Wovenhand

On 2004's Consider the Birds, Wovenhand's David Eugene Edwards made the Old Testament new again via lyrics that doubled as fierce and unforgiving divination. This time around, his intentions are just as prophetic; the title may reference an artistic style, but it's also an allusion to Moses. Musically, though, Mosaic is more subtle than its predecessor, with Edwards conjuring primeval sounds that seem utterly timeless. The opening tracks set the tone for the remainder of the disc; the eerie instrumental fragment "Breathing Bull" bleeds into "Winter Shaker," a number highlighted by gothic moaning and Edwards' echo-drenched delivery of the phrase "all his glory." Just as striking are the mystical "Twig," based on lines penned in the Fourth Century, and "Slota Prow/Full Armour," a dark montage that finds our hero "in the helmet of his salvation/With his belt of truth." The effect suggests an ancient figure slowly emerging from history's mist. Throughout Mosaic, Edwards guides listeners into the distant past. Lord only knows if he'll ever return.

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• David Eugene Edwards