LOST TRIBES OF THE MOON "Chapter II: Tales of Strife, Destiny and Despair"

By Dr. Abner Mality

The title is quite a mouthful, isn't it? Well, that sets the table pretty well for the second album by this Milwaukee band, because the whole damn thing just drags on and on and on...

I thought the first effort from these guys was pretty promising. Pick that up if you can find it. Skip this one. If it was a book, it would desperately need an editor. It's the musical equivalent of a 900 page book about the romance of a mailman. LOST TRIBES OF THE MOON certainly have talent...there are several passages scattered throughout that prove it. But 20 minute plus songs that could have easily been less than half the time just drained me dry. LTOTM desperately wants to be an early 70's prog band...I suspect Dark Starr would love these guys, Complete with long acoustic ballads, vibraphone excursions, ambient soundscapes, etc., etc.

I gave it the old college try. First track "Unleash the Berserkers" had decent riffing and some sizzling guitar solos. That was the peak. From there, you're on a treasure hunt to find about 15 minutes of interest in a 75 minute desert. New female vocalist Julie Brandenburg has a pleasant voice and that's it. In this case, a little more bombast would have helped. "The Man In Black Fled Across the Desert: Part One" was folky acoustic stuff that had me nodding off...when the more metal "Part Two" kicked in, it literally woke me up.

I will practice what I preach and bring this to a close. More is less, less is more...that is a lesson LOST TRIBES OF THE MOON needs to learn. Back to the drawing board...

LOST TRIBES OF THE MOON