Album title: Black Mass
Artist: Mort Garson (as Lucifer)
Nationality: Canadian
Label: Uni Reocrds
Chronology: Eighteenth
Grade: C
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Factsheet:
Tracklisting: Solomon’s Ring/ The Ride of Aida (Voodoo)/ Incubus/ Black Mass/ The Evil Eye/ Exorcism/ The Philosopher’s Stone/ Voices of the Dead (The Medium)/ Witch Trial/ ESP
Comments: A man who it seems was more known for his electronic music than progressive rock, and who, from what I can see, wrote albums based on every sign of the zodiac (as well as others), Mort Garson began his recording career back in 1967, when prog rock wasn’t even a thing. As you can see, by the time we reached even the nascent time of 1971 he had had seventeen albums, but this is the first - and possibly only - one which is considered in any way prog. It’s also supposed to be quite dark, and with a title like that, you wouldn’t wonder. I get the feeling it will be all instrumental, but we’ll see.
None of the tracks are long, nothing over four minutes, and the obvious comparisons with Vangelis surface for me as “Solomon’s Ring” opens, with a slightly Egyptian feel in the melody, bubbling synth and sort of didgeridoo-like sounds permeating the piece. Spacey sounds, which I suppose you would expect, and thick church-like organ, the “Ride of Aida (Voodoo)” does indeed have a tribal, native atmosphere to it, fast bongo-like drums and whirling synth with what sounds like a voice chanting, but may very well not be. “Incubus” is slower, and has hollow percussion and glass harp maybe? Weird and odd, as electronic music often is, but I’ve heard so far nothing I would consider dark. Well, we’re only three tracks in.
Right well here’s the title track, and “Black Mass” opens with the sound of choral voices in a sort of chant and a hollow ringing bell. I mean, it’s dark but it’s not scary or evil is it? Big thick organ (shut up) rising now (I said, shut up!) which is perhaps a little obvious, and “Evil Eye” tries to be big and scary too but it, well, isn’t. Unless this is meant to be a joke, a send-up, I definitely don’t get a sense of fear or loathing or dread or terror from it at all. Let’s see: “Exorcism.” Surely that will be creepy and… no, it’s a kind of fast-paced whine and the music does not at all evoke that sort of feeling, not in me anyway. I don’t know: this guy - unless I’m getting him wrong - seems to think that playing dark notes and swirly anthems and squelchy bass lines makes music scary. Well it doesn’t for me, I can tell you. It’s all right but it’s basically your standard electronic music, nothing more and nothing less.
Yeah it doesn’t, or wouldn’t, even qualify as horror music. It’s just not that scary, and whoever said it was dark and satanic, well, all I can say is he or she must have been listening to something else, because this is decent music but certainly not anything that evokes feelings of fear. It is, in fact, rather more than a little self-indulgent and gives the idea more of someone playing around with a new toy (the Moog) than seriously trying to write scary music. Meh.
Favourite track(s): I don’t hate anything, but there’s nothing that stands out here either.
Least favourite track(s):
Personal Rating: 2.0