yelworC is an influential and enigmatic German dark electro-industrial group whose name is a reference to Aleister Crowley. They were originally formed in 1987 by Peter Devin and Dominik van Reich and created a fusion consisting of dark synthesisers mixed with abrasive dance-beats, overlaid with distorted vocals and occasional audio samples, their music reflected themes of dark magic, religious rituals, death, and violence. They released a debut album in 1992 and an EP the following year, but van Reich then left the band. Devin recorded two further albums alone in 2004 and 2007. Now some seventeen years on, yelworC has just released ‘The Ghosts I Called,’ a brand new collection recorded by Devin over a ten year period. It follows a set of four recent vinyl reissues that revisits the group’s earliest years.
The album draws breath with `The Violence of Will` a number that is fairly minimal but effective while `Babylon’s Code` has soundbites interspersed with electronic pulses and beats that hints at being Babylonian-esque as envisioned by Western artists as a hybrid between ancient Egyptian, classical Greek, and contemporary Ottoman culture. `Can’t You See….?` has a kind of faster paced James Bond soundtrack texture interspersed with growls as
the repetitive nature of `Mute Voices` becomes hypnotic and fairly forceful towards the end.
We are counted into `Erased Name – Blind Life` in French before some brief manic laughter as the number becomes quite introspective and brooding as it evolves whereas `Crucified With Revolution` is rhythmic but does have a pretty Asiatic quality at times.
`The Way The World Ends` feels quite dystopian with the statement “this is the way the world ends” repeated along with some throat singing over a pulsing beat in the initial stages before it seems to rhythmically sway. To me there was a hint of Pendulum`s drum and bass style on `The Inner Dialogue` as it weaved it`s path on this electronic trek.
`The Unrecognized Gods` quickly settles into a dream or trance like state after a brief soliloquy and causes you to become delightfully mesmerised by its aural resonance. The questioning title `Who is “I”…?` is echoed in this enthralling and fascinating reflective composition.
There`s a vibrating ambience to `Mutated Tongues` which has odd aural soundbites sprinkled through although it takes a slight time out and resumes with a similar beat but with what sounds like Germanic spoken discourse scattered atop. There`s a thin reggae vibe to `Tool For Mastering Life` an absorbing thoughtful submission which had me nodding along. I sensed a thriller, spy, or action theme soundtrack within the depths of `Get & Want` which has a lightish sci-fi tinge around the edges.
`Hypnotic Mile` was a real mix-match of sounds and styles with a shuddering bass or guitar intro then touches of drum and bass, ambient electronica and dreamlike segments all shared within its four hundred and eighteen seconds of life ending with a piano outro. The album closes with `Apostel` which translates to Apostle, an emissary, envoy or messenger and this final cut does have a kind of spiritual aura. The last forty five seconds or so sounds as if something is appearing amongst us.
I really enjoyed ‘The Ghosts I Called’ and i`m sure long term followers will enjoy these fifteen unreleased tracks that run to nearly eighty minutes of enticing music. There was so much here for the long term supporter or if, like me this is your introduction to yelworC
Rating 8.5/10
