Wake

Description

Wake is the third studio album by the American industrial band Mortal, released on Intense Records in 1994, an imprint of the Frontline Music Group, releasing FMG’s industrial/metal output. Distributed by Diamante Distribution. The album was recorded by Mark Rodriguez at The Green Room in Huntington Beach, California; and was produced and mixed by Blood (a.k.a. Mortal’s Jerome & Jyro).

On this album Mortal moves away from industrial and has a greater emphasis on vocals and melodies and using live instruments and fewer samples. Two tracks – “June First” and “Filter” – features Andy Prickett of The Prayer Chain and The Violet Burning fame on guitar leads.

Even though it only released three albums and an EP (plus one cut on the ‘Brow Beat‘ sampler) during its three-year recording tenure, Mortal has had a much greater influence on alternative rock – specifically industrial music – than its modest output would suggest. The band, which was originally just partners Jerome & Jyro, recorded its first three projects under the tutelage of Terry Taylor, who seems to have taught the duo that, no matter how cool something sounds, there needs to be substance as well. Jyro, responsible for all the lyrics and much of the music, quickly blossomed under that encouragement, and Mortal established new standards for excellence in songwriting as well as production. By the time the duo recorded the gorgeous «Bleeder» for ‘Brow Beat’, it realized that it was as interested in producing for others as it was recording its own material. So before taking an extended hiatus from performing (to devote itself to production, under the name “Blood”), Mortal launched a sort of “farewell tour,” with the aptly-titled ‘Wake’ as its centerpiece.

On the group’s first full album with a live band, it mixes its industrial influences with a hard alternative approach – part British noise-rock and part Beatle-esque harmony-driven pop (it covers «Nowhere Man» in classic fashion). As usual, Jyro has written a brace of terrific songs; if you never heard Mortal’s Live EP or «Bleeder», you may not realize that he’s also a gifted vocalist. Opening with the blistering «Paradigm One», Motal sounds more like Soundgarden than any of its industrial-based influences. Pledging utter dependence on God, Jyro sings “On the precipice again/ Falling where I cannot stand/ Scream my soul into the wind… not by the power of man, but by the power of the living God.” That line is really the theme for ‘Wake’ – who is your God? Where do place your allegiances? Never accusatory but always provocative, Jyro carries that concept through songs about romantic relationships growing and disintegrating, songs of struggle and pain and songs of spiritual bankruptcy and spiritual triumph. Special acknowledgments go to guitarist Troy Yasuda, drummer Ed Benrock and sound sculptor Mark Rodriguez for assuring that Mortal has fashioned its definitive statement as a goodbye note. ‘Vaya con Dios’, dudes; you will be missed. [Bruce A. Brown, CCM, January 1995]

> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/wake/389078119)

CD tracklist:

01. Paradigm One – 5:38
02. June First – 3:44
03. Mother’s Day – 4:12
04. Vial – 2:51
05. Filter – 4:11
06. Speed Of Sound – 4:46
07. Oceanful – 5:35
08. Serpent-Teen – 3:28
09. Moons & Suns – 3:00
10. Fall – 0:56
11. Sold – 6:19
12. God Of 3 Strings – 2:15
13. Nowhere Man – 2:42
14. To My Darling Whipporwill – 2:06

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Intense Records.

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