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Sax Myle / Frozen Sky Records

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Review taken from "Open Up And Say" Issue #25

Reviewer: Todd Craven

OPEN UP AND SAY...

Discussions About Music That Matters

Issue Twenty-Five: January 26, 1997

http://comp.uark.edu/~tcraven/openup.html

Sax Myle "the Iris Whitefly Project"

 

The Fall-gate of God/Auriga Virtutum/Sartre Chronicles #6: La Nausee/Penance 9-93/V-gi-li-si/Cedar, Cross & Eagle Wing/III-Unclean/White Trash-Coffee Black/D.A.V.G./Somme, France 1916/The Fall-confusion

 

I have never heard any band like Sax Myle before. These guys are simply truly amazing musicians and songwriters. Sax Myle describe their music as "cross genre," and it certainly is that. The songs on here range from progressive to spoken word to ambient to tribal. Or as Sax Myle says, "Everything from gothic/free-form to beatnik to metal." Sax Myle are a two piece that began in 1991, and the group released their self produced album last year on Frozen Sky Records. The band is difficult to pigeonhole in one genre or to describe, and almost every song on the album differs from the one before it. As you can tell merely by the songtitles, Sax Myle is ambitious, but they successfully pull off unusual musical expirements without seeming pretentious. The album opens and ends with an instrumental that would sound at home on any ambitious metal album (for example, something by Savatage or Type O Negative.) For the most part the rest of the tracks are not quite sing-a-long songs and have their own unique flavor, but there are two fairly standard progressive numbers, 'Penance 9/93' and 'Cedar, Cross & Eagle Wing.' Both of these numbers are quite reminscent of Fates Warning or like bands and feature some excellent vocals by guest vocalist Matt Mayes. The songs are actually better than 90% of the stuff Fates Warning has done, though. (And I am a Fates Warning fan.) Most of the other tracks rely heavily on unusual precussion, such as hand drums, metallic drums, and tribal influences. These songs, like 'D.A.V.G.' and 'V-gi-li-si,' are then augmented by ambient guitar and narration that falls somewhere between spoken word and rap. Of the other songs, 'White Trash/Coffee Black' features some unusual beatnik influences, and the two instrumentals (besides the opening and closing numbers), 'Sartre Chronicles #6: La Nausee' and 'III-Unclean,' are quite unsettling. These tracks are the epitome of what term gothic: dark, sparse, and completely creepy. The lyrics on the album are very high caliber, and I'm very impressed. Sax Myle are obviously quite intelligent and put a lot of time and thought into their lyrics. Common themes on the album are war, religion, and spiritual beliefs. 'D.A.V.G., 'Penance 9/93,' and 'Somme, France 1916' are especially strong and moving. It's perhaps the tenth song on the album, 'Somme, France 1916,' that really brings together the Sax Myle sound. The music falls somewhere between improv instrumental and tribal gothic, but the song features a strong melody. The lyrics deal with the loss of innocence in war are delivered in the Sax Myle spoken word style. This song is truly amazing and a definite album highlight. The only thing I could ask for on this album is another "straight" song featuring Matt Mayes. I'd definitely like to to hear more of Sax Myle in the future. This group is not for everyone, but it is an exciting, unusual, and unique album. If you enjoy your music to be more than mere ear candy, I would suggest getting this album. The album is very addictive, and I think anyone who gives Sax Myle a chance will enjoy and be impressed by this exceptional album. Sax Myle has excellent production standards and really terrific packaging. "the Iris Whitefly Project" is more than a great album; it's a listening experience. Highlights: 'Penance 9/93,' 'Somme, France 1916,' 'Auriga Virtutum'