‘A Crash Course In Catastrophe’ is the debut album by Sevendials, a trio who comprise of members of Killing Joke, The Mission, Ministry and Revolting Cocks with Mark Gemini Thwaite, Big Paul Ferguson and Chris Connelly who share a mixture of dark electronica, thumping rock, and psychedelia.
The album opens with a cover of Sparks hit from 1979, ‘Number One Song In Heaven’ which was co-written by Ron and Russell Mael and producer Giorgio Moroder. Sparks are my favourite band after seeing them in 1975 shockingly fifty years ago so this could have been a real crossroads for me but hands up I thought it was a respectful interpretation and retained that almost spiritual-disco vibe. There`s a powerful swaying strength and power about `Wolves` which offered a kind of reflection in the lyrical content and brought to mind Syd Barrett for some reason. `Wolves` represent a complex mix of untamed nature, courage, and wisdom which maybe is at the heart of this track.
‘Knife Without Asking’ has an almost haunted texture with an underlying tension simmering throughout which for me depicted a sense of pervading doom. “Using the stars to guide you because the terrain is always too dark: are the stars twinkling with hope? Or are they spent and dead infernos? The word Zodiac began to have negative implications when the Zodiac Killer became part of the collective zeitgeist, anti-morals, zodiac morals,” explain the band about the track `Zodiac Morals`. It`s a rhythmic number with a drum beat that guides it along and lyrics that are reflective with a message to deliver but at the same time fairly dreamlike and illusory. There`s some quite tender harmonies as the number concludes.
‘Obsession’ (written by Michael Des Barres and Holly Knight ) was a hit forty years ago and this reimagining features Ashley Bad, a Los Angeles based solo artist who combines Film Noir lyrical influences with Gothic and Electronic soundscapes. A number which focuses on romantic obsession instead of drug addiction. This version retains the vulnerability but is really brought up to date with a robust and vigorous musical reawakening. There was a real expansiveness to `Before You Make Your Distance` a contemplative submission which seemed to impart wisdom and insight gained from maturity of age and life experience.
There`s an almost field holler vibe to ‘Whispering Wand’ a number that has a real stomp about it, a real foot tapper of a listen. There`s a brooding almost introspective passion to `Corrupted Verse` a thoughtful number that for me fell somewhere between the delights of Peter Murphy and David Bowie.
`Too High to Live` is the kind of number that will have you veering off into thoughts of your own, a nigh on tranquil composition but with a fundamental sense of foreboding with some shimmering riffs and pounding drums. The final cut `Weathervane Days` feels quite stripped back but retains a longing intensity at its core. Although a weathervane is an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind, i`m sure here it’s a metaphor, comment, and observation on which direction our government or indeed our world is taking.
‘A Crash Course In Catastrophe’ is dedicated to the memory of Geordie Walker, Killing Joke`s guitarist whose effortless playing produced a monstrous sound and Mont Sherar a prime mover of post-punk dancefloor DJing which is a lovely touch. The album to me is a grower and i`m discovering something new each time I give it a spin and i`m sure you will too. It`s a release that I know will hang with me for the rest of the year.
Rating 9/10
