Before beginning this review I should say that Morgan's Canon are not only great musicians: they're also understanding and gracious. I originally received this CD in September ... and promptly lost it. They've waited all this time for a review, and even sent back my check when I asked for a replacement, with nary a harsh word or complaint. Every band should be so understanding. My review may have been delayed, but it's a positive one: this is an exceptional CD, certainly one of the best industrial releases I've heard in a long while.
Otto Zizak, band leader and songwriter, is a classically trained musician from the Czech Republic, birthplace of Franz Kafka. Like Kafka's writing, Zizak's music always feels ready to fall into chaos. The driving bass line of "Time to Pretend" and the hard electronic percussion of "Feed" remain constant as other riffs begin, then are swallowed by harsh atonal noise. The end result is sinister and mechanical -- not the cool synthetic bleeps of Kraftwerk and their idiot progeny, but the rough, greasy metallic darkness of *Metropolis* or *Alien*
This endless darkness could quickly become grating or depressing, were it not for moments of transcendent beauty. The industrial slamfest which is "Monday" is highlighted by gorgeous shards -- acoustic piano lines, Mistress Silvia's operatic vocalizing -- playing off against distorted power chords. Similar hard-and-soft combinations are found throughout "Only Words," where sad distorted vocals and piano lines provide an underpinning of longing to Leonardo's crunchy guitars. The regrettably-titled "Vampire Girl" evokes Brecht and Weill with the help of Jana Andevska's violin and Zizak's piano.
There are many out there who have bought a keyboard and some software and who now consider themselves musicians: there are a few who actually know something about music. Zizek is clearly in the latter category. In lesser hands "Krime" would be a standard issue EBM/synthpop tune, hummable, listenable, and ultimately forgettable. Thanks to his skill -- and to some outstanding percussion work from The Minister -- it becomes one of the album's highlights. Smoother and less challenging than some of the material preceding it, it succeeds on the strength of a driving, irresistable beat and a catchy hook. Along with the powerpop-meets-industrial stylings of "Of Cemeteries," it may be one of the most radio-friendly songs on the disk.
In New York Zizak is fast gaining a name for himself with Morgan's Canon and his other project, Otto's Daughter*. If "For Water" is any indication, he's only going to get bigger as time passes. I may have been a sluggard in reviewing this; you should learn from my mistakes and buy this CD now, before it becomes a collector's item.
Tracks
1) Monday
2) Time to Pretend
3) Vampire Girl
4) Feed
5) Only Words
6) Of Cemeteries
7) Krime
8) A New Way
9) Monday (radio version)
10) Time to Pretend (radio version)
Otto Zizak: Vocals, acoustic piano, machines/synthesizers, guitars, electric bass
Leonardo: Guitars
Mistress Sylvia: Vocals, electric and acoustic bass, keyboards
Daniel "The Minister" Rivera: Acoustic drums, electric triggers, percussion
-reviewed by Kevin Filan
This band mixes a lot of different genres of music into their sound with an end result that is quite impressive. They blend the electronic crunch of industrial with the dark haunting moods of goth with the guitar assaults of metal to create an outcome of pure manic mayhem. The vocals switch between calm-angry male singing and eerily beautiful female crooning.
Variety is definitely here as each song manages to sound different from the one before it. The band does a good job of incorporating aggression with soothing beauty. Also, they combine a good helping of all of the different ingredients they use to prevent any one sound from ever dominating.
The problem with a band like this is that their diversified sound isnt easily placed with a fan base. Industrial music fans will feel that they are too goth and metal, goth music fans will feel that they are too industrial and metal, while metal fans will feel that they are too industrial and goth. This band will most likely appeal to those who enjoy dark metal music, but it might include too many electronic effects for them. As for me, I like the music included here, but it definitely does have too many goth and metal influences for an electro-industrial/EBM fan such as myself. But if you think you would enjoy an album that mixes a good helping of industrial, goth and metal all in one, this is definitely a CD for you.
"For Water," yeah right, better titled "For Sex!" This dark and naughty second album by Morgan's Canon talks of death, sad smiles, sexual servility, and raunchy love.
You could say that it was perverted I think I will. Whatever it is, it is still a well-orchestrated industrial album. The heavily distorted guitars, sulky melodies, operatic richness, and aggressive growls bring Rammstein to mind but Morgan's Canon is more moody and experimental. Each song plays out as if they were testing out a new sound or technique, it was a journey into the meanderings of their dark minds.
