Samsara Blues Experiment - Revelation & Mystery (2011) (24/96 Vinyl Rip)

It doesn't seem too long ago when Samsara Blues Experiment released the 'Long Distance Trip' album so it was a surprise to have this one land on my desk a few weeks ago. I never did get around to reviewing that album but it wasn't because I didn't like it, I actually think it is great but well you know, I can't review everything so I let that album slip through the cracks.

So in less than a year I have a new Samsara Blues Experiment album but this one has left me a little disappointed. First up, there is a change of pace and direction here. The last album was a jammy psychedelic album where as with this one, the pieces seem more like concise songs. There is still a looseness to the band which gives them that jam-band kind of feel but the songwriting on 'Revelation & Mystery' is more standardized than what they have done before.

After an untitled 17 second intro, the band launches into 'Flipside Apocalypse' and the slight change in direction is very clear. With more of an emphasis on straight riffing and less on layered psychedelic sounds, it sounds very different from anything they have done before. The band still have the Black Sabbath meets Hawkwind kind of spacey approach but it is more traditional and more upbeat than what I was expecting. The track has a well-balanced choice of mellow sections and bursts of pure-rock fury and despite having a distorted guitar sound, the tune is very catchy.

This is followed by 'Hangin’ on the Wire' which sounds close to the harder Queens of the Stone Age kind of commercial stoner-rock style. This tune even more than the albums opener signals how this album is different, this is really hooky, almost too hooky in my opinion and it is a far cry from the usual sabbathian meets space-rock kind of jamming they are known for. There is nothing bad about it and it is quite listenable but it is hardly a highlight of the album.

'Into the Black' has long instrumental sections with a lot of solos and it is extremely atmospheric but despite the great electric and acoustic guitar work, there still seems to be something missing. The improvisational side of the band is lacking that all-important spark that was all over the 'Long Distance Trip' album. It is not a deal-breaker by any means, the tune still reeks of a class that few other bands have, mainly due to the exceptional musicianship. The guitar duo of Chris and Hans, and the rhythm section of Richard (Bass) and Thomas (drums) are always locked in with each other, making it sound easy but maybe the improvisation was a little rushed in this tune. 'Thirsty Moon' is another track where the mix of electric and acoustic guitars is exceptionally good and what is the way with Samsara Blues Experiment, the tune is never predictable.

'Outside Insight Blues' and the two-minute interlude 'Zwei Schatten im Schatten' keep the album interesting and they actually get pretty close to some good old-fashioned boogie rock at times. The album ends though on a true classic, the epic 'Revelation & Mystery.' This monster track of Sabbathy heavy rock, psychedelia, Jethro Tullish prog rock, perfectly captures the band in full flight and there is even room for a little sitar which provides the icing on the cake. In just 47 minutes, the album is over and out and that is perhaps the albums biggest drawback. Apart from the epic closing title track, most of the songs seem too short and at times incomplete. Overall though, there is no denying this is a solid release that can be listened to in its entirety without any possibility of getting bored. They are always unpredictable and the playing is always impressive. Not as good as 'Long Distance Trip' but a welcome addition to any psychedelic fans collection

~ Reviewed by www.doommantia.com ~7.5/10

Tracklist :

1. Flipside Apocalypse - 6:11
2. Hangin' On The Wire - 5:30
3. Into The Black - 6:50
4. Thirsty Moon - 5:37
5. Outside Insight Blues - 8:15
6. Zwei Schatten Im Schatten - 2:18
7. Revelation & Mystery - 12:15


• Christian Peters - guitar, vocals, sitar, organ, synthesizer
• Hans Eiselt - guitar
• Richard Behrens - bass
• Thomas Vedder - drums, percussion

Recorded by Richard Behrens and Daniel Körneat Big Snuff Studio, Berlin
Mastered at Big Snuff Studi, Berlin