Righty apparently Kaula is a type of Hindu tantrism and the Avadhuta Gita is a classic text of Vedanta representing extreme Advaita or Nondualism. It is ascribed to Dattatreya, who is looked upon as an Incarnation of God. This debut album which appears to be seven tracks named as per the album title actually comes from an Italian band describing it as “less an actual album than a spiritual quest.” As I said righty! Well I am at the time of writing blessed with a hangover and as godless as could possibly be, I should hasten to add the hangover is not something present at all times but the godlessness is much deeper rooted. If you are of similar persuasion the concept behind all this probably goes completely over your head and it may even go as far as to sound like a load of pretentious claptrap. I do not want to deride the vision of “philosopher, composer and sound multi-media artist” Pietro Riparbelli and his quest to hone an album lyrically based on an ancient text but an album with themes about “attaining a spiritual state equivalent to the existence of God,” are a bit too beyond an understanding that I have little interest in.
As for the music itself it is equally baffling and very difficult to categorise as it takes on many different forms. I thought this was going to be an exercise in sub drone and indeed it starts thus until beastly rasping vocals come in. There are two vocalists attributed to both Pietro and female singer Rosy who like the other two band members come from a death metal group called Profanal. It is Rosy I am hearing here as Pietro only supplies occasional distorted voice. I have to admit I really do not like her vocals; they set me on edge, which is probably their purpose as the music builds behind their ever louder roar. Things die into sinister whispers and ambience before the bass fuzz builds. I can imagine this working quite well with a stronger singer behind it, Jarboe perhaps but for me the vocals here are a real stumbling block. Musically it keeps things constant and changing with long jagged and looping guitars and heavy bass giving things a more structured feel as we progress. There is an overriding doom laden feel to it all; this is not cheerful or upbeat in the slightest. It’s ugly blackened sluggish thrash that sees us into the third part and by now I have to admit I have had enough of the vocals and indeed the album as it is quite a painful listen (and that is without any hangover as it has had several spins).
Still this is not an album that I want to beat me and I feel although it is not particularly to my liking I could be missing something here and to others this could be the best thing they have heard all year. The mix of styles takes in everything from black tinged metal to funeral massed doom and ambience, field recordings, radio signals, organs and medianic chants and it should have me nearing nirvana but the ugliness of the vocals and lack of cohesion simply does the opposite. For once I break my codex and go looking for other reviews to see what others are saying but apart from one in German I seem to have hit a brick wall. Still if you fancy some higher learning and like a challenge you are just one step from enlightenment at the link below.
http://www.myspace.com/kaula7
Pete Woods
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