Ushering in the ninth full-length proper, the air is damp and melancholic. An acoustic guitar scrapes through the gloom. That characteristic voice contemplates gently. Periodic gongs splash and percussive palms pick up the pace. Pacing is key. This is the gateway. It’s truly remarkable how a solitary soul can tap into the universal whole and another reality pours forth. Enter the mystical “God of One” whose presence is both bigger and a little swifter. A stronger drum pattern underlines the urge to proceed. With deep bass rhythms, graceful lead guitar, spacious sitar and angelic synths, the celestial climb continues ever upwards. “The Guiding Light” illuminates the way. Shimmering with acoustic hues, the shift in vocal tone soothes. Breathe out. The mellow lead a glimpse of sensory bliss to come. Then the ritual drums of “Levitation” rumble and echo, confirming that the ceremony is now in full swing. But the height of this vast temple hall is barely fathomable even with the burning torches that flank the walls. The energy is infectious. More compelling than the light. The trance deep. The swaying body, your own, as the spirit soars to the peak…
Grounded by a “Utopian Seed” all is calm. Welcome waves come. Soothing. Caressing. They wash. They nourish. The spell fades. The shell gives way. The “Ancient Path” resonates as strings ring out. Sitar and voice sing in unison. The way is clear. The sand warm and soft. “Beyond the Horizon” the plucking continues. The staccato strokes inspire a brief march to the journey’s end. Here the cyclic strings scrape at buried memories. Melodious keys set to a spritely step. “Celestial Forms” have willed you home. The air is fresh. Contentment reigns.