Richard D. James, you are one sick puppy.

I am so thankful to my friend who introduced me to Richard D. James' work. This album is of the highest level of intelligent and thoughtful composition that I have experienced. Further, it offers a wide variety of experiences with its broad palette of emotions and moods. Personally my favorite track has to be "Mt Saint Michel + Saint Michaels Mount." "Mt Saint Michel" is an intense piece throughout, but in the last minute and a half, took me to a space I had never before experienced. Please listen to this part as loud as your system (or your ears) can handle and close your eyes if possible. It causes one's grip on whatever his or her current experience is to weaken to the point of feeling like he or she is mentally adrift and unable to gain solidarity. I still want to listen to the album on two different systems, one next to the other, with one playing tracks 1-15 and the other playing tracks 16-30, starting both at the same time and allowing both to completely play out. I heard that it is a very cohesive and moving match up. If it does work, it is a further testament to the masterful craftsmanship of Richard D. James. However, even if it doesn't match up as speculated, this album is, from point a to point b, so much a feat of musical ingenuity that any further musical architecture and interplay is honestly unnecessary (though I would be happy to accept it, were it so haha).

I would like to keep this review short, but I do believe that this album flows extremely well. You should listen to both discs in a single session. I have all of Richard D. James's albums, and I believe that this is his most honest work to date. It is beautiful, horrifying, it almost represents life in itself. My favorite track on this album is without a doubt Vordhosbn though. Absolute genius. Give this album a try.