You have to admire Athan Maroulis' diversity. Those who are familiar with his
Blue Dahlia project of 2000 know that he can be a suave, romantic, 1940s-like jazz/pre-rock pop crooner along the lines of early
Frank Sinatra and
Billy Eckstine. But it wasn't
Blue Dahlia that put Maroulis on the map in the music world, he is better known as the lead vocalist of the industrial/darkwave group
Spahn Ranch, which doesn't sound anything at all like Dahlia. Noisy, abrasive and forceful,
Ranch provided some of the most memorable industrial grooves of the 1990s. This excellent two-CD set, which Cleopatra released in 2000, focuses on
Ranch's early recordings. Technically, the title Anthology: 1992-1994 is inaccurate because "Communication" was recorded in 1991; pointing that out might seem like nit-picking, but collectors take their recording dates seriously. Nonetheless, industrial enthusiasts will find a lot to admire about this collection, which paints an impressive picture of
Ranch's 1991-1994 period. These recordings are everything industrial artists pride themselves on being -- dark, disturbing, and pessimistic lyrically, aggressive and in your face musically. Maroulis wrote all of the lyrics, and you have to applaud the fact that the same guy who is capable of singing Hoagie Carmichael's "Stardust" and
Cole Porter's "Night and Day" convincingly with
Blue Dahlia is just as effective belting out the nihilistic lyrics of "Cesium 137," "Breath and Taxes," "Peel," and other
Ranch gems that Cleopatra offers on this collection. For those who are seeking an introduction to
Ranch's early output, Anthology is the logical choice. ~ Alex Henderson