Customer Reviews

Astronomica

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Fusing meditative psychedelia with Gothic and fantasy themes, The Changelings' resultant sound is a breathtaking, rhythmic and gorgeous experience of dynamic ethereal alternative music.

Each of the musicians behind this project is exceptionally talented. The ideas presented here are powerful and the arrangements are superb, progressive, and coursing with sublime inventiveness. Paul Mercer's sizzling violin passages contribute an exotic Eastern flair, sweeping acoustic and treated guitars and tastefully tweaked electronic effects ring out in heavenly waves of sound, while fantastic and precise drumming serves as the hefty anchor to it all. Regeana Morris' voice is the glistening ruby jewel in the crown, sweetly operatic when the music sinks to a calm, humid and sensual as in the awesome seraglio jam "Veils Of Gold" and charming, playful, and frisky in the deliciously elegant "Mata Hari."

"Parallax" sports a tight drum pattern which swings along behind dense, hypnotic swells of brooding electronics. Regina's voice soars to operatic heights, pinched with a compelling sadness and a breathless intensity.

In case the band's Pink Floyd influence wasn't conveyed quite clearly enough, The Changelings confirm any speculation with a mischievous and muscular rendition of Syd Barrett's "See Emily Play." A rousing and faithful adaptation of the song, which reinvigorates the song carefully and attentively, making it as relevant today as it was over thirty years ago. Sonic violin climaxes, bouncing harpsichords, and pounding drums fatten the chorus wonderfully - all in all, one of the best and most creative Floyd cover tunes this reviewer has ever heard.

The Changelings convey the same maturity and musical genius as say, October Project, and they share the same penchant for dark Goth friendly psychedelia as Babylonian Tiles or the Legendary Pink Dots, but when it all comes down to it, The Changelings are in a league of their very own, without a worthy competitor or challenger in sight. Absolutely high class listening, and recommended to all fans of intelligent and transcendent alternative music.

--Extracted from my review at StarVox.net

I first bought this album right after seeing the Changelings great performance at Dragon*Con in 2002. Astronomica is a wonderful album and a great keepsake of the performance, only without the high amps.

From the start of the first track, Astronomica gets going on a gothic space voyage vibe that never really lets up.

On "Depature," there are beautifully mixed violin and orchestrals, dramatic Regeanna Morris vocals backed by the intense, insistent rhythm of their percussion, wild plucking string sounds (dulcimer?), and lyrics which truly read like a poem:

I left already knowing
that there would be
no returning
new stars and moons awaiting
a new sun a new world that lies
beyond these skies

After that, the appropriately named "Orbit" rolls in with an unfathomably catchy melody full of ache and a low buzzing undercurrent (likely the work of the band's amazing keyboardist, Nick Pagan, with his many electric tools). It's like like being shot up into space in some gothic space ship full of black crepe and dead leaves:

now the time
shadows lengthen days
cutting closer
the air grows thin
sun is looking at us sidewise
as we slip away to dream
and you're hanging from the rafters
by your bony feet that's no way
no way to sleep

Another of my favorite songs is "Veils of Gold," which is probably the most truly exotic, wailing gothic song on the album. The song seems to conjure up a dreadful scene, the singer warning in a foreboding voice of the evil across the "great and vast divide":

till you run
will you run far away from here
till you run far away
till you run far away away
away from here

The violin is particularly sweet in this. This sound is finely crafted and the violin melody is complex, with ups and downs, cutting into itself, building a crescendo and crashing into the percussions and the repeating chorus "run far away," which repeats endlessly in your mind even after the album has ended.

Another wonderful release by the Changelings, this CD continues their mixture of dark Gothic music with Middle Eastern instruments and Regeana Morris' haunting melismatic vocals. Like their CD Amphibian, this CD is linked by common themes, providing an ambient sound track to a sort of spiritual out-of-body journey across the void of space. Play this CD in a dark room and it sets a spooky, mysterious mood... Currently my favorite songs from this CD are probably Mata Hari, Veils of Gold, and Olympus Mons, but its all good listening. If your into dark Middle Eastern tinged music, buy both of the Changelings CDs before they go out of print. They really deserve more recognition than they got.

The Changlings produce a form of music that is both
modern and medieval. It unites a traditional celtic
style with modern instruments, a middle eastern flair,
and a deep dark gothic mood.

The vocals are clear and beautiful, ranging from ethereal
to haunting. The musical backing is very full and
complex, with every part precisely orchestrated and
executed, while still producing a freely organic sound.
It doesn't just compliment the vocals, but seems
merges with Regeana's voice to form a sound greater
than the sum of its parts.

If you have heard the original Changlings CD (the
only one still available) this CD will be familiar,
but with a much darker undertone. The music and vocals
are still haunting, and will linger in your consciousness
long after the music stops. I wouldn't consider any of it
spooky. Rather than approaching the mystical unknown, it
immerses the listener in the dark murky depths of the human
experience.

The album seems to follow only incidentally the theme of
a space voyage, as though it was only an afterthought.
Individually each song is very strong. Collectively they
are less impressive than they would be without trying
to follow the space theme. None the less, it is definitely
a top notch work of art.

This CD ranks near the top of my list of favorites along
with CD's from Aenima, Mirabilis, and Mercurine.

That's the perfect words to describe The Changelings...Hauntingly Beautiful. I am originally from New Orleans, LA. and I like alot of dark spooky things and my favorite music HAS to be The Changelings. Shore I like Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, NIN, Korn, Rasputina the list could go on and on but I'm tellin' ya The Changelings create such a "hauntingly beautiful" mood... it's like no other. They are intoxicating. Blessed be.