Planet 0 - The Hermit Dreams In Color !!!!- HRARTCD004
Recorded in Memphis, TN July 200l

Track Listing/order :
1 - Caution: Elephant Crossing
2 - The Descension Down The Rabbit Hole
3 - Moonbeams, Satellites And Shooting Stars
4 - The Minds Eye Sees Porkpie
5 - The Hermit Dreams In Color
6 - Home Is A Crushed Glass Eye
7 - Crown Of Deception
8 - Of Prophets And Golddust

The Minds Eye Sees Porkpie - 7:40

The Hermit Dreams In Color - 12:18

Review:

Planet 0 - "The Hermit Dream In Color!!!!" (Harsh Reality/Audiofile Round Tapes, HraRTCD004)

Uploaded to Aural Innovations: July 2004

Memphis, Tennessee space-meisters Planet 0 follow-up their 2001 debut, Set The Controls For Planet None (see AI #15), with two more CD's of all instrumental Space Rock. The band is still the quintet of Roger Moneymaker on guitar, Robert Hinson on bass, Richard McCracken on drums, Chris "Mental Anguish" Phinney and Carl "Nomuzic" Howard on all manner of electronic and noise making devices and human produced sounds.

The Hermit Dream in Color!!!! is loaded with freeform jams that stretch out between 8-13 minutes. The first several tracks have a strong 70's influence, which sounds very cool combined with the spaced out alien elements. "Caution: Elephant Crossing" begins with eerie atmospherics and voice samples, though things quickly soar into space as a banquet of electronics start to swirl. Then a rocking drum beat kicks in and the rhythm section launch into a steady grooving jam. It's a nice rockin' 70's styled jam tune, but taken into another dimension by the ultra spaced out electronics. "The Descension Down The Rabbit Hole" is a slow space drone tune that's once again based in a 70's jam styled. Very tasteful guitar leads from Moneymaker. I really like the melodic ethereal guitar sound on this tune, and combined with the hyper-kinetic electronics makes for a wild contrast. "Moonbeams, Satellites And Shooting Stars" is similar but with nice Bluesy melodic guitar leads. Space Blues.... yeah! But there are also sections that bring to mind a spaced out version of Derek and the Dominoes. Very cool.

With "The Minds Eye Sees Porkpie" we start to explore somewhat different territory, the song having a rockin' vibe that reminds me of Pressurehed - probably due to Hinson's bass - but the rest is all Planet 0 freeform jamming, and the song really develops into a very tasty groove rocker. "The Hermit Dreams In Color" is a standout track, featuring simple but gorgeous guitar lines combined with space electronics that are very much in sync with the guitar and rhythmic pulse. "Home Is A Crushed Glass Eye" gets into space-prog territory, the bass and drums creating an edge-of-your-seat intensity while the electronics do their sound exploratory magic. We're also treated to some of Moneymaker and Hinson's most fiery work of the set, with Hinson's bass in particular forming the backbone of the tune. One of my favorite tracks of the set. Finally, "Crown Of Deception" is a quickie 2 minute space blitz that leads into the closing track, "Of Prophets And Golddust", which starts with a drugged droning jam that has more of the 70's rock stylings heard on the first few tracks, but includes tripped out alien sound textures and some thunderous vibrations that shook my brain. But it's also got a kind of proggy feel as it transitions through multiple themes that create a narrative flow. A great closing track to a very nice set.

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Planet 0 - A Ragged Silhouette Against The Clouds - HRARTCD006
Recorded in Memphis, TN July 2002

Track Listing/order :
1 - Mesmerized By The Spectacle Of Destruction
2 - A Tinge Of Red On The Horizon
3 - Life At The Top Of The Slope
4 - A Rain Of Cold Blood Part 1
5 - An Odd Atmosphere About The Place
6 - Several Veils Of Blue Grey Smoke
7 - A Rain Of Cold Blood Part 2
8 - A Ragged Silhouette Against The Clouds

Mesmerized By The Spectacle Of Destruction - 8:40

A Ragged Silhouette Against The Clouds - 7:19

Review:

Planet 0 - "A Ragged Silhouette Against The Clouds" (Harsh Reality/Audiofile Round Tapes, HraRTCD006)

A Ragged Silhouette Against The Clouds features 8 more tracks of lengthy space jams, much of which bears the Planet 0 sound while exploring different realms. "Mesmerized By The Spectacle Of Destruction" opens with Frippoid guitar-scapes, bleeping synths and howling atmospherics, that really gel once the rhythm section kicks in. I like the way the guitar evolves from a vibrating ethereal sound (remember the Twin Peaks theme?) to a passionate Blues style, which sounds lovely enveloped in the space atmospherics and UFO synth fun. Lots of variety here that comes together very nicely.

For real rockin' action, "A Tinge Of Red On The Horizon" is a SMOKER of a tune, featuring ripping guitar and high intensity heavy rock, all within a kind of avant-space rock stew. Dig it! "Life At The Top Of The Slope" is a steady paced rocker with a bit of a whimsical feel at the beginning. It takes a while to get going but about halfway through the intensity level climbs and the band settle into a coherent theme. Excellent guitar work on this one, combining cool sounds with tasty leads. Ditto for the bass which sent potent pulsations between my cranium and chest cavity. "A Rain Of Cold Blood Part 1" takes the band into powerful Stoner-Psych territory. Imagine deep-in-space instrumental Black Sabbath. This is one for my Atomic Bongload radio show. Part 2 comes later in the set but is equally stoned, though more in psychedelic garage rock mode than Sabbath. At over 16 minutes, "An Odd Atmosphere About The Place" is the longest track on either of these CD's, and is a totally spaced out psychedelic heavy rock jam. Just dig those bubbling and whining guitar notes and cosmic atmospherics. Mmmmmmm.... yummy!!

