... the great leviathan, risen from the black depths of the eternal sea. For he is the avatar of Cthulhu, who lies dreaming in deathless slumber... in his ancient temple in Ryleh."

17. The Stars Allign - Once again do ominous percussion and strings return to us here. Keyboards come in as well, feeling almost like horns heralding a great catastrophe. Snare drums make an effective appearance as well. This is yet another sign that our time is running out, even faster than it appeared to be doing so beforehand.

18. Cthulhu- Yet another gripping piece of descriptive homage. Choral work reminiscent of monastic chanting is joined by Joseph Vargo narrating for us very effectively. "Hail mighty Cthulhu, High Priest of the Great Old Ones. For when the stars come right, he shall rise from his ancient tomb to signal their return. Then shall the ancient ones long ago banished to the outer spheres break free from their prisons and plunge from the stars to claim the Earth once more. For those who lurk at the threshold of our world are ever vigilant for the time of their return."

19. Rite Of Summoning- This piece is just what the title suggests. Again, it is simple, yet it is also quite chillingly effective. Joseph Vargo returns yet again. This time he assumes the role of one who summons the great Cthulhu from his deathless slumber. His vocal performance is augmented really quite nicely by keyboard work that essentially gives us a dread inducing series of choral moans or a "howling wind" effect.

20. Cthulhu Rising - Keyboards, percussion and strings combine here with choral work to comprise a sinister yet stately and regal march. At long last does Chtulu awaken. The twilight of man is come. Alas and woe, the last hour is struck. All that remains is the fading of the last vesper toll into the midnight sky... and our time will cease upon this world.

21. The Great Old Ones- This piece, the CD's closer, could be called a companion piece to track 20. Again, it is martial in nature, expertly blending percussion, chorals, keyboards and strings. To me, it is a culmination... an expert depiction as Earth is swarmed and overtaken by a relentless tide of "invaders"... members of an ancient species of dark and malevolent beings. The first section of the piece is ended by what sounds like screeching bats or some other similar type of creature. There is then a fairly long period of silence until Joseph Vargo narrates for us once again: "From the wells of night to the gulfs of space let it be known: The Old Ones were, the Old Ones are, and the Old Ones shall be. Azathoth, Shug Ngurrub, Zath Ogwah, Nyarlahotep, Yog Sothoth, Dagon, Cthulhu... Man rules now where they ruled once. They wait patient and potent... for here shall they reign again..." There is another short narration at the very end of this track Honestly, if I could change anything about this piece, it would be the length of time that stands betwen then end of the musical section of the track and the first of the two narrations. It does not take away from the quality of the piece, but it is noticable and I wish it had been shortened a bit.

In closing, this is yet another brilliant piece of work by Nox Arcana. A truly terrifying tale of the imminent twillight and fall of the human race. Any fan of the writings of H.P. Lovecraft should love this, but you do not need to be a fan of Lovecraft's writing in order to enjoy it immensely. I love this work as much as all others by Nox Arcana. They are true masters of the art of musical storytelling... weavers of majestically epic horror tales, and truly gifted minstrels for the modern age.

Simply Brilliant.......2006-08-09

This is a hypnotic, dark symphony that perfectly captures the mood of the Lovecraftian Mythos. Listen to this in the quiet of night and be transported (metaphorically) across the vast gulfs of space and time to where great Cthulhu lies dreaming. This is the best HPL music I have ever heard, better than the music of Eric Zann.

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Jus Allah's Omnipotent album + Bomshot

Necronomicon
Devilz Rejects
Manufacturer: Raptivism
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Underrated

ASIN: B000JFY0XY
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Tracks:

Intro
5 Pillars
Riddle of the Sphinx - Rip Shop
Universal (A.L.L.A.H.) - GZA
Devil'z Rejects
Deadly
U-God (Interlude)
Incredibles - Quite Nyce
Da Vinci Code - Evildead
Spirit World
Vengeance - GZA
Blood Aflow
Drill SGTS.
Chop Ya Head Off
Seance
Arabic Terrorists - Evildead
Dead Man Walking
Apocalypse Now
Black Godz [RMX] - Chief Kamachi,
Tsunami
To All [RMX]
Outro
Eyes of Disciple [RMX][*] - Shabazz the Disciple
Necronomicon (Book of the Dead) [*]
Sanctuary [*]
Casket [*]

