This latest release finds the core trio of Jesus Angel de La Paz (Acedo), multi-instrumentalist, Eric Johnson, and tenor sax blower, Brian Maloney hitting a magic dozen, although it has been hinted that these may be their final musical utterances. Fittingly, the quartet, featuring percussionist John Paul Marchand and violinist John Axtell reach back to the early catalogue to reinterpret such seminal classics as ‘Blues for Rainer,’ Bolt of Appolo’s ‘St. Cecelia’ (stripped of its original heavy metal thunder) and ‘Baphomet’s Curse,’ and the ‘Sky Pilot Suite.’ One major change that long-time fans will notice is that Jesus has eschewed his trademark, serpentining “Eye of Horus” electric guitar solos for a more acoustic-based album. This may be as close to BSE Unplugged as we are likely to encounter! The songs are, therefore, more melodic and more focused than the free-form jamming we’ve come to expect. Just listen to the gorgeous, floating-on-air melody lines of ‘Walking Down Rosemary Lane’ (a thinly-veiled Bert Jansch tribute?) or the ethereal ‘La Paz,’ as it soars heavenward on patchouli smoke rings. The Middle Eastern flavour of much of the bands’ work is retained via several sitar-drenched tracks, including the title track, which wow and flutters like the glistening Himalayas in the mid day sun. ‘Perelandra’ is a tender, acoustic rumination that occasionally morphs in and out of the riff from The Stones’ ‘Lady Jane,’ while the sedate rendition of ‘Baphomet’s Curse’ sways along like an afternoon siesta in your backyard hammock. There’s a relaxed, spiritual quality to much of the music that’s conducive for self exploration (as evidenced by the album title), resulting in a soundtrack for your voyage on the inner path to self discovery, and if it is indeed the band’s swan song, they go out on a pensive whisper that will be remembered long after the mushroom clouds of prior sonic explosions has settled onto the barren desert floor. (Jeff Penczak)
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