ALBUM REVIEW: Gematria II: The Spindle Of Necessity – Gematria

GEMATRIA debut their first full-length record Gematria II: The Spindle Of Necessity. Following their self-titled debut EP, the duo has a composed a full-bodied, complex record that bases itself around the use of gematria itself. If you are unaware of what that is exactly, gematria is a ‘qabalistic numerological system of relating words to numbers, the I Ching, sacred geometry and the writings of Aleister Crowley and Austin Osman Spare’. These influences have drawn out a multifaceted record that will intrigue and engage.

It is majestic, verbose music that both takes its time and delights in the final rush of movement. Take Unconquered Sun, a track that takes a wild and unexpected journey from high energy fare to something more reserved, all the while colouring the piece with imaginative melodies. Likewise, the dreamlike The Taming Power Of The Small has a serene and psychedelic feel throughout, the textures of the synths and keys layering into the richer, more frantic final minutes.

Guitar solos are always a contentious part of instrumental music, but they are used with taste and sparingly per song through this record. By Its Own Nature takes some heavy prog elements that veer towards bands like VOLA with their aggressive detuned basslines, but with a much more jazz-influenced style that makes the music very much GEMATRIA. There are some songs that are more interpretative and experimental, like The Elusive One. The name does it justice as it twists and batters its way around your ear drums. This record has a fair amount of personality, and while all the songs speak for themselves, some parts might be a little too abstract for many to enjoy fully.

So Mote It Be and Ritual play with naturalistic beats and instrumentation while incorporating the only human voices within the record. There’s definitely an interesting mix between the electronic side of GEMATRIA and their affinity to more grounded percussion. There’s plenty of atmosphere, and the beginning of the final section of the record has the strongest tracks, once of course you’ve submerged yourself in the weird world of The Spindle Of Necessity.

Reunion In Daylight is a strange soundtrack to some fantastic late 70s interdimensional sci-fi film, being heavy and full of groove, while also having a surging drive that keeps things swaying. As a finale Aletheia takes the best elements of all the previous songs and jams them into a melding pot of big ideas. There’re shifts into different tempos and signatures, there’s bright flashy playing and there are constant, tempered sections that lead into some dense, transcendental places.

With weird synths and a heavy emphasis on odd time signatures and an energetic approach to ever-changing ideas and emotive playing, Gematria II: The Spindle Of Necessity is a strange and surreal experience. Superb clean guitar solos ebb and flow across the record from opening to close. GEMATRIA won’t be for everyone, but with plenty of ethereal, cosmic ideas, this experimental prog record will tick boxes for the more open minded.

Rating: 7/10

Gematria II: The Spindle Of Necessity is set for release on September 23rd via Nefarious Industries.

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