Morgan's Canon started out in '97 when singer/poet/pianist/ programmer Otto Zizak joined forces with guitarist Leonardo, The Minister (percussion) and Mistress Silvia (second vocalist and bassist). Otto Z. has been recording music since age 17. He was classically trained in the republic then known as Czechoslovakia. He relocated to New York where he studied poetry writing with Armand Schwerner, piano with Jonathon Hardy, and bass with John Lennon bassist Gary Van Sayoc. He has quite a bit of experience under his belt and also he's a member of another band, Otto's Daughter* (this is not true, though it is a common mistake people make - but Otto's Daughter is indeed a great band - so maybe in spirit - m.c.).
The album starts with a growl on "Monday." The aggressive guitars, chaotic piano, and deeply distressed vocals of Otto are smoothed out by the beautiful contrasting lilt of Mistress Silvia. She has an operatic dark angel voice that brings the song to the height of holiness. She sings a duet with Otto in the song "Vampire Girl" that lends this silky power ballad a Broadway musical quality. "Feed" is an industrial declaration of Otto's sexual fantasies about virgins. "Krime" starts out in a foreign language but the last verse is in English. In the last verse he tells a woman to wear heavy make up, breath like a whore and serve him, I can only imagine what the rest of the song is about.
Needless to say, sex sells and Morgan's Canon has no problem selling themselves. They are becoming well known and sought after in the club circuit around New York and beyond. They truly have an artistic touch to their music, which comes across through the poetic lyrics, variety of sound and texture, plus Morgan's Canon has gothic credibility, they don't sound like poseurs. Original and pleasantly disturbing. - MusicReviewer.com, January 2002
www.legendsmagazine.net
REVIEW: Morgan's Canon - "For Water"
By Chris Eissing
Morgan's Canon is a genuine mix of styles. Heavily drawing its melodic stylings from Eastern-European baroque, these old-word flavors are combined with contemporary industrial motifs. Mixing male and female vocals with a base of electronic rhythm and wall-of sound noise-based guitars give Morgan's Canon a familiar but intriguing sound at a casual listen.
But digging deeper into the album, For Water sounds more like a rough draft than a finished product. The skeleton is there, but the features still need polishing. Getting manhandled by a good post-production producer and engineer would do this album some good. If this album were done by a hobbyist I'd give kudos for an above-average effort. But a lot was put into this album's packaging and promotion, and it is not the first offering for the band. So for them the bar is raised a little.
First off, vocals. The female vocals are well-placed and serve well as both a harmony and melody. But there is something lacking in them that gives it a first-take-and-out sound. The composition of the male and female vocals is very well done. But the sound does break down here and there. Not often. But enough to recognize it is a common deficiency in this album. There are moments of awkward rhythm and breakdowns of remaining in tune. And if a voice, male or female, is going to attempt an operatic styling for effect it needs to be stronger. It's close. Its breakdowns are almost subtle enough not to be noticed. Almost.
The drums are provided, sight unseen, by an off-the-shelf drum machine. The stock-sounds are rather noticeable. Plus many of the loops are clean enough to detract from the very organic music over top of it, as in Feed. There are some bright spots. The somber ballad Vampire Girl is reminiscent of a dark duet from a theatrical show. Only Words, another of their more melancholy-paced selections works better for its minimalism.
Morgan's Canon is a great example of less is more. When they strip a song down to its essentials they produce far better works than when the try to create large industrial walls of sound. Also, their harder songs seem to be too derivative of German-based industrial. Hard to pull off, and rarely good when it does work. Their selection Of Cemetaries falls victim to this.
If this music were in a movie, what would it be? I think their selection Krime would play well in any movie where Angelina Jolie has a rampant abandon sex scene involving farm animals and spade shovels to the head. It of course won't be seen until the Director's Cut on DVD.
A little clarity on the name?
