"Seance" marks the third album by the Australian psychedelic rock band The Church, hitting the airwaves in 1983. Departing from the jangling psychedelia of its predecessor, "The Blurred Crusade," this album delves into a more atmospheric and brooding realm, accentuated by an increased use of keyboards while guitars provide textural depth.
Notably, the album showcases the band's experimentation, particularly evident in the psychedelic noise experiment "Travel By Thought," which foreshadows their extended improvised tracks in later years. All songs on the album were solely penned by Steve Kilbey, the band's frontman.
One of the album's defining features is the heavy use of gated reverb on the drum sound, notably on the single "Electric Lash," where the snare fills have been likened to a "machine gun." This choice, implemented by mixing engineer Nick Launay despite the band's disapproval, has become notorious among fans and band members alike.
Despite its mixed reception, "Seance" boasts standout tracks like "One Day," "It's No Reason," and "Now I Wonder Why," which have earned acclaim within the band's repertoire. The album spawned two minor hits, "It's No Reason" and "Electric Lash," and maintained a presence in the British independent charts for several months.
Over the years, "Seance" has been revisited and remastered, with EMI Australia releasing a remastered edition in 2002 featuring bonus tracks and promo videos. Second Motion Records also contributed to its legacy with a single disc remaster in 2010 as part of their 30th Anniversary Series.