Customer Reviews:

Jus Allah's Omnipotent album + Bomshot.......2007-05-26

During the split of Jedi Mind Tricks around 2001 when Jus Allah decided to leave the group, he signed with Virtuoso's label Omnipotent Records and was working on material for his solo project. Skipping past the early 2000 single he recorded with the Molemen which later in 2002 turned into the controversial first single ("White Nightmare") and interview (but that's another story) on Omnipotent...2 new tracks with Jus Allah ("Chess King" and "Severed & Split") appeared a few years later on the Omnipotent compilation entitled "Era Of The Titans". So before this release and some of the material on the Babygrande release "All Fates Have Changed", we never heard anything else from Jus since the Omnipotent label folded right after Virtuoso's slept-on sophomore LP was released and the solo project he recorded for them faded into obscurity until now.

Bomshot was also signed with Omnipotent since the beginning which is the obvious reason why he has all of Jus Allah's unreleased work, and everyone who's a Jus fan knows the entire controversial story between Bomshot and Jus Allah. Bomshot claims Jus used to sleep over his house all the time when Omnipotent folded and both would always record tracks together, while Jus claims they never did and how all of his unreleased work was stolen...i'm not completely sure of the exact truth, but the only thing that matters now is the album which is finally here.

First off i just want to get this part over with -- Bomshot is a really bad MC who sounds like an immature mixture of Jus Allah and Necro with his silly horrorcore rhymes, and his cranky voice and flow leaves much to be desired as well. However, with the exception of Bomshot adding himself to each track (other than the amazing original version of the Jus solo track "To All", with Agallah's cheap sounding un-fitting beat replaced with a sick dark beat)...this is otherwise a very nice release which pretty much took me back to the "Violent By Design" days! All the new Jus Allah verses, the hardcore yet dark mystical battle rhymes, the early JMT sounding epic and cinematic production which is handled great by all the producers, and the impressive guest spot line-up (which includes GZA, Chief Kamachi, Virtuoso, T-Ruckus and more)...even the interludes are dope as they all have nice beats and movie quotes! This is why i still give this 4 stars and recommend getting it if you can find it for a cheap price...but i also recommend making a custom version of it without Bomshot and adding the rest of Jus' solo work, and than you'll be perfectly set with the real Jus Allah solo album that was meant to be.

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Apocalyptic Nightmare
Necronomicon
Manufacturer: Kraze Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Necronomicon
City's Gonna Burn
Endless War

ASIN: B000006J9K
Release Date: 1995-12-01

Tracks:

Rhetorical Dictum
In Memory
Broken Illusion
Retributive Strike
Ancient Ones
Apocalyptic Nightmare
Following Century (Darkland II)

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Necronomicon
Devilz Rejects
Manufacturer: Redline Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Cult Status

ASIN: B000F2C8NK
Release Date: 2006-09-05

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NECRONOMICON

Pharaoh of Gods

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000031XAN
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Tracks:

Revelation
The Guardian
The Silver Key
Egypt The Red Earth
Initiation
Pharaoh Of Gods
The Symbol Of Life
Becoming The Hands That Carry The Spirit
The Daring One (Akhnaton)

Album Description

1999 album from one of Canada's best death metal outfits. Ranging from extreme to melodic, the record's nine tracks about the mystical world of ancient Egypt are all shrouded by deep occult & spiritual atmospheres. Necronomicon have a great reputation & have toured with Mercyful Fate, Morbid Angel and Deicide. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

NECRONOMICON.......2003-02-18

This is some of the very best music I have ever heard.

Average customer rating:

Death Metal Excellence

Pharaoh of Gods
Necronomicon
Manufacturer: Unique Leader
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000063WZO
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

Revelation
The Guardian
The Silver Key
Egypt, The Red Earth
Initiation
Pharaoh Of Gods
The Symbol Of Life
Becoming The Hands That Carry The Spirit
The Daring One (Akhnaton)

Customer Reviews:

