Alien Nature
by Zone
“Zone’s latest CD ‘Alien Nature’ is their most organic album by far, in the sense that it has developed from a central idea of a piece, eschewing artificiality of approach in favour of an electronic world with real blood in its veins and a musical heartbeat that, though erratic, is human and strong. What Zone is doing here is entertaining, involving and elusive, deconstructing their legacy whilst foreshadowing another. It’s hard to describe, but meta-industrial meets neo-classical comes close, the sound of the machine age making peace with itself and rediscovering mystery. A revolution of the soul of this very unusual musical presence takes place that, more than even before, has resulted in a work of not just power but also beauty.”
The title ‘Alien Nature’ was inspired by Andrew, while working on a holiday snap that eventually spawned the the images used for the CD artwork. The photograph was of a earthenware ‘Spirit of the Forest’ face, taken while on vacation in woods of southern Ohio, USA. Processed and magnified minute details of the image took on a new life that helped unify the musical tracks that Zone had been working on over the previous two years, into ‘Alien Nature’.
Released on Potentia (catalogue No.ZONE CD006) in July 2005 on CD format only, in an initial edition of 500 copies.
Recording of ‘Alien Nature’ started in early 2003 and was completed during early 2005. Other than vocals and bass guitar on the tracks ‘Deluge’, ‘Always The Same’, ‘Attacking the Heart’ and ‘No More Words’, all of the sounds used throughout ‘Alien Nature’ were generated by soft instruments, taking Zone’s recording technique almost wholly into the digital domain. In addition, many of the soft instruments sounds were randomly programmed, thereby creating new complex ‘found’ sounds. All recording, mixing and mastering was undertaken by Zone, at Potentia’s recording studio.
The images used in the CD artwork were all produced and processed by Zone, with the layout kindly designed by Ivan Antunovic of Arkus DS, based in Zagreb, Croatia.
‘Alien Nature’ sees Zone’s second collaboration with vocalist Jeremy S.Gluck (Barracudas) contributing both text and vocals to the tracks ‘Always The Same’ and ‘No More Words’, while also providing vocal tracks subsequently used to trigger many of the electronic sounds used on ‘Attacking The Heart’. Following recording of all vocals, Zone edited and cut-up much of Jeremy’s original words and phrases to produce the final flow of lyrics. Backing tremolo vocals on ‘Attacking The Heart’ were provided by Andrew.
Long standing associate of Zone, Syd Howells, contributed bass guitar on both ‘Deluge’ and ‘Attacking The Heart’.
For Zone, ‘Alien Nature’ represents a revitalised look back at their roots in diverse and randomised experimental, electronic music, with echo’s of Zone’s first album ‘Sword Of The Sun’.
