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Z. Komar | Croatia | 12/24/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Manifestation" was a one-sided 12" which featured one track of the same name. that's the first track on this cd reissue, the second one being "the six stations", a new track featuring david tibet of current 93 on vocals. both of the tracks are a bit longer than 20 minutes, so this disc is 45 minutes long in total. the two tracks are quite different in their sound in fact, but they fit on the same record perfectly because they generate similar mood. although this record is a re-issue in a way, by quite deep re-contextualising of the first track (the re-issued one) with the new 2nd one and new artwork, i feel that actually a completely new record is created.
the first track opens with a series of distant chants, bells and quite thick but not loud eastern-sounding percussion which persists throughout most of the track. later, beautiful acoustic guitar melodies come seeping into the track as well as the minimal, but as usual, incredibly effective ben chasny vocal as well as a "reciting" female voice. drones are here as well, and they are not very static this time. the track expands these ideas in a quite circular way, spiralling upwards and becoming larger and larger, creating a quite mystical and calm, yet intense atmosphere. this "calm, yet intense" feeling is something that i get from all of ben chasny's music and it's something i like very very much.
the second track has a quite abrasive cracking sound that sounds quite similar to the one of a very scratched vinyl record throughout most of its length, which, i feel, is suiting the track very well. it makes everything else in this track sound distant and ancient - almost like some lost and now rediscovered spiritual treasure - and i like this alot. guitar melodies on this track are not as minimal as on the first track and are very beautiful indeed. also, they are not really structured at all. the track is divided into "six stations". this track seems to have a mythology of its own within itself based on astrology and numerical calculations that seem to dictate the way the music is composed and that the station of earth is represented solely by voice where david tibet's BEAUTIFUL recitation comes in (david also wrote this text - if you like this and haven't listened to current 93, try getting pretty much any post 1994 c93 records). the recitation is quite short, but very effective. also, it doesn't sound like the discontinuation of the track. when you get this record, you'll be able to figure all of the above out by yourself from the notes and drawings on the inner side of the record's beautiful 6-panel digipak packaging. this all makes me looking forward to the full ben chasny/david tibet collaboration very much. i'm sure it's going to be stunning.
this record is completely epic and everything is just VERY well done, the music/sounds/words are all just beautiful, so, go for it."
Track Listings (2) - Disc #1