OV

I think that in general, when I find an album that I like, I generally know why. Moreover, I don't understand how can someone else can't like it (my mean mean brain works that way).

This album does neither. I don't understand why I like it so much, and I do understand why so many people hate this.

But the truth is, that I love this album dearly. It is a meditative experience that in the purest ways, cleans the body out of all toxic waste, while leaving it drastically altered and disturbed. So yes, rather a paradoxical experience.

There really isn't much to say about the album. It is more or less, minimalist complexity. One 45 minute song. Mick Barr, the insane shredding monster that he is, pretty much exercises the same insanely dissonant, shred-type riff, for about 17 minutes. It is in a way the ultimate test of patience the first time around. Josh Blair's drums just drive this riff forward,- rolling tom tom and bass drum grooves that are hypnotizing you and putting you in some demonic state.

Every time there's a drum fill, you expect something different. But no! You will get the same repetitive riffing, again and again and again. When in the 17 minute mark, the drums finally stop and Mick Barr changes riff, it is almost like bliss. It almost like finishing a hard work out and the great feeling after it- a feeling of achievement as much as pleasure.

But pretty quickly Mick Barr does different riffs, but constantly repeats them once again. You cannot say, that this man doesn't have stamina. To be able to be treble picking straight for 45 minutes, is quite the achievement.

The riffing goes on and on and on.

When you listen to this album, while knowing what to expect, it not only becomes easier, but rather enjoyable in a way. You get hypnotized from the whole ordeal. The fact that this album can rather easily be shortened to a 5 minute version, and still have all the riffs in there, can actually make the album go by incredibly fast. It's the ideal way of time travel, sort of. It shows you how 45 minutes can feel like 10.

So, while I love thing, I don't find it remotely essential, for anyone, as most will definitely hate it, understandably so. It's repetitive, exceedingly dissonant, headache inducing at times. But if you want one of the more bizarre experiences of your life, listening to this. Whether you like or not is to be seen.

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