Psychotica - VampireFreaks.com

Artist: Psychotica
Album: Pandemic (unreleased)

Psychotica is a band that had it’s share of mixed luck: Lead singer Pat Briggs is featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “Future of music” exhibit and his band, Psychotica, was signed on their second practice session to Ventrue records. The unfortunate side being the majority of their albums remain unavailable and Briggs’ talent, unrecognized. One can only get their hands on the mediocre “Espina” and if they are lucky, their self-titled début. After several label changes and finally settling on Red Ant, Psychotica recorded what was to be their landmark album. “Pandemic,” only to have it never be released. . .commercially, that is.
With the exception of a few sparse records handed out at a Chicago listening party, the tracks are in the Red Ant Vault and will more than likely stay there. For Psychotica fans not so privileged to have attended the Chicago event, fans and the band have gathered together a selection of the album and out takes that can be found here http://www-ec.njit.edu/~asm3072/psychotica/pandemic.html and here http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/231/psychotica.html .
Pandemic opens with a melodic guitar/violin which shifts quickly into high gear with the open notes of the first song, “Fool’s Gold.” This song swings between frantic electric guitars and synthesized string ambience. Angelic voices back Briggs’ often brash voice. The album floats through deep swells and decrescendos having no defiantly climax or closing. In fact, the album cycles. The beginning of the first song, “Into,” picks up right where the last song, “Valentino” leaves off.
Not only does the music take the listener through the gamut of human emotions, so do the lyrics. In “Oceans of Hunger,” Pat croons to the listeners, “And I wish you were the conscience lost forever in the war/Wish you were my spirit what went out with the storm/Wish you were the air that feeds the fire,” he brags in “Euthanasia,” “You were a slave in heaven/And now a superstar in hell” and assures him/her in “Contradiction,” “I used to be a feather in your headdress/But it beats the fucking loneliness /And I'm happy now.” The only disappointment was the song “Valentino,” where Briggs and band over-dramatize a refrain. It feels like a rough jolt from the serene sadness of the rest of the piece. It feels like a Broadway musical gone sour. This being said, Pandemic is a must for new listeners and hard-core Psychotica fans alike. Who knows what could have been, with this possible break-though album left in the vaults. Everyone should check it out because you sure can’t beat the price.
-reviewed by Aubrey Zich (Kissofmeth/VyL8) kissofmeth@groovenet.org
July, 2002

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