"Destination Eschaton" is a song recorded by Scottish band the Shamen, released in August 1995 by One Little Indian as the first single from the band's sixth album, Axis Mutatis (1995). The song was written by Colin Angus and Richard West, and features vocals by American guest vocalist Victoria Wilson James. It was a hit in several countries in Europe, peaking within the top 10 in Finland (6) and Scotland (9). In the UK, it peaked at number 15 in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on 13 August 1995. In the US, "Destination Eschaton" reached number 14 on the BillboardHot Dance Club Play chart. A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by German director Nico Beyer and William Latham, featuring the band performing aboard a spaceship.
In his review of Axis Mutatis, John Bush from AllMusic complimented the song as "enjoyable".[2]Larry Flick from Billboard named it "one of the act's better efforts."[3] Steve Baltin from Cash Box described it as "a futuristic, fast-paced techno assault on the ears." He added, "The Shamen have already set themselves up as hit makers in the clubs, this new single should enjoy similar dance/club success. Particularly impressive is the enunciation they give to the vocals, showing that techno is not just about the beat, but words, as well. However, in this case, the beat is the star."[4] In his weekly UK chart commentary in Dotmusic, James Masterton viewed it as "a well made single".[5]
British-based music and entertainment retailer HMV named it Single of the Week.[6]Paul Lester from Melody Maker wrote, "It sounded like a compelling piece of commercial techno, and it felt good to have Colin Angus, an intelligent pop star and a decent human being to boot, back in the charts."[7] A reviewer from Music & Media commented, "Very misleading—it's not as instantly catchy as their past singles, but rest assured memorability will grow with each spin. The Shamen remain on the top as the most melodic dance outfit."[8] Mark Sutherland from NME said, "Well, they kick of with another E's are good-type number", opining that "the drug-addled witterings on 'Destination Eschaton' weren't even blatant enough for a Daily Mirror story, let alone a Top Ten hit."[9] Garry Mulholland from Select wrote that "it sounds like every other 'Take You Higher' anthem, times ten."[10]
^Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN978-951-1-21053-5.
^"M-1 Top 40". M-1.fm. 27 August 1995. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
