Search - Attrition :: Dante S Kitchen

Review from studiomlive.com by Joe del Tufo

Martin Bowes | 08/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Electronic music pioneers Attrition have broken their four-year silence with the release of the sinister Dante's Kitchen. They have never fully been appreciated, as their music is difficult to neatly categorize. It combines elements of electronic, gothic, industrial, avant garde and classical- all arriving as a concentrated but seamless energy. An Attrition song has always been a dense, impressive wonder of overlapping vocals and samples, supported by electronic rhythms and atmospherics. No new ground has been broken with Dante's Kitchen, and in fact it is something of a throwback to their Hidden Agenda era, having recently done stints with modern classical and heavier electronic releases. Dante's Kitchen is as much goth/ industrial as it is dance/ electronic, and serves to put the band back on the map on the late-night goth club dance floors. The range on the disc is notable, drifting from near classical/ atmospheric ponderings of Two Gods, brooding dub/ sample-heavy selections like The Ladder, through the denser club-worthy tracks as The Head Of Gabriel.



Bowes' voice has always been distinctive and that character is in full form here- his deep, emotionless delivery renders a chilling effect across most of his lines. It is the concurrence of Bowes' rich drawl and Julia Waller's soaring, almost violin-like vocals that have long been the trademark of an Attrition track. Recursive and densely rhymed lyrics create tight rhythms on Dante's Kitchen. On the title track we find verses like "Sometimes I'm blind/ And my hands are so tied/ To the walls that I climb/ In my kitchen tonight." This track also introduces the use of film samples which are effectively placed within the track and add to its complexity.



One of the discs real highlights is the snearing, thundering The Head Of Gabriel. Sounding instrumentally like a death march, Bowes' deep, hushed lines arrive like pure evil just below Waller's achingly operatic vocals. "Bring me your acolytes/ Pre-madonna sybarites/ I sacked the shamanite/ Give me Gabriel's head." The track contains a nice mix of what is best about the band- infectious rhythms, unforgettable vocals, and an unmistakable sense of dread. Attrition's unique chemistry is stamped throughout the disc, and gives it almost the essence of a compilation. On the daunting Dreamcatcher, Bowes appears to be lurking in the shadows, his voice rising and falling around the synth bass as he mouths "Dreamcatcher/ Childminder/ Bodysnatcher/ Witchfinder" between Waller's wailing and the pithy samples. I'm not sure what he's trying to say here, but it's impossible not to get the point.



It is always refreshing to hear a new Attrition disc, and this time particularly so. Dante's Kitchen is certainly their best release in a decade, and one that will hopefully find them getting more of the attention the quality of their craft deserves. Very highly recommended for fans of either genre, or people looking for unique and challenging music played by extremely talented individuals.



"

Possibly the best Attrition yet

Yumi | LA CA USA | 01/31/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great dark brocade shroud of ambience. Martin Bowes chooses well. He chooses his words well and was very smart to pick Julia Waller to sing in his music. She is positively a finely tuned instrument..so much voice coming out of such a small frame. He also chooses his strings well.(first Franck Dematteis and now Rafael) I highly recommend this cd.

"

Attrition's most interesting

thismortalcoil | 12/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Attrition is the type of band that gets better with every release, without getting boring. It's a real shame that they don't get the recognition they deserve. Dante's Kitchen shows how good they have gotten. A lot of the elements that attrition are known for are here: Martin's low, growling voice, Julia's fine, operatic wailing, and their use of the violin to add the the music's depth. The best song on here, in my opinion, is The Head of Gabriel. However, with 10 tracks, there are really no bad songs on here. I definitely recommend that you get this CD, or 3 Arms and a Dead Cert. They are Attrition's best works. I just wish this album was a bit longer!"