“Fourth Sequence” is the aptly named fourth double single release from continent stretching Electronica/New Wave/ Post-Punk outfit Sequential Zero. Part of the Matravison Productions label/collective that also includes Australia’s & my Post Punk darlings – Sounds Like Winter, US experimental/Alternative act Orcus Nullify and angry antipodeans with something to say – Sea Lungs.
“Forth Sequence” see’s SLW front-man Ant Bannister on vox & production, Bruce (Orcus) Nullify on guitars & vox & Colin Gallagher of Burnt Souls on Synths & vox.
A happy little release the 2-track single tells both a cautionary musical tale of the inherent loneliness of modern online connections & also offers a prayer, invoking the ancient & oft considered magical theophoric mandala – The Sator Square: A prayer of protection that asks if we could all please not die in a fiery cataclysmic hell of our own making. Lets hope it works.
First track “Last one to Fall” is a guitar heavy, rhythmic cry of angst in the face of desperate loneliness where Ant Bannister poses the eternal questions “What are we to do?” & “Who will be the last one to fall?” As stated more guitar heavy than the 3 previous sequences, “Last one to Fall” shows the influence & experimental guitar-based sound of multi-instrumentalist Bruce Nullify & counterpoints the bouncing ethereal synths of Colin Gallagher & the plaintive questioning vocals from Ant perfectly.
The 2nd track on this 2 track single is “Endless Night & Day” which is a New – New-Wave, electronica classic. Think early 80’s analogue experimental synth-wave like Frank Tovey’s Fad Gadget or John Foxx but laden with more visceral intent & punctuated with sweeping, effect heavy, jangly Goth Rock style guitar. “Endless Night & Day” was the first track that the band worked on as Sequential Zero & is also the first track that introduces Colin Gallagher on vox for the verses & definitely want to hear more of that.
It’s all subjective but have to say for me this is my favourite one of the two tracks, in fact weirdly on all the other sequences so far it’s been track 2 that’s been the one to get me more. We’ll see if I get full set when Sequence 5 is released.
As with everything that Sequential Zero have put out to date, this “Fourth Sequence” is intelligent, thought provoking & also absolutely bangin’. A 2-part tale of isolation in a digital world & a Mithraic prayer to the universe that you can dance to.
The Penultimate release in a conceptual series of 5 & with an album on the way too, I for one can’t wait to hear what the next sequence holds.
“Fourth Sequence” was released on 11th July 2022 & is available as a digital download now.
You can dance your loneliness or indeed the end of the world away here: https://sequentialzero.bandcamp.com/album/fourth-sequence
And for those that maybe haven’t got the other sequences in this conceptual set yet, then you can & should do that on the links below:
First Sequence: https://sequentialzero.bandcamp.com/album/first-sequence
Second Sequence: https://sequentialzero.bandcamp.com/album/second-sequence
Third Sequence: https://sequentialzero.bandcamp.com/album/third-sequence
And seeing as you’re already here why not check out the new promo video for 3rd Sequence single “My Darker Side” edited by Bruce (Orcus) Nullify.