Behold... the Arctopus - Skullgrid [2007] (Technical Instrumental Progressive Metal)
Lable : Black Market Activities/Metal Blade
I can barely comprehend how good this album is. Although it may be filled with technical wankery at times, that's part of what makes it truly great. I can't think of another band that can play with this degree of technicality and actually keep one interested throughout an entire album. I had bought Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning, their previous EP, and liked it so much that I decided to pre-order this most recent release. Upon hearing it, I was intensely glad that I did.
The album begins with a minute of apparently random notes with seemingly little structure, but that's okay because the next track is pure gold. "Canada" might possibly be my favorite track on the album, as it has great drumming and a nice solo, with the signature Behold... the Arctopus interlude somewhere in the middle. You've got to hand it to these guys, as they actually write out all their music. While it may sound like noodling, their music is meticulously crafted and I think that comes through if one listens enough.
Another highlight is Mick Barr's guest solo on "You Are Number Six" (even thought it is quite a dense track). Additionally, "Scepters" includes great warr guitar playing, courtesy of Colin Marston, and a well-written solo. "Transient Exuberance" also deserves a mention here because of its amazing drumming and overall completeness, even though it does take a while to develop.
This album is a great buy for fans of this genre. However, BTA may not be a band that everyone will enjoy, mainly because their songs do not contain any sort of a normal structure. I'd say the only thing that could top this would be their previous effort, Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning, so I encourage you to pick that up as well. Support these guys, they need it!
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sick sick sick....!!
BalasHapus