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Penta - Funraiser (Auraquake / AQCD001) 2005-09
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pr0fane
Multiphase
Started Topics :
418
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3816
Posted : Sep 22, 2005 20:27
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I am not a big fan of the so-called "dark psy" wave, and I can't even say that I was very impressed by what I heard of Pentas set at VooV this summer, but there is something really good about this album - mostly it's the excellent use of voice-samples, but musically I also found it a lot more interesting than most of the "killlllaaaaaah" stuff I've heard.
The opening track is a refreshing mix of "dark psy" and progressive. Almost all progressive trance at the moment is extremely morning oriented, and "It Is Done" is maybe a taster of an upcoming wave of truly dark progressive trance like in the early days of Creamcrop etc - who knows? It's certainly a very nice track, relentless in attitude and with a lot of twists and turns to make it interesting.
Next highlight is "Past Holidays" - extremely twisted and disharmonic melodies, lots of funny and corny samples and a very surprising, yet hilarious solo by Homer Simpson. Last but not least I just love "Eater Of Worlds" - extremely haunting, twisted stormer of a track with an excellent, vicious sample from everybody's favourite clown, Pennywise (I guess you've all seen "It"  ) before it turns even more chaotic with some great, hi-tech riffs. Stunning track.
I didn't like everything on the disc, but overall I consider the quality really, really good compared to a lot of other releases on the market. I recommend giving it a try - even if you're normally not into "dark psy".
  DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane |
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DeathPosture
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Sep 23, 2005 00:11
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Penta - Funraiser
Cover: http://tinyurl.com/ck47b (front) + http://tinyurl.com/dnjr4 (back)
Artist: Penta (USA)
Title: Funraiser
Format: CD (jewel case)
Label: AuraQuake (USA)
Cat. #: AQCD001
Distribution: Arabesque
Date: 12 September 2005
Track listing:
01. 08’14” It Is Done
02. 07’29” Detonator
03. 07’25” Inverter
04. 08’50” Pigletango
05. 08’20” Past Holidays
06. 08’23” September
07. 08’38” Eater Of Worlds
08. 07’31” For The First Time
09. 07’51” Flash Forward
.m3u-playlist: http://tinyurl.com/d8aqt (all tracks!)
Review:
Tales from the crypt!
Russian-born, American-based producer Nikita Tselovalnikov is out with his second album on his newly established AuraQuake label… Another dedicated psy-trance label from San Fransisco… I dunno what the hell goes on in the Bay-area, but the scene is indeed thriving there – the two releases by Dropout Productions earlier this year are still fresh – and now this! Penta really, really impressed me with his debut album Pentafiles released on Spectral Concepts in 2003, and this one has been getting quite some hype… So here’s hoping for an action-packed ride in Pentaland…
Let me take you thru the tracks…
#01: It Is Done
“It is done!” Yikes – a spooky intro if there ever was one… Haunting, disturbing hissing – straight outta Elm Street… But fear not, this is Penta after all so it can’t be too depressing now can it? He does his best though, with a bleak atmosphere mixed up with sharp acid-stabs, spiralling synths and evil chords… Dark yes, evil maybe – but in the best possible way! The re-used Talamasca-samples are a bit over the top though – but the creepy, undecipherable voice-samples at the end make up for that… This reminds me of ancient Parvati-material like Droidsect or old Dark Soho… A very fine track indeed! =)
#02: Detonator
“Not entertaining enough… You’ll have to use the detonator! … Excellent explosion your majesty!” Now this is one demented, deranged track - complete with kitschy, old-school Commodore64 game sounds and some kind of pitched down siren or whatever the hell it is… The main melodic lead you’ll either love or hate... Personally I hate it; it really sucks beyond words… And that’s sad really, coz otherwise this is a good track… It has some really interesting ideas… I just can’t seem to get past that demented melody…
#03: Inverter
Well, the spooky hissing from track #1 is back – but at least the deranged melody from track #2 is gone… Sort of – its ugly cousin is here! Anyway, this is still a pretty nice track… Very forest-like and instantly shroom-friendly… Could have easily been a Schlabbaduerst or Ørebro composition… Cool! A very hectic and dreadfully crazy tune… Good, but not spectacular! Decent so to speak…
#04: Pigletango
“What are you talking about? I swear I don’t know what you’re talking about! … Tomorrow at midnight the light will leave the third planet and be backing home. Sorry you made the trip for nothing!” Oh yes, now we’re getting somewhere… Meet the meanest bassline this side of Alcatraz prison – fuck, it’s gargantuan in all it’s illicit, rawking simplicity… Driving, haunting, kicking up some dust – and what’s that weird morphing sound… A train passing by? Whatever the hell it is, it works wonders… This track is pure evil… Packed to the rim with dark, distorted pads and mean-ass kicks… Would mix well with oCeLoT, Kemic-Al and the likes… Brilliant track!
