From Planet of Sound (Cincinatti, Ohio), April 1992

(Some spelling and typographical errors fixed)

COURSE OF EMPIRE  Course of Empire (Zoo)  [four smileys]

A Texas band (that sounds like they're from Australia or Ireland) with an
important message.  I have to admit that although I've been listening to
this disc every day since I received it, I haven't quite noticed what the
message is, because I've been so busy simply enjoying the diverse and 
engaging music that I still haven't gotten around to trying to decipher 
the deep philosophy and Eastern mysticism in the lyrics.  Let me take a 
look... ... ... ... hmmm.  Well, can't say I quite grasp it, but to give
you an idea of their outlook, the laid back instrumental at the end of 
the disc was recorded at sunrise, in the mountains, on Earth Day.  But I
digress.  The overall tone is a very slickly produced but mostly 
energetic electric-acoustic mix (something like U2 with balls) with 
industrial strength drumming (they have two drummers), with just a 
couple of mellow tunes (including one that sounds exactly like a Church
tune) that work well as changes of pace...