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In 1998 Splitting Ions In The Ether reached # 26
on the Global Progressive Rock Network top 100 and in 1999 it reached # 48. |
Eclectic Earwig Reviews, 11/19/2000 USA |
St. Elmo's Fire were one of those unfortunate late ‘70's/
early ‘80's prog bands in America that just never got the recognition they
deserved. It's a real pity, too, because this album is quite a prog
masterpiece. Elmo are easily comparable to Lark's Tongue or Red - era Crimson,
but this is really more in terms of darkness and intensity than compositional
style.
Splitting Ions In The Ether consists of 7 songs arranged
approximately in order of intensity. All tracks were recorded live, but
surprisingly good sound quality and a phenomenally tight ensemble rarely betray
this fact. From the first song, the almost ambient "Searching For Food" to the
brooding intensity of "Gone To Ground In The Khyber Pass" and the "Balrog" to
the "Fracture"-like sonic explosions of "Parasites And Bureaucrats", the disc
maintains an almost constant crescendo. Constant are the regal synth and
mellotron themes of Stephen John Stavnicky, the ferocious interlocking guitar
parts of Elliot Weintraub and Erich Feldman, and (after the first piece) the
explosive rhythm section of bassist Paul Kollar and drummer Mark Helm.
Unfortunately, the flow of the album is disrupted somewhat by the first vocal
number, the heavy metal-ish "Aspen Flambe". Despite a good riff and a fine
performance from the band (although the sound quality seems to degenerate a
bit), it's dragged down by the uncertain vocals of (presumably) Stavnicky,
which seem to hover between regular singing and death metal growling, but never
actually doing either.
After this identity crises, the band returns to
form with the sublime 11 minute "The Reluctant Bride", which features all the
hallmarks of their established style, with a hint of ethnic influence and some
achingly beautiful flute and keyboard. If that wasn't enough, the band closes
with the ultimate finale in the form of the 9 minute piece "Fantasy Come
Reality". Although this is another vocal song, it fits perfectly with the other
pieces on the album, beginning with a soft vocal and keyboard section
reminiscent of Happy The Man's vocal songs and then transforming into a
positively earth-shaking rock riff developed in a wonderful symphonic style.
Even the vocals are quit tolerable in this one, and close the album quite
perfectly.
The 1998 Sprawling Production Ltd. CD reissue adds two
bonus tracks, also recorded live but at an earlier gig, which are quite worthy
of the Elmo banner.
In case you couldn't tell, Splitting Ions In The
Ether has been one of the best prog albums I've heard in a while. - Jon Dharma
Murphree |
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Expose', Issue # 17 USA |
It's hard to say if this is a reissue or an archival release. In
fact it is both at once. St. Elmo's Fire was a five-piece from Cleveland in the
late seventies through the end of 1980, that worked together long enough to
release what was originally intended to be a 10-inch four song live EP, but
ended up (though no fault of the band) as a shoddily produced LP with only
about 25 minutes of material on it, pressed onto poor quality vinyl. The
genesis of the material on this disc is mostly from the same live show that the
original four songs for the LP came from, and in fact those songs are all here
(though not in their original running order) with another 20 minutes of
material taken from the same show, and an additional 6 minutes from an earlier
show at the same venue (The Cleveland Agora). Two additional live bonus tracks
pre-date the others by six months. So what we end up with is close to seventy
minutes of live recordings by one of Cleveland's best all-but-forgotten bands
(except to collectors).
The band is firmly in the progressive camp:
heavy on keyboards (including Mellotron and Mini- Moog), multi part extended
compositions, elaborate and busy arrangements, and (best of all) they have an
original sound that doesn't borrow stylings from better known British or
American artists. The only other band this writer can offer as a reference is
the US band Cathedral (of "Stained Glass Stories fame) and even then the
comparison is a stretch. Compositions are driven by bassist Paul Kollar and
guitar-synth player Erich Feldman. Keyboardist Steve Stavnicky doubles on
vocals on original album opener "Aspen Flambe'. Frankly vocals are not this
bands forte, being pretty harsh, and shouted for the most part: wisely they
eschew vocals on all other tracks but one. While the sound quality on this CD
reflects the meticulous post-production work that made it infinitely better
than the original album, it was still recorded live to a two-track, and the
limitations of that method are evident here. I'm certain that had these tracks
been recorded live in a studio to a twelve or sixteen track we would have a
finished product that rose more to the level of a Happy The Man. Despite the
issues with the sound, this disc still deserves a wholehearted recommendation.
