Featuring guitarist Russ Tippins of Satan, Tanith released their first full length ‘In Another Time’ a couple of weeks back, and a solid listen it is too – Tanith use the bite of 80s NWOBHM but push it all backwards through a soundscape ( I hate using that word, but it’s the only one that works ) from the 70s prog rock era, and what comes out of the other end is something that sounds familiar, but has never really existed before, so it’s fresh, and even though it should be easy for me to talk about it, I’m actually finding it quite hard to put into words.
We are straight into some very pleasant twin guitar work on opening track Citadel, and once Russ and Cindy Maynard’s vocals start working together, you realise the production is perfect – the highs are rolled off ( or perhaps were never there ) leaving an organic analogue retro sound which I assume is the result of a lot of hard work. Listen to the bass on ‘Book of Changes’, for instance – you don’t hear a sound like that very often these days. I wonder, how much it was recorded with analogue equipment or if was it recorded partially digitally? It sounds both retro and fresh. EDIT – I just found out it’s all analogue!
Who are the other members of Tanith? They must have all played in other bands, or they are session musicians perhaps, I’m not connected enough to know. And who are the main songwriters? In the absence of any information to the contrary, In Another Time sounds like Tippin’s main band wrote an album for a Sunday morning chill out session – it’s inevitable I think, and is in no way meant to detract from the input of the other members – to my ears it does sound like a reigned in version of the almost over-the-top riffing of Satan, which is meant as high praise! And the musicianship sounds effortless – it’s the sound of a band so talented, they make it sound like they’re not even trying.
The quality of the album is maintained to the last track ( even though the bongoes were something of a surprise, they still fit the mood ). Favourite songs for me on listens so far are Citadel and Mountain. I really want to find out more about this act, I’m a bit out of my depth with it. Let’s hope we get a live tour from Tanith soon. And the release is definitely worth your cash – the CD even comes with a patch…
Old Man's Mettle 