Teeth Of The Sea - Highly Deadly Black Tarantula

TotS’ 2014’s re-imagined accompaniment to gratuitous Civil War ‘shroom fest A Field in England seemed a perfectly logical progression for their tense and dramatic instrumentation following a succession of maturing studio albums. Indeed, it would be very tempting to pigeon-hole this latest masterful release as another wannabe soundtrack, but mark my words this is beyond cinematic. It’s another dark realm entirely.

'All My Venom' kicks off with some characteristic mariachi strains but, a few Morricone phrasings aside, this is disturbingly relentless and menacing, almost vicious fare complete with monstrously demonic noises which combine to form something that is both hideous and compelling. Ever wondered what “Fanfare For The Common Man” would sound like for the cyber age shot through with a hundred and eighty industrial beats to the minute? Meet “Animal Manservant”. Godflesh don’t do prog or techno, but if they did both, this is how it would probably sound.

The kling-klang of “Field Punishment” will delight if not Kraftwerk fans then those of some of their darker and heavier direct descendents. My goodness you could almost dance to this whereas “Have You Ever Held A Bird Of Prey?” is from the Gnod school of “up yours, we’ll do our own thing, thanks”. The first half sounds like a relentless and deathly stalker bringing you ever closer to your hellish destiny. It’s the slowest of burners and you think it’s never gonna arrive. Oh but it does. Don’t you dare relax as all of a sudden it’s upon you and cleaving open your head. Thrilling

The brief and perplexing “Phonogene” sounds like those mysterious old short wave radio signals from the Cold War era (rumours are they still broadcast them) before a most fitting finale, “Love Theme for 1984”, provides a patient, strangely beautiful and deeply captivating epitaph to a collection of minimalist magnificence and unrivalled intensity and inventiveness. Album of the year? Could be.