Search - Nature & Organisation :: Beauty Reaps the Blood of Solitude

Masterwork

Gary | 01/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bizarre collaboration between pagans, Christians, national socialist wannabes, Buddhists, satanists....did I leave anything out? Despite what you would have thought may be idealogical differences the whole weird bunch seem to work together happily and the result is one of the great artistic triumphs. The only jarring note is what sounds like the imperial Roman army being dive bombed by the Luftewaffe half way through like what's-is-name's surprise symphony. Tibet's finest vocal and writing performance here. Which one of the above is he? I'll tell you when I'm reincarnated. Fantastic arrangements, deeply moving. Has a reworking of that bit where Britt Eckland dances in the altogether in 'Wicker Man'. Wonder how Rose McDowell recorded it?"

Triumpfant Acheivement of the Genre

Robert E. Murena Jr. | Fairfield, CT United States | 06/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mixing timpani drums and a fleet B-17 bombers in flight the first track though not indicative of the style points the listener of Beauty Reaps the Blood of Solitude to the conclusion that this will be a different and powerful album. Michael Cashmore's brilliant compositions in league with best talents of the "New European" and Apocalyptic Folk genres create a magnificent album that I count as the crowning achievement of both of these movements. The sound is similar to the works Death in June and Current 93 but the album certainly is more than a sum of the parts. Rose McDowell - a long time contributor of C93 but also of Strawberry Switchblade fame makes an appearance for a cover of the "Wickerman Song" which, naturally, comes from the film "The Wicker Man"



While this track sets the mood it is the later tracks like "Bloodstreamruns" and "My Black Diary" that really exemplify the artistry of this album. With great composition and production the poetic and slightly bizarre lyrics come together as a genuine masterpiece. Lying somewhere between the highly orchestrated and the experimental Nature and Organization's first and only complete album is just out of reach of classification but it is a terrific sound and truly is the best album of the genre. It may take a little getting used to for the casual listener but fans of World Serpent artists will find this a truly terrific piece and a real gem.

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