Attrition - History

Released
1996

Label
Projekt Records

Reviewed by
Michael C. Lund

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Last Edit/Update
01 February, 1998

Attrition

HISTORY
(PROMOTIONAL SAMPLER)

Track Listing

1. White Men Talk
2. The Mercy Machine
3. Shrinkwrap
4. The Fiftieth Gate
5. A Girl Called Harmony
6. Dreamsleep
7. I Am
8. Behind Innocence, Lies
9. The Big Lie
10. Crawling (Excerpt)

          Centered around British Martin Bowers, Attrition has had a revolving roster of members throughout the bands fifteen year history. And, like the band itself, the music has gone through different phases, although it has remained based in electronics with powerful, albeit convoluted, lyrics. Attrition's music was originally released on such labels as Third Mind, Antler and Hyperium, but over the last couple of years Projekt Records has repressed their entire catalogue.
          As an introduction to the band and their oeuvre, the promotional CD History compiles ten tracks spanning the years from 1982 to 1996. The songs are not presented in chronological order, but, rather, according to the sound and style of the individual tracks. History thus begins with a number of synth-heavy dance tracks that gradually become darker in mood, eventually evolving into a combination of death rock and classical. From there the sound becomes more minimal, increasingly relying on classical instrumentation and voices, until, at the very end of the CD, a pair of extended experimental ("incidental") pieces have been included.

          The earliest track on History is an excerpt from a longer piece called "Crawling," which originally appeared on a two-track release entitled The Death House: Incidental Musics I (1982). Although the piece is sound impressionistic, incidental may be too reductive a term to describe this very moody track. "Crawling" plays like a stroll through a ghost house, electronically generated, conjuring up the sensation of cold winds blowing through the cracked walls and shattered windows.
          From the 1984 album The Attrition Of Reason, the song "Behind Innocence, Lies" has been included. Bowers' vocals on this track have been subjected to distortive treatment, giving them icy, ghastly qualities that fit the strange atmosphere of the music well. "Behind Innocence, Lies" is a very different track from "Crawling," yet it has the same experimental airs, and features similar impressionistic use of sound.
          "Shrinkwrap" (from Smiling, At The Hypogonder Club 1985), on the other hand, bears no resemblance to either of the above tracks. Instead, this is a dark, dance-oriented tune sung in duet between Martin Bowers and an uncredited female vocalist. The poignant, anti-consumerism, pro-vegetarian lyrics are unfortunately somewhat undercut by the overall hoaky sound of the song.
          In The Realm Of The Hungry Ghosts (1986) is represented by the exceedingly beautiful song "Dreamsleep." Wholly absent of percussional elements, the powerful female vocals are lulled along -- as if in a small wooden boat -- on oceanic atmospheres, and carried into pillows of mist and haze. This piece has much in common with the visual, inidental qualities of the earlist tracks, but the arrangements seem more mature and purposeful.
          Martin Bowers has commented that "The Fiftieth Gate" (At The Fiftieth Gate 1988) is based on a Chinese fable concerning the quest for absolute knowledge. Performed in a deep, dark, world-wise voice, the vocals are supported by driving electronic guitars, and a heavy beat. The sound is reminiscent of Sisters Of Mercy's music of this period, but the lyrics are more profound, and the mood established not quite as pompous.
          Three years separates "The Fiftieth Gate" from "A Girl Called Harmony" (A Tricky Business 1991), and, as if Martin Bowers had indeed passed through 'the fiftieth gate,' the mood of this song is diametrically opposite to that of "The Fiftieth Gate." "A Girl Called Harmony" features operatic female voices and a theme performed on harpsicord and strings, while Bowers delivers another strong vocal performance.
          "The Mercy Machine" (The Hidden Agenda 1993) and "White Men Talk" (Three Arms & A Dead Cert 1995) are the two most dynamic and dance-oriented songs on the CD. Both feature vocal duets between Bowers and a female vocalist, and both tracks are strongly based in the use of synths, with subtle classical elements thrown in.
          From Attritions's second release of 1995 -- Ephemera: Incidental Musics II, the extended piece "The Big Lie" has been included. The piece opens in the vein of "Crawling," but eventually develops into more of an ambient sci-fi soundtrack, replete with a synth organ theme worthy of Johann Sebastian Bach himself.
          The latest piece on the CD is from the 'classical' release Etude (1996), on which Attrition was supported by a member of the Paris opera. "I Am" is a very beautiful piece that continues Bowers fascination with classical orchestration and female vocals, as seen on many of the previous releases.

          Although History itself has not been released commercially, all of Attrition's CDs are available from Projekt Records along with a compilation entitled Recollection 1984-89. 1997 saw Attrition touring extensively in Europe and the US, as well as working on a new album that is scheduled for release on Projekt later this year.

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