#05: Past Holidays
“And when the doctor said I didn’t have worms anymore that was the happiest day of my life!” We continue with another brand-spanking amazing track…The intro is packed with classic Ralph Wiggum quotes + added value psychedelia all over the place… A funny, oddball track reminiscent of Killer Buds, Phyx or Kemic-Al… So many fun little twists and turns… The Homer-solo + the climax will cause absolute havoc on the dancefloors! Oh, and not forgetting the excellent hats-off to a classic punk rock tune… Oh man – Dead Kennedy's classic track Holiday in Cambodia has immense nostalgic value to me… Reminds me of my carefree days working as a bartender in London… Skazi kinda ruined the fun in cover-versions, but it seems Penta has revived it… Coz this is so beautifully executed! Stellar track!
#06: September
“I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti!” Another gruesome, gruelling intro – taken straight out of some horror-movie! As the track progresses we’re exposed to a lethal dose of acid-driven, high-power, nightly psytrance… With a murky old bassline to beat the shit out of your speakers! The Hannibal Lecter quote fits in perfectly in this grotesque track… Reminds me of Psyfactor! Spooky shit – very good spooky shit!
#07: Eater Of Worlds
“I am the eater of worlds – and of children! And you are next!! … Next on sci-fi!” … Yeah, again we’re in multi-quote land… This track is the missing link between Pennywise and The Sci-fi Channel! But first a very subtle intro… Spooky for all the wrong reasons… That naïve melody is scary as hell! But eventually the track comes into full effect – in all its staccato glory! Experimental for sure, with a sick take on darkpsy as a whole… I’m not too happy with the deranged, high-pitched melodies… They annoy me for a good portion of the track – and that pisses me off, coz again the rest of the track is pretty damn cool… But those demented melodies – they get inside my head… Aaaaargh!
#08: For The First Time
Woow – what an absolutely stomping intro! And I mean that literally! What an impressive work on the drum programming… Stomp motherfuckers! So yeah, this is an incredibly fast-paced, bouncy track… That sampled clockwork is just plain haunting and those nifty little acid-bits rocks! The pitched-up voice-sample is funny and I really like the over all oddball theme in this track… Loads of quotes from the sitcom The Nanny… Good stuff! Good track!
#09: Flash Forward
Sadly we’ve come to the last track… The intro here isn’t as cool as the rest on the album – and that’s a shame! The track itself is good though – a raging, electro-static, full-power dance track… Hectic, multilayered and dark… Save the whales! The chanting is downright creepy – and helps give this track edge… I like it! A fine way to end a remarkable album!
A remarkable album for sure! Oh yes, this was one hell of a ride… There are a couple of tracks that are ruined by some severely retarded melodies, but I hear that people flip out to those too… They are just not my cup of java! But enough with the bad sides, this album has an influx of good sides… I mean, just listen to the sheer magnitude of these tracks – so rich, so full of flavour, so funny, so fucking great… The mastering by Son Kite is also flawless and leaves little to be desired! Also the seemingly-boring artwork has a few secrets to be revealed… I like it! ;o)
This is without a doubt one of the best albums in the darkpsy segment this year – right up there with Kemic-Al’s Twisted Parameters, Para Halu’s The World Of Peace and Psyfactor’s Evil Inside… I’m not sure if this is as good as Pentafiles – but it’s equally good – a tie really! So yeah, fans of Penta and twisted, trippy, oddball darkish psy-trance should definitely check this album out! It’s pretty fucking good! Enjoy!