- Peter Thelen |
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Progression Magazine issue #28 Summer/Fall 1998 USA |
St. Elmo's Fire: Splitting Ions In The Ether (CD, 67:04 ) Sprawling
Productions Ltd. SPL-9801
St. Elmo's Fire is yet another fasinating find in
the continuing resurrection of works from obscure American prog-rock bands of
the 1970's and ‘80's. This time it's another Ohio group, which left behind
an impressive clutch of live recordings from 1980-- committed to posterity
during shows at the Cleveland Agora and The Entertainer, in Elyria. The disc
starts out with an awesome track, "Searching for Food," that conjures stark
atmospherics. You can hear a wolf's howl in the frozen northern wilderness with
Aurora Borealis gleaming over-head, as deliriously haunting space-symphonics
kick things off. From there, this mostly instrumental work habitates King
Crimson-like realms, though with a heavier symphonic emphasis. This is powerful
prog-rock with loads of dissonant menace and thick washes of orchestral
keyboards, augmented by guitar synths, tape loops, various electronic effects
and flute. Only when vocals are added on "Aspen Flambe` and Fantasy Come
Reality" does the mood shift to more straight-ahead, heavy rock. The disc's
longest track at 11 minutes plus, "The Reluctant Bride," is almost
avant-garde-ish with it's neo-classical chamber symphonics framed by generous
mellotron. Interestingly, the prevalent mix of Crimson, heavy space and
symph-rock gives way at the very end, during "The Nuremberg Waltz," to an
elegant closing madrigal. So there's plenty to consider and absorb in the
inspired work of this five-man outfit. A mere memory no longer, St. Elmo's Fire
via Splitting Ions In The Ether urges the inevitable question: how did we
manage to miss these guys the first time around? ----John Collinge |
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Prog-Net, May 2000 USA - Rating *** |
I had a hard time figuring out how many stars to give this one, as
my impression of it is quickly changing. Three stars for now, but in the near
future it will probably rate four as it is fast growing on me. St. Elmo's Fire
were a prog band from Ohio who recorded these tracks live at two clubs in
Cleveland in 1980. The sound quality is pretty decent, and most time you would
be hard pressed to tell that these are live recordings. The tone throughout is
very menacing and dark, similar to Red era King Crimson. Lots of heavy, jagged
guitar, evil sounding mellotron, and a vast array of additional keyboards add
to the final product. One of the few vocal songs, "Aspen Flambe" is a heavy
rocker with some harsh vocals that will turn you off at first, but then you
will realize that it fits the nature of the song. Most of the songs are long,
over seven minutes, and the longest track is "The Reluctant Bride" clocking in
at just over eleven minutes. Most of the music is dissonant, harsh and complex,
which makes for an initial uneasy listen, but very satisfying upon repeated
listening, much the same as mid-period Crimson, Henry Cow, Gentle Giant or
Island. Anyone who likes the recently released Morte Macabre CD should get into
this, as the mellotron is featured, along with the heavy guitar work. - Peter
Pardo |
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Aural Innovations, Issue # 5 USA |
St. Elmo's Fire were a Cleveland, Ohio based band that existed for
barely a year and a half from 1979 - 1981. If ever there was a limbo period for
progressive rock it was then. The classic period had wound down and the so
called neo-prog era was barely underway.
The band was a five piece made
up of Erich Feldman on guitar synth and effects, Mark Helm on drums, Paul
Kollar on bass, guitar, keyboards and tapes, Stephen John Stavnicky on
keyboards, percussion, flute and vox, and Elliot Weintraub on guitar,
percussion, effects and vox. They released one album, "Live At The Cleveland
Agora", which is presented here for the first time on CD with five tracks added
to the original four from the album.