Death Metal Excellence.......2004-07-17

The first comparison to Necronomicon would be Nile,as they both play death metal,have Egyptian inspired lyrics/image,and both are great bands.The difference is where as Nile sounds like an angry hurricane coming at you in their heavier parts,Necronomicon's style of heaviness is very reminiscent of Morbid Angel,meaning technical,brutal riffs with intricate,technical drumming.Several elements set Pharaoh Of Gods apart from the rest of the overcrowded genre.Their bass player Kate adds chilling operatic vocals that add another dimension to the vocal assault,which also consists of a very sick sounding growl.The band wisely changes up the tempo,not falling into the endless blasting trap like many bands do.There are spoken word parts here too which definitely help set the atmosphere that Necronomicon intends to create.Tribal drumming breaks out here and there also and it sounds great put to music like this.Pharaoh Of Gods isn't perfect though.The middle eastern inspired melodic guitarwork all sounds similar,and it's hard to tell the songs apart occasionally.Also,the production,while very good for being produced by the band themselves,leaves the guitars missing a certain bite to them that is essential in this kind of music.They are ok,but need a little fine tuning IMO.Flaws aside,Necronomicon have created a great death metal album and their next album will truly be a classic if they continue as they are going right now.These guys(and girl) are the perfect alternative for those that aren't too crazy about Nile's extremely chaotic death metal,but still want to hear a refreshing change of pace from the endless line of Cannibal Corpse clones.

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Superb compositions and performance.
great chamber works.
More swell string writing from John Zorn
Mature chamber works from classical musics "enfant terrible"

Magick

Manufacturer: Tzadik
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002MPQS2
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

Necronomicon For String Quartet: Conjurations
Necronomicon For String Quartet: The Magus
Necronomicon For String Quartet: Thought Forms
Incunabula
Necronomicon For String Quartet: Asmodeus
Sortilege For Two Bass Clarinets

Customer Reviews:

Superb compositions and performance........2005-03-16

Necronomicon, performed by the Crowley Quartet-- Jennifer Choi and Jesse Mills on violin, Richard O'Neill on viola, and Fred Sherry on cello, is, per Zorn's own words, composed for the musicians. It consists of five movements and builds in a natural pattern. The opening movement, "Conjurations", begins right away in an aggressive mode, building tension over its entire length and providing a vehicle for Choi's virtuoso performance. This pushes until the second movement, which opens as release to the tension of the first. Here, the explosiveness and violence of the first movement falls away to a soft solo voice (primarily violin) over a subtle building chaos. But the building never amounts to much, and the movement dribbles into the third, "Thought Forms". The third movement introduces a circular solo arco part over pizzicato background, harsh to the point of percussive, then eventually swells to a head with an aggressive arco performance before switching into a mixed pizzicato/arco aggressive section.

As the fourth movement opens, we're moved into a soft, almost relaxed, very conventional (well, for Zorn at least) section, but below the long tones and slow development, a hint of tension, accentuated by a brief pizzicato section, lies. The fifth movement is the storm after the calm, similar in form and aggression to both "Conjurations" and the percussive pizzicato sections of "Thought Forms", but lacking the feeling of tension. Instead, this eventually moves into a brutal arco section, followed by a release, but ends in chaos.

Overall, "Necronomicon" is a thoroughly enjoyable and strong statement, and an excellent and rewarding listen. It presents a unity and relentlessness that is hard to capture together-- with such aggressive performance, the danger of falling over the edge into disorganization is great, but Zorn's work holds steady.

The second piece, "Sortilege", to my ears, has a more typical Zorn feel. He essentially composed a bass clarinet duet for two virtuosos, Mike Lowensterm and Tim Smith (both of whom I'm quite unfamiliar with I'm afraid). The piece itself alternates between long tones and sort of interlocking sections-- the two parts entwine, compliment, and work together. "Sortilege" also has the benefit of being more immediately accessable than "Necronomicon"-- indeed when I first purchased this, the string quartet made little sense to me (as was the case until I saw it performed live), but the bass clarinet duet grabbed me. While it is largely an exercise in superior playing and appears to have been written wholly for that purpose, it is really a great piece.

great chamber works........2004-12-30

This disc has two recent chamber works by John Zorn: _Necronomicon_ for string quartet, and _Sortilege_ for two bass clarinets.

John Zorn's most recent string quartet _Necronomicon_ presented here, and it is a schizophrenically meditative and brutally frightening. It alternates fast and slow movements. The first, third, and fifth movements are rife with shrieking, dramatic gestures and crunching polytonalities, jarring rhythms, and weblike melodic arrangements. The second and fourth movements are slow and carry a hushed warmth and focus for grasping concepts arcane. It is a mysterious and indelible piece.

