The Geometry of Soul is not a three-way split CD, but a genuine collaboration between two Israeli dark ambient artists and the American harsh noise powerhouse Bastard Noise, here consisting solely of Eric Wood. On paper, it is not an obvious match. The doom-laden walls of noises and screams common to Bastard Noise don't express the same apocalyptic vision as the sinister and highly emotive drones of Vadim Gusis (aka Chaos as Shelter) and Igor Krutogolov. But the three of them managed to work things out. Wood ends up putting more water in his wine, his flurries of harsh noise being confined to specific moments on the album and almost always integrated to the Israelis' musical concept -- a litany for the dead, full of plaintive ghostly voices, melancholy violin, and ethereal drones lingering over the war field in the aftermath of the battle. Point of No Return greets you Bastard style, overamplified electrical hums announcing the massacre to come. But instead, the harsh noise beasts expected to be unleashed are controlled by vaguely Gregorian chants. Rectangle is Wood's feature spot, dirty, wild, and challenging (but he sticks to electronics, no discernible screams in the course of this album). Triangle is a middle point, both harsh and quiet, and features the rants of a pop preacher (so the triangle becomes the Trinity, a symbol for this three-way collaboration perhaps?). Line is dominated by sine waves, joined once again by chants from beyond the grave. Point begins with a resurgence of harsh noise, eventually tamed and turned into a delicate finale reminiscent of Bastard Noise's surprising live piece Skull Wave. The Geometry of Soul is not as gripping as Ingathering of Exiles, Krutogolov and Gusis' collaboration with Tidal -- one of the best drone/noise albums of 2003 -- but it is a convincing effort, definitely worth repeated listens. ~ François Couture, Rovi

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