Search - Spahn Ranch :: Beat Noir

Progression. . .

07/19/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Another great CD, seven months of recording pays off here. Through "Beat Noir", Spahn Ranch shows that they can successfully integrate musical genres with grace. Athan Maroulis continues to add the clean, suave lyrics/vocals to most of the songs, while Matt Green goes off on his own for three of the four instrumental tracks on this CD, 'Well Charged' and 'Fire Lives In The Hearts Of All Men' being decidedly "rave-popular" in our local clubs. Every track on "Beat Noir" offers electronic dance appeal, but the most memorable to myself are 'Remnants' and 'An Exit'. The first being faster and the opening song during their recent tour with Front Line Assembly; the second is a slower song with sentimental potential. Spahn Ranch has been around for a long while, despite the fact they they have managed to dodge the mainstream's trendy techniques when it comes to creating music. Try something new- this isn't as hard-edged as "The Coiled One" nor as atmospheric and soft as "Architecture"- it's more of the proverbial "happy-medium"."