Lloyd Morgan's canon: Articulated in 1894 by the British physiologist/psychologist Conway Lloyd Morgan, it cautioned against the explanatory excesses of the new field of comparative psychology by stating that in interpreting the behavior of an animal it is always preferable to use the psychologically simplest interpretation. Specifically, it is preferable to use the lower or more primitive explanation rather than to assume the action of a higher, more mentalistic process. The canon was very influential in the work of early behaviorists such as Watson and Thorndike. The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology, Arthur S. Reber 1995. - Legends Magazine, January 2002
They wear latex, the keyboardplayer (some say sheīs the hottest on the scene) is called Mistress Silvia, they like to put on eyeliner in overdose, they have glitter in their eyes, singer Otto finds it normal to smash his head against a cymbal, according to one of their lyrics they are looking for a vampire girl....in other words Morganīs Canon are not very normal and that in times that someone from the American government decided itīs time to ban the goths....right the fucker is cos music like this is not to supposed to give you some relaxing time as this is only good to fuck up your mind but I like having a mind as such just because itīs my case so away with all standards and let the party starts. But the party that is called Morganīs Canon found it necessary to invite all guests and so it happens that you hear here influences from goth, industrial beats a la Trent Reznor, American industrial-metal in rob Zombie-style, metalinfluences in Fear factory-style, the theatre-aspects of that other dangerous man...Marilyn Manson, darkwave, synthpop in the later Depeche Mode-style and even the influences from opera. Impossible to categorise? I suppose so and this mixmag even resulted in a cd that sounds kind of consistent...I mean itīs not experimental as you might think but just a sort of personal way of seeing music. The American gothscene have another name to file under it's immense category and that in times some politician thinks itīs time for a change, they should ban those politicians or tease them and send them a cd by Morganīs Canon.
-reviewed by DIDIER BECU, Belgium
www.wetworksezine.com
REVIEW: Morgan's Canon - "For Water"
By GunHed
The vocals of a band can either kill its sound or bring it to a new level. Unfortunately, the vocals of Morgan's Canon belongs to the former. The over-the-top Bowie-esque gothic/vampyric vocals with interchanging female operatic singing really had me cringing. As the cliche says, definitely not my cup of tea.
That's not to say Morgan's Canon is comprised of bad musicians, because it's not. I actually enjoy their music quite a bit. A mixture of screaming guitars that reminded me of Skrew at times with delicate and random piano touches, violins and many different electronic elements really create an interesting listen. If I could remove the vocals completely (or at least replace them with Bruno Kramms) I'd probably listen to For Water more often ,but since I can't, Morgan's Canon will have to take up a space on the "gathering dust" shelf. Gothic fans might like this more than I did.
I received an interesting CD for review from a band I'd never heard of from out of Staten Island, New York called Morgan's Canon. This left me somewhat satisfied with an answer to my question of where had all the old school Goths had gone since all of the 'numetal' groups stormed onto the scene to steal the visage of the term. Female vocals layered on top of metal and electronic sounds are what to expect from this band. Morgan's Canon sounds can be found on mp3.com - Terra Industria, October 2001
Guitar 2001
MORGAN'S CANON - "Is?" - CD
Umm... A rock opera revival? That would be perfect for the millennium, don't you think? This band should lead such a movement. 'Is?' was an elaborate example of what happens when you turn off the damn radio. I heard an eclectic medley of sound; everything from speed metal to soul sisters singing in the background. The dark narrative lyrics and eerie drones of Otto Zizak offered a gothic mood. So take off you headphones, get off the couch and add a little flavor to your boring CD collection. Find this CD! - Guitar 2001 magazine, April 1999
The bad thing I can say about this CD is that I didn't like the cover so much. The layout is too messed up and photoshop effects don't impress my taste of artwork.
I gave Morgan's Canon (For Water) a chance and after a short while I understood that this is something very, very special. I felt the same feelings that I had the first time I heard bands like Devil Doll. Is this crazy? Is this weird? Well, it's fantastic!
Many of the songs on "For Water" are perfect (my favorite Time To Pretend), mix between jazz, opera, darkwave, hardcore, industry, hiphop, classic and the changes shocked me between the bridge and verse.
The song "Only Words" , a little thing that makes a song raised my pulse up high. A light piano tone, excellent! "Monday" is a great start for the CD and Feed reminds me of the great band Laibach.
What can I say? It's great, I recommend 'For Water' to everyone but especially for those who like German/East-European synth/industry.
- Gothland.com, November 2001
* Otto Zizak is not a member of Otto's Daughter nor is he affiliated with the band. Although he is flattered by this error he wishes it to be know that it is nothing more than confusion stemming from the similarity of the band's name to his own given name. Otto respects and likes their music and doesn't want to take credit for work that is not his.
All reviews used by permission.