Released
1997
Label
Eibon Records
Reviewed by
Michael C. Lund
Contact
Via Folli 5
20134 Milano
Italy
Visit
Last Edit/Update
15 september, 1998
Caul
RELIQUARY
Track Listing
1. Christ Altogether Lovely
2. Paliggenesia
3. The Measure Of The Stature Of The Fullness Of Christ
4. A Sigh Is The Sword Of An Angel
5. The Soul Rising Out Of The Vanity Of Time
6. Et In Arcadia Ego
7. Lights In The Firmament Of Heaven
8. A Golden And Blessed Casket Of Nature's Marvels
9. The Mystery Of The Seven Stars
10. Sangre
11. The Spirit And The Bride
12. Wholeness In The Cathedral Of Gold
13. The Spirit Of Man Is The Lamp Of The Lord
After two very good albums (Crucible and The Sound Of Faith), Caul
has created a small masterpiece in Reliquary. The CD has been released by the
Italian label Eibon, and comes in a small black fold-out cardboard box,
which features the fiery artwork reproduced on this page on the inside. As the title
suggests, Reliquary contains music inspired by faith, and as such the CD is one of
the most convincing arguments I have ever heard in favor of the existence of God.
Reliquary is by no means an
hour of angel song and wanderings through ethereal cloud landscapes, however. In fact, Caul's
music is more often than not described as dark, menacing, moribund and even frightening.
And, it is true that much of the music is dominated by thunderous rumbling; slow downcast
brass themes; the hollow echoes of deserted cathedrals; icy aural drifts, and other
foreboding atmospheres. Yet, like the frail, flickering flame of the human spirit pitted
against the vast cosmos, or the concept of eternity itself, Caul's music
almost always includes a subtle harmonious presence: the strumming of a few clear strings;
the tinkling of a bell or chime; the innocent singing of a choir of cicadas; or, some such
element, throwing light into the nocturnal backdrops of the compositions.
Brett Smith (the man
behind Caul) has been an atheist most of his life, and -- by own
admission -- his growing faith is a gradual process. The music of Caul depicts
this slowly developing spiritual awareness, and the structure of Reliquary in
particular appears to describe Smith's journey of faith. Thus, the CD opens with
a number of pieces that are very dark and searching; the mood is dense, as if the music
was burdened with the weight of living itself. Hollow and soughing background ambience,
rain, the sound of gongs and occasional grisly effects -- these are the prevalent sounds
and tones. There are of course also lucid elements weaved into these compositions, but it
is not until "Lights In The Firmament Of Heaven" that these break through with
the power as of a sudden Epiphany. After a somber introduction, this piece is shaken by
something like an explosion, and the following choir of celestial voices is like a rain of
light. However, the rest of Reliquary is not a continuous festival of laughter and
rejoicing. The atmospheres and sounds on the second half of the CD do appear to be lighter
and perhaps to a greater extent steered by harmony, but Caul's music
still bears a strong imprint of darkness. No transcendence is without price, and, even
after a breakthrough like "Lights In The Firmament Of Heaven" there will be
doubt, and the trials of life do not end. This is the beauty of the music on the latter
half of the album -- here are warmer and more acoustic sounds, but they still stand in
contrast to the cold and windy aural terrain of Reliquary's first half. There can
be no light without darkness.
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