Current 93
Thunder Perfect Mind

THE REVIEW

If you decide to own just one album of David Tibet's creation, you should definitely make "Thunder Perfect Mind" yours. Released in 1992, this work is the exact watershed between the old and new Current 93. It's no coincidence that the guitar of Douglas P. and that of John Cashmore coexist here. Here Douglas bids us farewell definitively (this is his last appearance with Current), while Cashmore celebrates his dazzling debut, thus starting a long and fruitful collaboration with mastermind Tibet: a symbolic handover marking the beginning of a new era.

In this crucial episode of Current 93's career, which inaugurates the happy folk season, Tibet decides to leave behind the industrial and electronic extremisms that characterized the beginnings, landing in the more reassuring dimension of arcane and bucolic music where the sound is simplified, less harsh, and more melodic (but certainly not commercial!). It’s no coincidence that the opening is led by the voice of Shirley Collins, an old glory of English folk music, an immense source of inspiration for Tibet in this album and his future productions. This maturation/evolution does not constitute a denial of the spirit that has always animated his music: changed is the form, the substance remains the same, a sorrowful ritual aimed at celebrating the imminent apocalypse. And so, among the various gems of acoustic folk, perhaps the most beautiful and famous ever composed by the group, streaks of insane experimentalism and disturbing esoteric madness continue to coexist, tinting with darkness the decadent poetics of this work: it is precisely the perfect amalgamation of these elements that makes "Thunder Perfect Mind" the most representative and complete work in our vast discography, a mandatory passage point for those wanting to penetrate the essence of their music.

From a lyrical standpoint, we do not encounter a mystical-philosophical concept as the album's title might lead us to think: "Thunder Perfect Mind" is indeed one of the Nag Hammadi Codices, among the oldest texts dealing with Gnosticism, but the discussion effectively concludes within the title track. The other tracks are rather statements of affection that Tibet addresses to people dear to him, and they seem to find their common thread in the warmth and extreme intimacy that permeates the entire album. Among others, one can mention the beautiful "A Song For Douglas After He's Dead" (dedicated to his friend Douglas P., at the time recently recovered from a deep depressive crisis that had brought him close to suicide), and "Hitler as Kalki" (dedicated to his father, who fought against Hitler in World War II, whose death would be honored in 2000 with the intense "Sleep has his House"). As for the strictly musical content, we find Tibet in an unusual guise of a medieval minstrel. Although he certainly does not shine for excellent vocal qualities, the new melodic dimension does not penalize him at all, instead allowing him to fully exploit his potentials, elevating him to the protagonist of an outstanding performance: having abandoned the effects he was used to manipulating and deforming his voice, his vocals become minimal and evocative, rich in pathos and sentiment while narrating the usual end-of-the-world scenarios. What amazes is the extraordinary ability to change register from one track to another, and so, more intimate moments dominated by melancholy alternate with more tense moments, where the singer assumes the prophetic and threatening tones of an obsessed preacher.

The acoustic guitars of the aforementioned Pierce and Cashmore are the true pillars of the new sound. Sound that is enriched in the arrangement phase thanks to the valuable contributions of the musicians involved in the project. One cannot fail to mention, in this regard, the enchanting melodies of Julie Wood's violin (still alongside Tibet today in live performances), or the magical voice of Rose McDowall (an old acquaintance in the Current house) called upon to support the singer with her ethereal warblings. But there is also room for the sick vocals of friend John Balance (voice of Coil, recently deceased), for the gentle harp of James Malindaine-Lafayette, for the distorted bass of Karl Blake (previously with Sol Invictus), for the electric guitar of Nick Saloman, and many others. A special mention goes to the indispensable Steven Stapleton (mind behind Nurse with Wound), responsible for the excellent production work (sounds have never been so clean and crystalline) and the frequent electronic incursions, which contaminate the acoustic corpus of the songs without altering them. All these elements make the album very varied and diversified, a kaleidoscope of lights, colors, and shadows that blend so well together that the result appears as a coherent and perfectly compact whole.

Among the most evocative moments, one cannot fail to mention the formidable initial four: "The Descent of Long Satan and Babylon," "A Sadness Song," the aforementioned "A Song For Douglas After He's Dead" (perhaps the most beautiful piece signed by Tibet, opened by the harp and enriched by the melancholic embroidery of the violin and the sweet singing of McDowall) and "In The Heart Of The Wood And What I Found there" are beautiful and extremely fascinating songs that will, for a long time, be performed live as true warhorses of their repertoire. The frightening title track, divided into two parts, represents their experimental counter-icon: a dark ritual in which Tibet's ominous voice and Stapleton's electronics work together to create a moment of mystical stasis in perfect Popol Vuh style. Finally noteworthy is "All The Stars Are Dead Now," a suite of almost 10 minutes in which Tibet's manic and altered vocals paint, in a crescendo of delirium, reverberations, and echoes, scenarios, visions, and prophecies of the impending end; "Rosy Star Tears from Heaven," a brief delirious interlude where Tibet, not without irony, re-embraces the ancient growl, and the epic "Hitler as Kalki," an impressive 16-minute crescendo featuring an unusual oriental-sounding guitar and ethnic percussion.

These are, in my opinion, the most interesting moments of a complex and exhausting journey (we are close to 80 minutes!), certainly not easily digestible, where you may encounter moments of genuine difficulty (especially in the middle section of the work, dominated by folk songs, albeit inspired ones, a bit too similar to each other, which can severely test even the most patient listener!), but which will certainly give you great emotions, always if you have the willingness and patience to delve into the magical atmosphere of this album.