A Review of "Sacrifice" by Mike Sugimoto
(who gave it 10 out of 10)
August 1st 1996

It's not hard to see the influence that Depeche Mode's Songs of Faith and Devotion (particularily Martin Gore's haunting "Walking in My Shoes") has had on Gary in his production of this album. Often compared favorably to Telekon in terms of darkness and mood, Sacrifice, in my opinion, blows the earlier album right out of the water. It is a frighteningly bleak aural picture that resonates through all ten tracks on the disc - in short, it is wonderful. To me, it seems clear Gary is, much like Douglas Coupland did in "Life After God," questioning our relationship with whatever higher powers may be out there. This is obvious in songs like "A Question of Faith," and subtle in "Love and Napalm," with the line "When God heard your prayer it said `I am not your friend'.. Laughed like a fallen angel and said `I have no love to send'." This exploration of the faiths is intriguing, to say the least.

However, my vote for best song on the entire album goes to "The Seed of a Lie," which is perhaps one of the saddest songs he's ever written. I think I like this one so much because it parallels my life and it's about much of the same things I've been writing about in my own work - a kind of "I love you.. oh, wait, was this your heart I just ran over with my truck?" thought process. The last lines are especially revealing: "Do you remember I said to you, `Love is a mountain but harder to climb.. it should be forever, but love is unkind to me.. don't let me down.' And you let me down.'" Most people who have been betrayed by someone for whom they cared deeply can relate to this song than I could ever explain.

In a way, it's strange, because I've enjoyed Gary's music for the LACK of emotion - my collection features a large chunk of Celtic and classical music; artists like Sarah McLachlan, Mae Moore, October Project, Wild Strawberries, and so on, all of it very emotionally involving. Gary's music provides a nice contrast, a sometimes very bleak and cold outlet for me when I don't feel like sobbing to "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy." (I like to use "Berserker" as an example of this - it is a VERY distant and cold song.) But "The Seed of a Lie," like "Heart" (from Outland) is an emotionally involving song, for me anyway. From an artist that rarely does that to me, it is a rare treat indeed.