Cometary Orbital Drive

Cometary Orbital Drive is an album by Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O., released in 2008 by Bam Balam.Records Vinyl LP version is titled Episodes Of Cometary Orbital Drive and contain different mix, but does not contain the entire album. Released by Bam Balam.Records, a French label from Bordeaux, Cometary Oribtal Drive is nothing but a long suite based on a six-notes sequence. Behind the out-dated cover, you will find a booklet which explains that the riff has some magical power : it could be an opened door to the deepest part of your mind but it also could have been used in the ancient times for ceremonial and ritual things. You can laugh when you read such an esoteric promise, but when you listen to these wonderful seventy minutes, your mockery will changed into a real and big admiration. The first movement is called Light My Fire Ball and it seems like a groovy, modern vision of the electro-acoustic transgressions made by Can in Augmn and Peking O, on the Tago Mago LP. The atmosphere propels you into a mystic temple. The voodoo incantations by Atsushi remind the Damo Suzuki's wild voice. Planet Billions Of Light-Years Away reveals the theme of the six powerful notes (A-E-D-A-G-Db). Firstly calm and laidback, then energic and fast, it is more and more powerful and nervous. The sound is great, part flood in space guitars, part hooked by the catchy rhythms. But Circular System 7777777, the third movement of this symphony for heavenly riff, is completely new for Acid Mothers Temple. It is a kind of psychedelic dance song, with old-fashioned drum machine but so groovy, with reversed cymbals and sexy psychedelic breaks. The last chapter of Cometary Orbital Drive, called Milky Way Star, is a masterpiece. The song is a kind of musical illustration of the hyper-space, an intersideral rock trip. The tempo is panting, Makoto's soli are more beautiful than ever. The listening is shivering. We really can say these thirteen minutes are equal to the a side of the first Ash Ra Tempel record. The booklet did not lie, these six-repeated-over-and-over-notes give bright and powerful sensations, with a krautrock purity that will make you dance to touch the stars. Maybe the best Acid Mothers Temple's album since Mantra Of Love, by Alien 8 Recordings. In any case, Cometary Orbital Drive is one these essential records from the Soul Collective, one of those which mix with talent great stellar riff, real groove, inspired experimentations and absolute cosmos.

Track listing

CD

Episodes Of Cometary Orbital Drive LP

Personnel

Credits, as stated on the liner notes:

• Tsuyama Atsushi - bass, voice, cosmic joker
• Higashi Hiroshi - synth, guitar, voice, dancin' king
• Shimura Koji - drums, Latino cool
• Kawabata Makoto - guitar, voice, speed guru.

Technical Personnel

• Kawabata Makoto - production & engineering
• Yoshida Tatsuya - digital mastering
• Niko Potocnjak - art work

References