The music is mostly instrumental
and reminded me of King Crimson meets Gentle Giant with a dash of Genesis. Only
two of the nine tracks have vocals. Complex arrangements, orchestral
backgrounds, lots of mellotron, and good heavy rockin' are the order of the
day.
The disc opens with a six minute dreamy keyboard build up to "Gone
To Ground In The Khyber Pass", a tune that reminded me of the earliest King
Crimson only more keyboard heavy. There is an edge of your seat intensity that
proved to be a trademark as I got deeper into subsequent tracks. Other standout
tracks were the mid-'70's Crimson influenced "The Abduction" and "The Nuremberg
Waltz". "Aspen Flambe" and "Fantasy Come Reality" are the two tracks with
vocals. "Aspen Flambe" has a bit of a metal influence, though I didn't care
much for the vocals. "Fantasy Come Reality" starts off as a Crimson sounding
tune complete with Wetton vocals. It then launches into a potent keyboard heavy
rocker whose ending sounds remarkably like "It" from The Lamb Lies Down On
Broadway.
Listening to St. Elmo's Fire I kept in mind the time period
and while stylisticly there are elements that seem to foreshadow the neo era,
the music is more in the classic progressive period, though again... not
firmly. Who knows what might have happened had they continued. My only
complaint with this CD is that the liner notes tell the story of Elmo to the
exclusion of any band history. If your going to release/re-release music from a
band few people ever knew then tell us the story. Musically though, it deserves
to be heard. - Jerry Kranitz |
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Harmonie Magazine, Issue #35 France |
Available for the first time on CD (embellished with 16 minutes of
bonus tracks not included on the vinyl version) this rare recording presents
two concerts from June and July 1980 respectively. This unknown group from Ohio
founded in Oct. 1979 and disbanded one and a half years later due to the
general media disdain of progressive music of that time ("same old story" comme
disait l'ami Phil!). However, this quintette performed a fresh, original,
powerful music without concession that was a thousand miles away from what we
were hearing at that time. Clearly influenced by the best of King Crimson, with
the intertwining guitar figures, irreproachable technique and an often arid
sound ("Lark's Tongues In Aspic" do you understand?). The group was created by
Erich Feldman (guitar synthesizer, effects), Paul M. Kollar (bass, 6&12
string guitars, bass pedals, keyboards, tape loops) who composed the repertoire
of the group separately and as a duo. Joined by Stephen John Stavnicky
(percussion, keyboards, gongs, flute and vox), Elliot Weintraub (guitar,
percussion, effects and vox), and the drummer/percussionist Mark Helm.
Fundamentally desperate, this is not easy music to get a handle on. The pieces
are rather long (4:15 to 11:18). As we know that this was recorded at the time,
live to two track (we seem to dream!). The restoration and remastering effected
by Sprawling Productions Ltd. is almost miraculous! Only the two bonus tracks
(recorded on cassette!) suffer from slightly poorer sound quality. Principally
instrumental, certain parts of the songs are done up in the manner of Eno on
his solo albums from the seventies. A story in the booklet (apparently on the
birth of the group) lets us know that this group had a sense of humor, enough
to reissue this work (song titles like "Parasites And Bureaucrats", for
example). Too bad that the words of the two pieces that have lyrics did not get
printed in the booklet. Finally available, this missing link in the annals of
American prog of the eighties, an absolute must have as is Mirthrandir or
Atlantis Philharmonic (although they sound like neither of these two...). -
Renaud Oualid |
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Acid Dragon, Issue #23 France |
Imagine... Imagine an unknown American band of the ‘80's with
such a talent it will obscure all the new releases. Imagine un-released tracks
by the Crimson King circa "Lark's Tongues In Aspic" but without John Wetton
(almost no vocals her and not so beautiful) and violin parts. Also forget Mr.
