Nocturnal Emissions

Marbled Smoke Vinyl. If "Cathedral" is one of Nigel Ayers' most celestially minded records, then "Invocation of the Beast Gods" is among his most ritualistic. We start at full throttle with suffocating tension before giving way to an uneasy release. "Tranquil" this is not, but Ayers' delicate touch allows him to explore the full breadth of the album title's implications _ here you will find moments of whimsy, contemplation, and full-bore reckoning