“Psychomagia” is the new album by the fabulous quartet of Abraxas, the follow up of the 2012’s “Abraxas: Book of Angels Volume 19”, the debut album by led by Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz performing compositions from John Zorn’s second Masada book, “The Book of Angels”.
Now they perform a complex new suite of music written expressly for them by Downtown alchemist John Zorn in the same vivid manner of tribal rock. Drawing inspiration from the magical writings of Giordano Bruno, Alejandro Jodorowski and others, Zorn has written a bold collection of compositions that challenging the musicians and exploring the limits.
This new volume in Zorn’s mystic series matches the intensity and power of Moonchild, PainKiller and Naked City. Fans will devour it, but also those who are sometimes scared away bt Zorn’s abstract (astral?) journeys, may try and enjoy “Psychomagia”.
Abraxas was a word of mystic meaning in the system of the Gnostic Basilides, being there applied to the “Great Archon” (Gk., megas archōn), the princeps of the 365 spheres (Gk., ouranoi). The seven letters spelling its name may represent each of the seven classic planets—Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
The word is found in Gnostic texts such as the Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit, and also appears in the Greek Magical Papyri. It was engraved on certain antique gemstones, called on that account Abraxas stones, which were used as amulets or charms. As the initial spelling on stones was ‘Abrasax’ (Αβρασαξ), the spelling of ‘Abraxas’ seen today probably originates in the confusion made between the Greek letters Sigma and Xi in the Latin transliteration. The word also may be related to Abracadabra.
And the music it’s simply delicious! Or psychomagic. It’s really groovy and dynamic throughout and mixing some mystic-minimalist moments with the most intense, explosive ritualistic-tribal rock raging. But everything flow smoothly, there is no collision, everything make perfect sense, even the most violent eruption of noises. It’s simply beautiful and just can’t get enough of it.
Tracklist:
01 – Metapsychomagia 07:31
02 – Sacred Emblems 03:02
03 – Circe 06:02
04 – Squaring the Circle 05:51
05 – Celestrial Mechanism 02:32
06 – Evocation of the Triumphent Beast 06:24
07 – Four Rivers 03:54
08 – The Nameless God 04:35
09 – Anima Mundi 04:14
Duration: 44:05
Personnel:
Aram Bajakian: Guitar
Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz: Bass
Eyal Maoz: Guitar
Kenny Grohowski: Drums
Recording date: December 2, 2013 — December 3, 2013
Recorded at Orange Music and mixed by Bill Laswell.
Record Label: Tzadik
Buy it or steal it, mandatory!!