Fripp's plaintive guitar solos. But still with the main ingredients: inventive
percussives, great mellotron parts, desperate/saturated guitars, tight
musicianship. Imagine how those guys could have been in a studio: for the whole
album comes from several concerts. Yes, this American band is truly the heir of
the "red majesty", a brilliant one (remember side two of "Starless and Bible
Black" was recorded live too). So forget the clumsy cover and buy this real
masterpiece... or imagine what you are missing! - RR |
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Wondrous Stories issue # 82 October 1998 UK |
St. Elmo's Fire Splitting Ions In The Ether Sprawling Productions
Ltd. SPL-9801
St. Elmo's Fire were a prog rock band formed in Cleveland,
Ohio in the late 70's and who had a cult following in the US for a few years
due to the extremely high renown over there of bands such as King Crimson,
Gentle Giant and Peter Hammill, who without doubt were all great influences on
this band. This is a re-release of their material that has until now not been
available on CD. On seeing the title, I was immediately reminded of the Brian
Eno track of the same name and indeed the album title is a line from the lyrics
of this track. So when I heard the CD opener "Searching For Food" and found it
to be a Fripp & Eno style tonal dirge, I was somewhat puzzeled as to the
references in the accompanying promotional material to fast paced and powerful.
I don't know whether it was intentional but the album grows in complexity and
frenzy as it goes on. Starting out on a more or less single tone as mentioned,
the second track "Gone To Ground in the Khyber Pass" continues with Fripp style
guitar work but with touches of Tangerine Dream style synths in the background.
The next two tracks start to increase the pace and by the time we get to "Aspen
Flambe`" we've got Black Sabbath's Paranoid riff with Hawkwind's "Hassan I
Sagha" vocals. Following this the pace really does start to get frantic and the
latter tracks "Fantasy Come Reality" and "The Abduction" at times really
develop into crescendos of complexity that King Crimson would be proud of. Not
an album that I would recommend to neo-prog fans, but King Crimson devotees may
like it. ----Paul Allwood |
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Margen Magazine issue # 15 October 1998 Spain |
St. Elmo's Fire Splitting Ions In The Ether Sprawling Productions
Ltd. SPL-9801
This Cleveland quintet, mainly instrumental and totally
unknown to us, released this work in 1980. It is made up of Erich Feldman
(guitar synthesizer, effects), Mark Helm (Drums), Paul M. Kollar (bass,
guitars, keyboards, pedals & tape loops), Stephen John Stavnicky
(keyboards, percussion, flute & vox), and Elliot Weintraub (guitar,
percussion, effects & vox). The style they present is a dense progressive
rock loaded with analog keyboards, unbound crunching guitars and a rhythm
section that that really tears it up. At times they resemble the more intense
moments of the original King Crimson (or almost better, you'd think of
Arachnoid), but in general their style is their own. St. Elmo's Fire conceived
their music from a collective point of veiw, all of the pieces work from and
for a preset musical nucleus. The solos, therefore, are practically nonexistent
and as a departure they offer us a perfectly supported sonorous framework.
There are no great differences between the pieces - their theme seems to be
like classic Alejandro Dumas for all you mosqueteros (all for one and one for
all). But if you conclude from the previous statements that we are saying that
this album is ineffective or boring, forget it. The musical intensity that
hides here, which has no necessity of resorting to wild gesticulations, and
which will awaken passions among fans of good progressive, this which is all
simplicity on first listening, and which ends up a part of you forever. The
Balrog, Parasites & Bureaucrats, and The Reluctant Bride are the pieces I
listened to the most together with nearly thirty minutes of previously
unreleased material included here for the satisfaction of their followers.
Another wonderful essay unearthed thanks to the digital format. A jewel.
----Rafa Dorado |
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Ground & Sky, December 2000 USA |
St. Elmo's Fire were a 5-piece band from Cleveland, Ohio, who
released a live album in 1980 before calling it quits. That live album, along
with about 30 minutes worth of un-released material, is included in Splitting
Ions In The Ether. Their music, to my ears, sounds like a combination of
Starless And Bible Black-era King Crimson mixed with Klaus Schulze. The King
Crimson influence is rather obvious in the guitar playing, and during the jam
sessions. But many tracks feature atmospheric sections with Moog synths and
mellotron.
The quality of the music is high, but I must admit not
liking the vocal-based tracks (fortunately, there are only two tracks with
vocals). The sound quality is okay, but considering that these tracks were
recorded live, its not a problem. Overall, I recommend this CD to fans of King
Crimson, Robert Fripp, and synth-based space rock. If these guys had a chance
to record their music in a studio, they could have had a classic on their
hands. - Steve Hegede |
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