Review: Seven That Spells - Superautobahn

A few years ago I bought a record purely on a whim, as I do on a fairly regular basis.....if I remember correctly it was an advert in Shindig magazine, and the advert proclaimed this LP as being a stunning example of modern krautrock/psychedelia. The LP in question was 'The Death And Resurrection Of Krautrock: AUM' by Croatian band Seven That Spells and it blew me away!. Since that day I have been assiduously seeking out all their material.....so imagine my excitement when I heard that Sulatron Records are giving a vinyl release to their 2012 album 'Superautobahn'.

Seven That Spells was formed by Niko Potocnjak in 2003 and over the years more than 60 musicians have contributed to live performances and recordings. In 2009 bassist Jeremy White joined the band and has since become its second core member. Whilst still a bit of a well-kept secret, the band has gained an underground following and have played some prodigious festivals (Roadburn in 2009 and Duna Jam festival 2010 & 2012). In a fair and just world Seven That Spells should be lauded in the same breath as some of the great modern psych bands.

'Superautobahn' comprises of just three tracks, the shortest of which is just shy of 11 minutes. The band's Bandcamp page describe them as "psychedelic wall of sound " and the three tracks are just that - dense, repetitive psychedelic workouts that leave you breathless and feeling slightly claustrophobic, and I mean that in a good way!

First track, 'The Wall' starts as it means to go on; driving drums and vaguely Gregorian sounding chanting, giving it an almost occult vibe. It's not long before some wailing guitars provide some solid acid freakouts that send the listener to the stratosphere and back....it has the power of Blown Out and the cosmic trajectory of Electric Moon but with a relentless motorik drive. Some skronky brass adds to the kraut vibe, and that, added to the eccentric chanting that dips in towards the end of the track leave the listener with the impression that we are in the presence of the illegitimate offspring of Brainticket....yes, it's that good!

'The Pyramid' starts with a snippet of something jazzy before mutating into another wall of psychedelic, trance-inducing krautrock. There is more than a touch of the mighty Acid Mothers Temple in the level of guitar freakiness, and that's not surprising as the legend that is Kawabata Makoto plays on the LP. It's more repetitive than AMT, less improvised maybe, but it's that repetition that gives the track it's hypnotic power. The vocals, mixed well down, are indecipherable, verging on hushed chanting and give plenty of room for the drums to dictate the metronomic rhythm (kudos to drummer Bruno Motik, and the supreme guitar work. The track ends in a lovely wash of white noise, providing a brief interlude for the brain to pull itself together again.

'The Colossus' is just that; the magnum opus of the LP at almost 22 minutes long. The format is the same; motor-driven drums, some guitar that sounds like it has been sent down from some passing interplanetary craft to pacify the human race, some more skronky brass and the same muted vocals. To some it may sound as though there is not a great deal of variety going on, but that is part of the LP's attraction; it is trancerock, and trancerock of the very highest calibre. When you sit and listen you realise that, although based on repetition, the music is constantly evolving and mutating to keep the listener enthralled and gripped. This is another truly great LP, both in the Seven That Spells canon, but also in the context of the amazing year that is 2015. And it is apt that the LP is being given a vinyl release by Sulatron as the band share some common ground with Electric Moon, Krautzone etc in that the sky is NOT the limit, they keep going until.....well, first contact I guess.

Just a quick word about the title 'Superautobahn' - not only is there an obvious wink to the band's love of krautrock , but it also neatly sums up the driving quality of the music....like opening up a Porsche on an autobahn and revelling in the power and the craftmanship.

The LP is released by Sulatron on 7th August, and can be found digitally on the band's bandcamp page. It is also now available from this blog's shop Dayz of Purple.