Chromium Hawk Machine -Annunak (2017)

by | Nov 5, 2021 | Reviews

2 CD Set from ‘Black Widow’  CD1 – 47:30       CD2- 59:01

UK Band (2017)

www.BlackWidow Records

www.facebook.com/BlackWidowRecordsItaly/

Rating 70/100

For hard-core fans of “Hawkwind”  this two-CD space rock extravaganza. A kind muddled sling it together collaboration between three like-minded cosmic stylized musicians. An album set you might just purchase for the name credit alone. For some, it would almost certainly be like having your Christmas, birthday and winning the lottery all on the same day. But for me, the whole affair is a complete cacophony of different noises. a real proverbial mish-mash of spaced out musical segments which are propelled at you from all angles. At times the resultant combination of these sound fragments can be compared to the warming up of a body of musicians in the orchestra pit before a concert. The consequential combination of sounds then sweeping over you in the shape of discordant guitar mixed together with strangely distorted vocals, conflicting keyboards, splashes of electronic murmurings with a multitude of saxophone splurges and then fusing it all together in a surprisingly well ordered series of percussive routines.  All of this musical rag-bag then being delivered to your brain in disorderly forms to hopefully delight you, in your passion for out of space musical adventures, or maybe, as for me,  disappoint you with its lack of melodic drive which was the case for me as I sat back and listened intently to the various tracks. I found that the resultant music over the two CDs did not have the same melodic fluidity. clarity or drive as any “Hawkwind” productions and is certainly not as accessible.  I have to admit that it does embroil a certain repetitive charm to pull you into deep trance mode as you sail away off into too far off galaxies. For hardcore fans of this kind of more outlandish cosmic rock, it is sure to be an attractive proposition to purchase but I think there are too many periods of nothingness due to overlong passages of disjointed play during when there is a distinct lack of any subtle advancements in the musical structure.   Another point of concern is that the quality of the overall sound, especially on CD One, which is quite muffled and poor, and oh! Yes I did clean the heads on my CD player!

Summary: A delightfully packaged product but only for over the top die-hard and totally hardcore spin-off  “Hawkwind” fans.

Cover Art: A superb CD insert with beautiful and interesting coloured photos.

Tracklist:

CD1

  1. Cosmic Explosion (15:06)
  2. Time And Terraforming (8:51)
  3. Annunaki Come (6:41)
  4. Buttercups And Poppeyfields (4:53)
  5. Another System (He Adam Is Born) (11:46)

CD2

  1. Crying Moon, Dying Sun (32:26)
  2. They’re Buying Time (6:28)
  3. My Fuzzy Fantasy (19:59)

Line-up:
Nik Turner (Hawkwind) – vocals, flutes, saxophones
Helios Creed (Nik Turner, Chrome) – vocals, guitars, bass
Jay Tausig (D’Arcana) – drums, synthesizers, bass