"Sortilege" is a duet for two bass clarinets. It is an erratic, ever-changing, and considerably more "pleasant" than the quartet, albeit not particularly tonal. While primarily a virtuoso piece, it has its share of affecting expressions.

More swell string writing from John Zorn.......2004-12-15

"Necronomicon" is John Zorn's fifth recorded string quartet, written in 2003. It is probably his most traditional piece for string quartet, even if he goes to great lengths not to title it as such. But all the traditions are there: with the five movement structure, I cannot help but think Bartók's 4th and 5th quartets (and, by listening to it and becoming more familiar, Ligeti's 2nd as well, which is also in five movements), especially with the symmetrical arch structure, with the fast third movement surrounded by two slow movements, which are framed by two outer faster movements. There is just a fair amount of his typical "scratchy-scratch" string writing, mostly found in the outer movements. There is also not as much "jump cutting material" as in some of his other quartets, especially "Cat o' Nine Tails" and "Dead Man"; in fact, the material is more akin to Zorn's "Kol Nidre": single subjects, well developed. The fourth movement has almost a melody with simple chordal accompaniment, almost alien for Zorn's writing it seems like.

The other piece is "Sortiége", scored for two bass clarinets. This is more like the Zorn of yorn, with the skittish angular figures and the jump-cutting of one kind of material to another and another in a matter of seconds. Definitely not something for amateurs to try at home. (But why this, like his other disc for string quartet, is found in the popular rather than the classical escapes me...)

Mature chamber works from classical musics "enfant terrible".......2004-11-04

Once the enfant terrible of the modern jazz and classical scene in the early 1980's and 1990's, John Zorn is either mellowing with age or following in the footsteps of his forefathers. There was a time when John Zorn was THE genre bashing composer to look to for innovation (from his Naked City thrash jazz punk band to earlier "game-piece" based classical compositions, like Cobra) he now seems to have taken heed of his spiritual forefathers artistic paths. By reaching inward for inspiration rather than attempting to shock the masses, Zorn may have discovered his most personal music.

Zorn's interest in Jewish mysticism is nothing new. His various Hassidic based Masada ensembles have been his main focus for the last ten years. They have also become his most accessible and enjoyable projects. This interest has become a primary focus for his recent chamber music writing as well. Everything from solo violin pieces to full orchestral scores have been written and recorded based on such arcane interests.

And so this brings us to "Magick." Consisting of only two pieces, it is an enjoyable (if short) excursion into definitive late 20th century classical music. The string quartet piece: "Necronomicon" is stellar, filled with the sort of post-Bartok and Webern stop-start jagged rhythms, trills and glisses that define the modernist aesthetic in post-romantic serialized music. The bass clarinet duet "Sortilege," described as the "most difficult piece written for the instrument" is a challenging and sonically engaging work.

While the pieces themselves are enormously captivating, I can't help but wonder what Zorn's current traditional chamber music would sound like if these pieces were written in an earlier phase when he was still sowing the seeds of discontent. Many a classical composer has traveled this path before. Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich, Schoenberg and Webern all went through early experimental phases in the beginning of their careers before settling into a more conservative, neo-classical phase later on. It seems that Zorn isn't quite old enough to be at that point yet, so who knows what the future holds. These works offer some of the finest sounds in the contemporary classical world and we can rejoice in their release. But one sometimes wonders whether adventurousness is being sacrificed for the sake of tradition.

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The Sacred Medicines
Necronomicon
Manufacturer: Skyscraper Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001AW0QG
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Tracks:

Through the Door of Time
Dark Wings of Deceptions
Threshold
Behind the Mask
Calling the Spirits
Sacred Medicines
Pillar of Balance
Quetzalcoatl
Quest for Vision
Dreaming
Temple of the Sun

Average customer rating:

Construction of Evil
Necronomicon
Manufacturer: Remedy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002TTWMQ
Release Date: 2004-08-30

Tracks:

Stormbringer
Fiction
Hard Pain
From Hell
Alight
Paralizer
Bone Daddy
Hills Of Dead
Fireball
Terrorist Attack
Insanity
Possessed Again
Hard Paint (Live)
Insanity (Live)
Terrorist Attack (Video)

Album Description

German Thrash Metal legends Necronomicon return with an old school blast of unexpected intensity. German edition includes the live bonus tracks 'Hard Pain' & 'Insanity' plus 'Terrorist Attack' video. Remey. 2004.