Artist: Aziola Cry Album: Ghost Conversations Label: Translation Music LLC Website: http://www.aziolacry.com Reviewer: Bill Knispel

Track List: 1 Ghost Conversation I 2 Ghost Conversation II 3 Ghost Conversation III Way back in October 2006 I reviewed Aziola Cry’s debut release, Ellipsis. I concluded my review with this: I can’t rave enough about this album. It’s not going to be for everyone; I think Ellipsis is the kind of album that will have fans of melodic progressive music scratching their heads wondering what the point was. Fans of the aforementioned influences (Tool, King Crimson, etc.), as well as fans of groups like Gordian Knot, will find this to be an addictive, enjoyable album. 8 months on (give or take), I’m pleased to get a chance to review their second release, an EP entitled Ghost Conversations. An all too brief listening experience at just over 23 minutes, the three wholly instrumental tracks on Ghost Conversations have distilled the band’s musical abilities and styles to their purest state. “Ghost Conversation I” opens the album ominously, with eerie, dark soundscapes acting like synthesizer foundations. Brief stabs of guitar or higher pitched Stick playing break the quiet, funereal mood slightly before brushed cymbals herald the imminent entry of the full band. The song suddenly takes on a dirgey, industrial metal feel, not unlike the 2003 King Crimson performing a twisted rendition of their 1984 track “Larks Tongues in Aspic III.” Jason Blake’s Stick pulses, Mike Milaniak’s guitar keens, and Tim Stickradt’s drums hold the proceedings together with laser precision. The band’s metal leanings just as quickly drop from the mix, more soundscapes and chimes adding deceptive levity to the mix. The listener lulled by the soundscapes leading out of the EP’s opening track will be startled into a more awake state by the sudden burst that is “Ghost Conversation II.” A rockier piece by far, Milaniak’s guitar soars like some ancient bird of prey over the shifting rhythmic sands. Moments remind of classic, early King Diamond musically, with clean picked guitar and sustained melodic lines over scattershot drumming. Aziola Cry’s industrial roots show in a heavy middle section, near blast beat drumming and a thick powerful mix pushing the band into incredibly heavy arenas. The EP closes with “Ghost Conversation III,” perhaps the most straightforward and heaviest composition on the release. Even here, straightforward may be a misnomer, as there’s little traditional or typical in the song’s arrangement, with walking bass lines and MIDI-processed guitar (or Stick) “piano” adding a very cool feel and interesting sonic seasonings to the mix. It’s a heavy and textured piece that closes out the release powerfully. Drawing again from my review of their previous album, I said this about the packaging/cover art: Additionally, the album’s artwork is fitting and evocative. Created by graphic artist Micka Klauk (additional examples of her art are available on the official Aziola Cry website), the moody chiaroscuro art helps to create a feeling of despair and mood well suited for the music held within. Replace chiaroscuro with sepia-toned, and the statement retains its truthfulness. The cover art is eerie, with slightly faded lettering on the cover adding an otherworldly, ghost-like feel. In a time where it often feels that cover art is the least worried about, least focused on portion of an artist’s package (unless that cover art is meant to highlight a performer’s...ahem...assets), it’s pleasing to see a band like Aziola Cry issuing a package that is complete both inside and out. Ghost Conversations is all too short with a length just over 23 minutes. It is a listening experience that will leave you breathless and exhilarated...and potentially afraid to see what lurks around the corner. Band Members: Jason Blake – Grand Stick and Stick Bass Mike Milaniak – Electric and Acoustic Guitars Tim Stickradt - Drums