PURGE SOLENOID

Purge Solenoid brings the heavier side of the eclectic rainbow with their debut onto the prog scene. Transtactile does not have much visible influence by prog bands of old, but they do indeed have their own theme. Much in the vein of something I'd think of as by Mahavishnu Orchestra, almost every song (if not every) is zany, powerful, and leaves a strong aftereffect of great magnitude. Although repetition is a basic theme, I will not go against it. Many bands have indeed had similar sounding songs; bands of any genre, but it doesn't matter because in the end it all holds up it's end of the deal and gives the album a basic theme: insane. I love insane music- weird, just strange things that may not even be classified songs have not much sway on me but I can coexist. This is of course different from what people would call "noise" (a genre I rarely find myself delving into), but does have a similar foreground of wacky instrumentation. Magnificent skill is taken with these sorts of things and Solenoid does not disappoint.

May be crazy, but never stoops to monotonous.

— First review of this album —

Purge Solenoid's debut EP is one of heavy psychedelic rock music, spitting out one paroxysmal passage after another. For those who like the spacey side of The Mars Volta, this is worth checking out.

"Alabaster Box" Psychedelic guitar and saxophone in the vein of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez gets things started.

"Spectral Divinations" Frenzied percussion batter through a chaotic sonic atmosphere. Thunderous bass contrasts with a high-pitched, distant vocal.

"Hands of Orlac" Swirling guitar trades blows with that booming rhythm section as the vocalist careens through the kaleidoscope sounds.

"Blind Auspice" In stark contrast to the insanity of the previous two tracks, this piece involves interstellar washes of distant, lonely noise.

"Nebulous" Quavering guitar flashes throughout the closing song. The vocalist is closer to earth this time around. The bassist and drummer provide a variety of rhythmic shifts. All of this sculpts the most satisfying work on this psychedelic quintet.