Preview
Vibravoid – Minddrugs (CD)
Scheduled for release 6th May 2011 (Germany), 15th April (rest of Europe)
On Sulatron Records
Wikepedia says that a psychedelic substance is a psychoactive drug whose primary action is to alter cognition and perception. Psychedelics are part of a wider class of psychoactive drugs known as hallucinogens. Unlike other drugs, psychedelics tend to affect and explore the mind in ways that result in the experience being qualitatively different from those of ordinary consciousness. The psychedelic experience is often compared to non-ordinary forms of consciousness such as trance, meditation, yoga and dreaming.
Minddrugs is the new album of Vibravoid. They call themselves Europe’s Number One Psychedelic and Acid Rock Band. Formed back in 1996, 15 years later they have released on each possible format (LP, CD, 7”, DVD) at least 20 different titles. If I’m counting right this is their 21st release coming on Spacehead's Sula Bassana Sulatron Records label.
Dr. Koch confided to me that he is very proud of this record and kind of worried about people’s reaction. Minddrugs consists of just 6 titles (5 original and 1 cover) coming near to 53 minutes. The music here proves that Dr. Koch is the absolute modern psych master! Heavy-psych-punk-Acidelic-Mindblowing music, sometimes hypnotic, sometimes Kozmic, driving the Amps to the maximum power. Paradoxically, the vocals work out very well. This album is so mature… so complex… but simultaneously so simple! There’s only one way to describe this. A quadraphonic, dense, layered and reverberant sound. A Wall of Sound! Just like Phil Spector… who in order to achieve his wall of sound, gathered in the studio large groups of musicians…. Same goes with Dr. Koch. In order to achieve Vibravoid’s Psych Wall of Sound, he gathers in the studio various percussion, Vox Phantom 6 & 12 string guitars, Vox Super Continental, Vox Phantom bass, Mellotron, Stylophone, Theremin… Vibravoid’s Wall of Sound! This is how the Future will sound like!
The album takes off with “Seefeel”, a 3:19 min psychedelic Pop Bubble-Gum anthem with lyrically beautiful vocals. I think someone is in Love here. Next comes “What You Want” (12:10 min). The intro is a usual Vibravoid intro with lots of spacey-weird-fuzzy effects, the whole song built on a steady beat. The sound is really hard knocking with a background full of distortion guitar effects while the lyrics are in a social-political vein. Theremin takes the lead role to “Do It Alright”, with the beat reducing speed and the Wall of Sound getting Higher. Too bad that this one lasts only 4:16 min. You have already blown your mind, so right now, it’s Time to Get Up and Dance! “You Keep On Falling” is extended to 8:50min (2:30 more min that the 7” single version). A psych-a-dance Orgy, with a repeatable Kozmic beat and a high peak towards the end, there’s no way to stop your body from moving to the sounds of the Doctor! Next one is “Lost Intensity”, a 2:53min instrumental with out-of-this-world spacey effects and a really sacramental atmosphere that acts like a prelude to the last song of Minddrugs, Vibravoid’s version of the Masters Pink Floyd’s “Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun”. I know it may be sacrilege, but I can only liken this version to the One that the Masters did on Pompeii! Those who have experienced Vibravoid on stage know what I’m talking about. 22 min and 42 sec of pure magical psychedelic music! Wait a minute! This is not Pompeii. I’m in the basement of 31 Tottenham Court Road, the UFO club! It’s April, 1967! Wow! I’ve never seen such colors before…..Man, I think I’m stoned! This version makes you feel “high” without even taking any substances! Tonight, Let’s All Make Love in Dusseldorf!
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