'Mandala'

Available from Naturally Organised Elements, Hungary.

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F OR one reason and another, the ‘Way to the Empire of Strength and Order’ (1994) and ‘Das Unbenennbare’ (1995) albums completely passed me by. At the time of writing I still haven’t heard them, which is all the more surprising, given that I’ve enjoyed the group’s first release, ‘Sacro Sanctum’ (1998), on numerous occasions since reviewing it for Synthesis (see http://www.rosenoire.org/reviews/actus-sacro.php). But information about Actus and their activities is notoriously hard to come by, although the group did recently emerge from the shadows to perform at the Wave Gotik Treffen festival in eastern Germany.

The material on this album has been produced over a seven-year period and the four tracks included on this release are designed to represent a mystical quartet centred around the concept of ‘wholeness’. Listeners are asked to meditate on the Actus symbol, a means by which the individual is said to discover true reality after re-emerging ‘from the underworld’. The imagery suggests an artistic meeting between romantic fantasy and classic Wagnerian landscapes, as portentous clouds drift through sun-clad skies and twisting pathways wind their way through beautiful green pastures.

The first of these symbolic pieces, ‘Centre’, is a woeful lamentation of pained vocals, a tolling bell, slow drums and tinkering ambience. This is quite different from the ‘Sacro Sanctum’ album and reminds me a little of Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultze or Jean Michel Jarre. Later on a piano dallies alongside echoing tambourines and acoustic guitar, soon joined by haunting female vocals and a delicious cello. It’s clear to see that the overall depth and texture of the Actus sound has vastly improved since their first album, with complex arrangements and a sense of immense variety and ingenuity.

‘Spiral’, on the other hand, is a mixture of crackling embers, atmospheric swirls and stabbing keyboards that remind me slightly of Rammstein’s techno moments. Male chants punctuate the background as the track assumes a decidedly more upbeat stance, its irresistible blend of bass and shrill electronics reminding me of a modern tribute to 70s Prog. The vocals are delivered in the classic Actus style, too, with a series of rhythmic incantations and calculated stanzas that complement the hypnotic beat perfectly. This is pure genius. Soon the sound of running water heralds the start of ‘Spinning’, before ascending bells and occasional static ‘blips’ accompany an infectious beat. Deep choral tones join the fray and sweep their way over rolling drumbeats and erratic percussion that sounds like the soothing tick-tock of a bamboo timepiece. Monastic disco.

The group have also used a combination of electric and acoustic guitars and, in their own inimitable way, have once again managed to create a wonderfully enduring chorus that will stick to the nether regions of your brain like shit to a blanket. Towards the end, radio frequencies and the crunching of footsteps through deep snow contradict the song’s fiery beginnings. ‘Paths’ is very dramatic and orchestral. A cello taps along steadily before making way for ambient keyboards, crashing cymbals and diverse drum patterns, returning again amid hollow-sounding pipes and electronic howls. Suddenly, the tempo changes completely and a watery scrunching moves effortlessly through a repetitive bass and increasingly Industrial atmosphere. And then everything switches again, this time to a different cacophony of orchestral melodies, electric guitar and fantastic vocals.

And, like a food connoisseur enjoying the feast of his life, Actus have clearly saved the best until last. But yet another phase is brought into play, with torrid horns, frenetic timpani and an unforgettable chorus; each topped off with the sound of a howling wind. This is certainly one of the best albums I’ve heard for quite a while. Time for me to track down the remaining two Actus albums that will complete my collection!