Parca Pace - Raumspannung

I always look forward to new albums by my favorite artists.  While metal is my favorite genre, sometimes releases by my favorite industrial bands are what bring the greatest excitement.  Maybe it's because my two favorite artists in that genre are Samuel Durling (Mental Destruction) and Jan Carleklev (Sanctum, Azure Skies, Parca Pace, & Mago).  Two people who pour every ounce of their souls into everything they create.  They don't care about releasing a record every year.  They spend countless hours, days, months, and years crafting music that is captivating in every sense of the word, despite the fact that their target audience is so small that they're probably lucky to break even on each release.  It a shame that some of the most creative music there is, is basically unknown to 99% of the music population.  Enter Parca Pace.  The last time we heard from this band it was 1999 and they released a 50 minute CD that consisted of one song.  But how fantastic that song was!  It is now 6 years later and Raumspannung is upon us.  The beautiful limited edition digipak with 12 page booklet arrived in my mail a few weeks ago and it still gives me chills everytime I listen.  While their last was a bit more minimalistic, this recording sounds more full and busy, if you will.  However, this is still unmistakably Parca Pace.  It's attracts you with it's irresistible charm and delicate beauty while it subtlely pulls the chair out from under you with it's controlled aggression.  Take the Parca Pace of old and combine it with the calmer and mellow moments of Sanctum and Mago, and add a restrained harshness ala Azure Skies and you have Raumspannung.  Carleklev unites industrial noise and alluring sampling with a moving and yet hypnotizing symphonic side that is sure to win over even the harshest critics of this genre.

And just as with the previous Parca Pace album, vocals are very sparse.  They are some spoken female vocals and some computerized/distorted male vocals on a few songs, but your mainly in for an instrumental album here.  The thing is...it's absolutely perfect that way.  Between the pristine production, the gorgeous packaging, and the spellbinding music, Parca Pace has lavished on us yet another gripping work of art that is everything we have come to expect from Carleklev and the Crescens Collective.  Definitely worth the 6 year wait.

Rating: 99/100

Review By: Matt Morrow

Label: Cold Meat Industry

Total Songs: 9

Total Time: 45:47

Tracklisting: 1. Replaceland, 2. Urban Consequences, 3. Walls, 4. Scaffolding, 5. Self Service Island, 6. Grenzland, 7. Minimalia, 8. Longing to Return, 9. Enter Now.

Best Songs: Every one of them!

Band Lineup: Jan Carleklev

Band Website: http://www.crescens-collective.com