Another highlight is "Several Veils Of Blue Grey Smoke". Oooooh.... funky! Kind of like a blend of Ash Ra Tempel's more rock oriented moments and the Grateful Dead (Carl will send DEATH my way from Heath for that analogy!!) But it's completely spaced of course. And each musician is off in their own individual realm, though playing as a cohesive whole. A nice free-wheeling jam and I like the trippy feel good vibe of the music. But Planet 0 also get into prog mode too - raw as it is - with a cool orchestral mellotron sounding section. Finally, "A Ragged Silhouette Against The Clouds" is a nice easy paced spacey, melodic closing track. Overall, two excellent sets of freeform, jamming space rock.

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Planet 0 - Set The Controls For Galaxy None - HRARTCD002
Recorded July 2000 in Memphis, TN

Track Listing/order :
1 - Mothership Departure
2 - Star Cluster Dusters
3 - Fragrance Of Meteorite
4 - Tail Of The Comet
5 - Mothership Return

Mothership Departure - 9:52

Fragrance Of Meteorite - 5:10

Reviews:

Planet 0 - "Set The Controls For Galaxy None"
(Harsh Reality/Audiofile RoundTapes 2000, HRaRTCD02)

From Aural Innovations #15 (April 2001)

Imagine if you will. A being from New Jersey lands his craft in Memphis, Tennessee. Like-minded mutants reside there and together they create dark, droning, jamming space rock with bits of psychedelia and hints of jazz. Planet 0 is yet another project from Mental Anguish and Nomuzic, this time in full band mode. Chris Phinney and Carl Howard on synthesizers are joined by Roger Moneymaker on guitars, Robert Hinson on bass, and Richard McCracken on drums for a voyage into some of the galaxy's coldest and darkest realms.

There may be a story here. We start with "Mothership Departure, encounter star dusters, meteorites, and comets, and the end with "Mothership Return". "Mothership Departure" sets the tone for the set with a deep droning bass and steady drumming while the guitar kicks out slow, whining, and equally droning licks. Around this the synthesizer duo creates droning, fuzzed, freaky space textures and sounds that construct the eerie cosmic landscape against which the rock trio jams. The atmosphere is intense and this would be great music for a sci fi/horror flick. If Argento did sci fi then Planet 0 would be a spot on choice for the soundtrack.

"Star Cluster Dusters" features sustained, echoed guitar notes that work well in contrast to the rapidly dancing patterned synths. The valium-paced droning rock jam combined with the wired up bug-eyed synths is pretty damn freaky. A good track. On "Fragrance Of Meteorite", Hinson's bass takes the lead playing a melody so low and thudding he could be drafted into a stoner band if he happened to pick up the pace a bit. Finally, "Mothership Return" opens with spaced out synths, and a brain-splitting pulsating drone. If this is the mothership's return than she must be running the hardest part of course because even in its first minutes these are the most cosmic sounds on the disc. Totally spaced atmospherics and slow freaked out psychedelic guitar jamming make this the bleary eyed epic of Planet 0's journey.

In summary, Planet 0 don't vary a whole lot, but taken as a whole this is a thoroughly enjoyable space jam disc. Don't expect feel good music. This stuff is dark dark DARK. Kind of like Chrome overdosed on Valium. So get a stern look on your mug, prepare your suit and breathing apparatus, and climb aboard. It's a fun ride.

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

PLANET 0: Set the Controls to Galaxy None (CDR on Harsh Reality Music/Audiofile Round Tapes) from Matt Howarths Sonic Curiousity.

Planet 0 (that's "zero", not "Oh") consists of: Roger Moneymaker (from Swine Bolt 45) on guitars, Robert Hinson (from Viktimized Karcass) on bass, Richard McCracken on percussion, Chris Phinney on electronics, and Carl Howard on even more electronics. This conjunction of indie talent produces 45 minutes of sultry space music.

The guitars growl and grind with astral dedication, resounding from a distance. The drums roll out rhythms in the fashion of live improv jazz, steady but peppered with novel breaks. The bass rumbles like an oncoming thunderstorm. The electronics swarm like alien insects trapped in a flowing aspic of unearthly constitution.

The fusion of these instruments creates a languid voyage through the interstellar void. Gurgling synthesizers unfurl just beyond the view portal of the sonic spacecraft, roiling like turgid nebulas imbued with unconventional animation. The drawling guitar adds fire to these cosmic clouds, while the terse basslines remind the audience of their terrestrial origins, a sort of visceral lifeline to insure that no one gets lost in the interplanetary vacuum. The gestalt relaxes as it invigorates.

This tuneage is a superb example of space jazz, and would be welcome in any lunar station or farflung outpost.

All Music Copyright Harsh Reality Music/Planet 0/Audiofile Round