Favourites: 1, 4(!), 5(!!), 6, 8
DeathPosture
External links:
Penta: http://www.pentafiles.com
Aura Quake: http://www.auraquake.com
TranceShop: http://tinyurl.com/b8mb2
Saiko Sounds: http://tinyurl.com/9r8ll
Beatspace: http://tinyurl.com/a8s35
Discobole: http://tinyurl.com/9gajx
Wirikuta : http://tinyurl.com/8pk7q
Psyshop: http://tinyurl.com/anehm
Wakyo: http://tinyurl.com/auo8e
Chaos: http://tinyurl.com/9cm74
Ajuca: http://tinyurl.com/ar2tz
Juno: http://tinyurl.com/cfq9o
On really romantic evenings of self, I go salsa dancing with my confusion... |
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FrodOhm
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
32
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1018
Posted : Sep 23, 2005 14:54
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Delightful review!!!
I Couldnt agree more!!! 
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..::PsySacred::..
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
21
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194
Posted : Sep 23, 2005 16:09
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very nice sound ..actually I am not fan of dark sound but this album really impressed me ..Thanks for this masterpeice work & keep on working Nikkita |
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Bloodclot
Bloodclot
Started Topics :
93
Posts :
2190
Posted : Sep 24, 2005 12:43
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Crazy Album.. nice psychedelic tunes to expect from this one !
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Rain
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
107
Posted : Sep 25, 2005 02:09
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totally not what i expected...
this is dark psychedelic trance but not intelligent at all... everything doesn't fit right...
it's just psychedelic sounds up and down but no concept of soul...
don't like it sorry .... |
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Memory Loss
IsraTrance Full Member
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103
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1502
Posted : Sep 25, 2005 14:14
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What a rocking album!! Huge prudoction level of sound!! great work on the sound Nikita!!
Favorite moments :
Pigletango
Eater Of Worlds
September
Past Holidays
I just love the homer simpson sample on Past Holidays.Made me laguh alot  .
Keep the good work Nikita!!
Skate 0R Die |
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terrorist
Started Topics :
2
Posts :
172
Posted : Sep 25, 2005 14:37
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had a listen to this
ok but didnt blow me away kinda like penta files
feels like something is missing
or maybe it is just me
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Wizack Twizack
Wizack Twizack
Started Topics :
239
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3486
Posted : Sep 25, 2005 18:14
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Saylum
IsraTrance Full Member
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678
Posted : Sep 25, 2005 19:07
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terrorist, its just you... Every time I listen to this album it hits me like a break wall all over again =)
Respect & Boom!
Peace & Love!
´·´*¨ ¯ ¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯ ¯ ¯¯
¸.·´* "Love.. Patiance.. Understanding.." / Trust In Trance" |
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mikeonacid
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
78
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1703
Posted : Sep 25, 2005 20:11
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I just got the cd, nice atmospheres and twisted sounds... is penta, u can tell
my favorite from the cd is #5 
boom
http://www.noizeconspiracy.com
Combat - New Generation
VA - Greekedelia
VA - Endangered Species
Psychotic Micro - Edge of Sanity
VA - League of Shadows
Delysid - Noize Infection
VA - Twilight Vision soon... |
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dtmoney
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
13
Posts :
261
Posted : Sep 26, 2005 04:18
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Revolutionary Dark Psytrance!
September still turns my head. I hope cuz it's the month of september, LOL. |
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Syntax442
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
350
Posted : Sep 26, 2005 05:05
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One of the best releases this year.
Nikita didn't dissapoint me! BoOM Nikita! |
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PSYTOUR-night oracle recs
Psytour
Started Topics :
14
Posts :
802
Posted : Sep 26, 2005 10:27
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penta always had a uniques sound!! one more time he did his best. generaly a great cd that can make u dance nonstop!!!
favorite tracks: detonator,eater of worlds
*Night Oracle Records
www.night-oracle-records.com
*Vertigo Records/Indigo Recs
*Femina Mandragora/Rhakti Dei |
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electric stimulation
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
246
Posted : Sep 26, 2005 16:22
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booom to Nikita for this one !!!
All the best man , the album roxx
hardly n twisted
keep it up !!
September n Past Holidays my trax ----
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