Alpha Omega - "Live At Terra Australis 2002"
(self-released 2003, ALPHA002)
Alpha Omega - "Live At Terra Australis 2002"
(self-released 2003, ALPHA002)
Uploaded to Aural Innovations: October 2003
This live document of Brisbane, Australia space rockers Alpha Omega's set at the Terra Australis festival includes a couple tracks from their debut CD, Electronic Mind Project (see AI #23), plus several tracks to be included on the next Alpha Omega album. The promo sheet notes this show will soon be available for free download from the band's web site, though at the time of writing they were not yet available.
The set opens with "Short Song", a thrashing metallic alien space punk tune. "The Rock" is similar and includes some killer jamming. Raw... thrashing.. with oodles of bubbling electronics... and completely spaced. This actually sounds a lot like the song "Private Hell" from the Electronic Mind Project album. "Blackhole Approaching" is a rocking version of the song from the last album. "Satellite Man" is a raw but dreamy rocker with elements of "Golden Void" styled Hawkwind and Pink Floyd. "The Pythia" is one of my favorite tracks of the set. Alpha Omega go DEEP into cosmic electronic space, doing a Harvey Bainbridge meets Klaus Schulze excursion, while guest Misbah does an intense female Sonic Attack styled monologue. Wow!! I wanna cast my vote to include Misbah on the new album! "The Pythia" transitions seamlessly into "Cymoril", an instrumental that is presumably about Elric's beloved.
The set winds down with the 3 track, 13 minute powerhouse "Eye Trilogy", which opens with a robotic sci fi monologue and a pure molten space buildup. The band quickly launch into the main theme, being a rousing metallic space rocker that would be right at home on the earliest Hawkwind albums. The guitars are tripped out, wah'd, bubbling, gurgling, the bass and drums are pounding, and the electronics are EVERYWHERE at once. We're in space jam heaven here folks. File this one under T.F.S.... Total Fucking SPACE ROCK!! I liked the Electronic Mind Project CD but this show demonstrates that these guys are in their element performing live. I can't wait for the new album to be released so I can hear this stuff recorded properly with better sound quality.
For more information you can visit the Alpha Omega web site at: http://www.novymir.com.au/alphaspace.
Email at: alphaomega@novymir.com.au.
Contact via snail mail c/o Alpha Omega; PO Box 818; Mt Ommaney; Qld 4074; Australia.
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz