Coming fresh off their 2000 career retrospective, Tangents, Canadian mystic rockers the Tea Party storm into the second phase of their career with The Interzone Mantras. In all honesty, it differs very little from the first phase. Longtime fans of the band's unique (at least for contemporary times) amalgamation of Led Zeppelin-esque musical power and guitar pomposity, Doors-like grandiose and occasionally pretentious lyrics (complete with Jim Morrison look- and sound-alike lead singer, Jeff Martin), all buffed up to a shine in modern production gloss will find much to admire with the latest release. As with previous releases, the band has composed a few stellar singles (the creepy mid-tempo rocker "Lullaby," the meditative "Angels") that manage to sound equally at home on classic or alternative rock radio. What is surprising, though, is that virtually all the remaining tracks are as equally cohesive and well-crafted. In fact, The Interzone Mantras is arguably their most consistent album. That being said, listeners who have never been seduced by the charms of the Tea Party will likely not change their opinion with the latest release, and casual fans are still best served by Tangents. However, the album is sure to please long-term fans and captures the sound and energy of a band obviously still enjoying their craft. As with Lenny Kravitz albums, it's easy (and sometimes frustrating) to play "spot-the-influences" ("White Water Siren is Led Zeppelin's "Friends"; "Must Must" is "Kashmir"), but the band manages to put enough of a modern spin on them that they end up sounding more like respectful nods to their influences rather than slavish imitations. The Tea Party may have found a comfortable niche entering their second decade together, but with The Interzone Mantras, they are certainly not resting on their laurels.
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