Z-Axis ~ USA ~ Atlanta, Georgia

Concatenations (2006)

In a total coincidence, this album was randomly chosen immediately after Gigur. Though I initially received it a few months later after my self-imposed musical exile. Meaning I do have a review for this one! And here it is:

---10/30/06

Z-Axis are a space rock, post-rock group from the Atlanta area, who pull out a few surprising twists and turns on Concatenations, their long awaited follow up album to their 2000 debut. Influences range from Ozric Tentacles to Tortoise to classic Krautrock and everything in between (and, well, beyond too). Opening with 'Out of Hand', a straight ahead guitar based groove rocker, with mellotron and other electronics floating on top, and crazed narration in the "Dawn of Brainticket" mode. Though, in this case, we get some good old fashioned southern preaching on the evils of sexual flirtation, verse the LSD soaked paranoia schizophrenia of Switzerland’s finest. Yea, a cool opening is right! The lively Whitewater follows with a catchy guitar melody and laid back mid-section with spacious keys. Next up is the nine minute triptych 'Too Clever By Half', and like all good multi-part lengthy tracks, mixes quiet meditative sections with high energy guitar-centered rave ups. 'The Grey Neighbors' and the continuation on 'Dry Land' are a personal favorite, due to the trance inducing nature of the percussion, mellotron, and acoustic guitar combined with a synthesized harmonium sound. They're almost in The Spacious Mind territory with this block of tunes! 'She Had to Go Live With the Lizards' returns to the female narration idea with a great fuzz solo, and odd Fish like vocals, which somehow fits here. 'Put Out the Cat' has a 1980s retro-wave urgency to it (who remembers Mason + Fenn's Profiles?) and is probably the most pure post-rock track on the album. Majestic, piano driven 'Columbia Dam' closes in grand fashion with featured guest flute (she should be a full time member!) and recalls Tangerine Dream around the Force Majeure album. I’m not one to do track by track reviews (and I did skip writing about a couple), but Z-Axis have no one particular style and run across a lot of familiar territory. The aggregate, though, is entirely unique. You know, the sum and parts and like that… A good album.

---5/27/25

And that was my last listen. I didn't even realize I owned it until I found it buried in my cd-r books (i.e. long forgotten). The album never received a release in a more stable physical format. This was to be their last album as it turns out and I still haven't heard their 2000 debut. I suspect the mellotron is sampled as it sounds too smooth to be real. I checked the Planet Mellotron site but he didn't have it listed. In any case my review above is detailed, and I hear it similar today. Worth keeping.

Ownership: 2006 Gnosis (cd-r)

10/30/06 (acquired / review); 5/27/25 (update / new entry)

Canvas Solaris ~ USA ~ Georgia

Spatial / Design (2003)

Spatial / Design is the debut for Canvas Solaris and also my introduction to the band. The type of hyper complex yet messy thrash that Canvas Solaris were peddling in, had mostly stopped a decade prior. It was a welcome reprieve to the onslaught of the same old power and prog metal albums saturating the shelves during that era. Not only is this complicated but there are no vocals either, so the music has to carry the weight. Similar to Spastic Ink in that way. But whereas the latter was too much guitar soloing, Canvas Solaris manages to keep it grounded with the almighty riff and they even throw in a melody or two. Admittedly there's nothing that memorable here, yet it still remains highly satisfying on two straight listens. I think the EP format is perfect for music such as this. 26 minutes of tech thrash is like a triple album's worth of classic rock. I continued with the group and own two more of their albums, which I certainly need to revisit. I recall those being more professional perhaps to their detriment.

Ownership: 2003 Tribunal (CD). Acquired in 2004.

2004; 9/1/24 (review)

Also own: Sublimation; The Atomized Dream; Chromosphere; Irradiance

9/1/24 (new entry)

Volare - Memoirs. 1996 USA-Georgia (archival)

For some reason I had this as a -1 to The Uncertainty Principle, but in retrospect it's very similar. A bit more raw,  but that only adds to the allure. Funny to see a band have an album called Memoirs with only one album to their credit. These recordings come from a cassette release recorded in 1996 + a couple of live spots. I'm not finding existence of this cassette, though not sure if it was ever released for public consumption until this CD. OK, one of our readers owns it - and has provided photos!

Ownership: CD: 1999 Pleasant Green. Nice archival release with detailed liner notes. Purchased new online upon release.

Skydog - Just Want to Make You Happy. 1974 USA-Georgia

Skydog were a band from the Atlanta area, and their sole album is a serious collector's rarity, custom pressed for family and friends. The music could be summarized as long form jamming, with plenty of compositional and tonal shifts, giving it a mild progressive rock flavor. Being from the south, Skydog naturally will draw comparisons to The Allman Brothers, and that's not entirely off the mark, especially when one considers the Allman's jazz background. However Skydog really do not have "southern tendencies", that is to say there are no country or folk influences here. Mostly the album falls in the hard rock category, with a blues base, something akin to South Carolina's J Teal Band. The production leaves much to be desired, but fortunately what does come through loud and clear is the awesome lead guitar, who solos wildly over the frantic rhythm guitar and superb drumming. The vocals are of the early 70s American soulful bluesy variety, giving off a whiff of lounge music, though the music is far different. Highlights include the opener 'Luck in Your Life' and the superb 'Ali Sahd', which despite its name, does not have a Middle Eastern feel. A very fine discovery for fans of arcane American hard rock.

Personal collection
CD: 2001 Red Lounge (Germany)

Germany is an odd place for this CD to be reissued (especially from a relatively unknown label), but it's definitely 100% legit. Comes in a wonderful hard bound 3 part digi-book with new artwork. There are full liners from the leader of the group. The band is clearly denoted as Skydog in these liners, though the original LP has it as Sky-Dog throughout. Apparently the CD has "cleaned" up the sound, which tells me the original LP must be really quite bad. The generic cover gives the game away on its custom provenance. Originals are incredibly scarce.  There are 4 bonus tracks on the CD, which are in worse condition than the album itself, but still listenable and worthy of bonus track status.