Multitudes still know where they were when JFK was shot, Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon or when the planes crashed into the WTC towers. For a few thousand Belgians July 7th 1996 is a memorable date too. (tyfc: actually our sources say it was July 13th and it probably wasn't their first gig in Europa but let's not nit-pick ;-).

Then Sixteen Horsepower blew away all those present at the Cactus festival during its first show on European soil. Sixteen Horsepower, God's own terrestrial army, rapidly gained a large and loyal following and live the band always warranted a steaming bible-rock spectacle.

Gradually the band was troubled with differences of opinion and musically speaking too the trade was spoiled the last couple of years. A split became inevitable. Frontman David Eugene Edwards applied himself to his sideproject Woven Hand. After two full-fledged albums and the dance project Blush (together with Wim Vandekeybus) Woven Hand now releases Mozaic (sic).

“Breathing Bull,” the flat instrumental opener is somewhat of a disappointment, but after that the band manages to grab the listener by the scruff of the neck with "Winter Shaker". Straightaway the air smells dangerously of brimstone when Edwards summons his devils and sings “All His Glory” with a loud head-voice. Yes, Edwards still prefers to write his His'ses with a capital H. Listen good Lordi: this is real Hardrock Hallelujah.

So Woven Hand has reached cruising speed, but unfortunately the band then changes down two gears. "Swedish Purse" floats on a sort of medieval lullaby on organ which works like a lullaby too. Even after listening to it 10 times the song refuses to come to life properly. That is also "Twig'"s problem. Even though Edwards marks that song with one of the best lines of the album ("Break the darkness of the sky/ in him the host of wanderers/ leave the way of the wicked lie").

After that "Whistling Girl" fortunately hits the bull's-eye. The song wouldn't have been out of place on Sackcloth 'n Ashes or Secret South as it a composite of all the best Sixteen Horsepower had to offer back then. A playful, almost dancing piano, intense lyrics and rolling drums close upon Edwards' heels as if they were the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

"Elktooth" and "Bible and Bird" - the second but not last instrumental - then serve the same purpose as a commercial during an exciting movie. An ideal moment to go to the loo or get something from the fridge, but if you have the remote handy, you can better skip this part and go straight to the sinister and threatening "Dirty Blue", the record's absolute highlight.

"This fear is only the beginning" Edwards sneers foaming at the mouth, and you bet that only trained listeners can stop themselves from crying. Elin Palmer's violin - which also lifted Secret South to high altitudes - and Ordy Garrison's drums combine to create a rhythm that is so compelling that this might be the closest that Woven Hand ever manage to get to a dance track. Fortunately.

Thereupon "Slota Prow" starts frustratingly - whining and long-winding - but when the song blossoms it turns out to be a beautiful crossbreed between Joy Division and The Virgin Prunes, during If I Die, I Die. A dubious case …

There's nothing to find fault with the next three songs ("Full Armour", "Truly Golden" and "Deerskin Doll") but there's also not much good to report. Neither fish nor flesh then and that won't do for a band like Woven Hand. Closer "Little Raven" is another instrumental. So the circle has been rounded, but from Edwards you should expect a few more barbed hooks.

Mozaic certainly isn't the slap in the face that Sackcloth 'n Ashes and Secret South were and consequently won't make many proselytes. For the already converted the album does contain enough gratifying listening fodder and as the 'Son of a preacherman' Edwards continues to reach great heights. Moreover Sixteen Horsepower bass player Pascal Humbert is said to join his old master live and this might just result in spectacular performances. For instance on July 8th in Liège and July 13th in Deurne.