This was a welcome arrival and I have a new ‘chill out’ album to go to here and make a change from all the noisy metal stuff. It’s a bit ironic really that it comes from a Polish musician who goes by the name Anthony Armageddon Destroyer. Under the Paranoia Inducta title he has quite a large oeuvre of releases behind him and they are self-described as being Apocalyptic Death Industrial works. I am sure that much of the earlier stuff is more akin to that description but here and with its predecessor ‘Demon’s Factory’ we have music that is far more ambient (at times dark) than that particular descriptor. Blood Electric is described as a concept album filled with magic, mysticism & esotericism, rooted in both the virtual and real worlds. Over its 54 minutes it takes the listener on a journey that contains elements of world music as much as anything else and for those who like to venture into far off places in their head, it provides the perfect accompaniment.

At first I thought I was being subtly moved into African terrains and dusky arid deserts after the opening mellow breeze and sounds of reed instruments which gently move into the throat-chanting, gongs and other acoustic instruments. It was somewhat reminiscent of Simon Boswell’s soundtrack work especially on Richard Stanley’s Dust Devil so it is no surprise that the drifting sands of Namibia cane to mind. However, I was geographically displaced as further investigation puts me in mysterious Asia as a couple of tracks feature vocal dialogue from Kenji Siratori “a Japanese musician, graphic designer and cyber punk writer.” Still the mind will take you where it will as we continue listening to the droning hypnotic tone and strange warped chants of ‘Replicant Suicide Machine.’ Chilled or not, with that particular title bringing to mind some sort of Indonesian death cult, the darkness does seep in between the cracks. It’s with fourth track ‘Jaguar’ that Kenji takes over the main focus with the music quiet in the background as he narrates over it. It’s in Japanese and so whatever he is relating remains part of the intriguing mystery here. It would make sense if it was some of his own fiction especially as what sounds like effects are later added to his voice.

Shamanistic chants and faint drum beats provide the main pulse of ‘Embryonic Commands’ along with the ringing sounds of percussive bells. One is tempted to sit cross-legged and meditate to the ritualistic temple sounds. I guess that’s the commands whilst the embryonic part is the feeling of being taken back and embraced in the womb. ‘VTR’ continues this languid approach with the story-telling vocalisations adding to the tranquillity, over a ten-minute soundscape. What sounds like a clock ticking and the gradual path of time moves through ‘Mysterious Motion’ The chants here have no trappings of modernity however and one would expect a sundial rather than a clockwork contraption marking the sands of time. The title track employs a tribal beat and rhythm as the passage takes my mind off again. It has the feeling of a spirit walk about it, a time when the world of the natural and supernatural combine in the shadows of a rite of passage. Coming to conclusion with ‘Cosmic Cannibalism’ do not expect to get flung into a black hole as the universe collapses upon itself. I’m sure there is a metaphor hidden here somewhere but as with the rest of the album we have a gentle ebbing out that leaves one star-gazing at the wonders of the universe.

A fascinating and enthralling album. This is one to make sure you have the time for and will not be interrupted or distracted by the outside world as you make time for it. Something I have done several times and will continue doing so when I fancy a mystic musical trance to flood the senses. Discover it yourself at the links below and perhaps you will find yourself in a similar state of mind. The album is available as a standard jewel case and a Digipack A5 album, the latter of which I was lucky enough to receive and will certainly be treasuring.

(8/10 Pete Woods)

https://www.facebook.com/paranoiainducta

https://paranoiainducta.bandcamp.com/album/blood-electric