PIDANOMA

What a great surprise!

It is well known between my colleagues and friends that I am not a real fan of metal in none of its genres and phases, however, there are some bands (actually albums) that I really dig, and now I am about to say that this new album by Argentinean band Random is joining that club. Thanks to the band themselves for letting me know about this album and sharing the music to me, I am happy with the result and surprised about my positive reception to it. Well, this is the second album by this prog metal band from Tucum'n, an album entitled 'Pidanoma' that features 5 tracks and a total time of 62 minutes, so as you can imagine, there are some long compositions here.

The album kicks off with 'Corto Normal' which shows the power of this trio, though it is not power foolish spread like some other metal acts (sorry for being mean towards this genre), here that energy is well composed and spread through intelligent and original compositions, and though the heavy vocals are not truly my cup of tea, I can deal with them, something I cannot do with other ones. 'Ojota y Media' is a curious short track that starts with a brief radio testimony and salutations, and later continues with an experimental passage when something like loud machines sound, weird, but not bad.

Now the long compositions come. The first epic is 'Mee Chango' which lasts over 17 minutes. Here the power trio enjoy what they do, one can listen to their power and heavy sound and know the music is a kind of therapy in which they compose and perform several life signs, facts that surround their lives and may be exposed through the music. In moments the voice sounds really loud, I actually prefer the experimental instrumental moments, such as the one here after 4 minutes where a dark and nervous atmosphere appears, accompanied by constant drums and strings here and there. Another thing I must mention due to its relevance, is the inclusion of a saxophone, man, it was a great decision, it produces new nuances and helps the passage being even more intuitive, more experimental. Now the music simply flows, the metal side may not be that obvious here, the heavy sound is, but not truly in a metal-ish way; it flows and becomes like a jam, experimental sound in which there are some extra noises that put more tension and interest to the music. Then it simply makes a change at minute 11 and slows down for a bit, just in order to explode once again, the bass sounds heavier and the music now becomes more appealing for the metal fans. More and more changes come, you just have to receive them with arms wide open.

'Mia Gato Est' Solo en la Oscuridad'starts agressive, with a sound that in other moments I would not dig, however here it seems interesting to me for some strange reasons. I like how experimental Random's music is, because it is tricky, it seems not to have a true structure, but actually it does and I love it. After three minutes the voice appears and goes in the same path as the music, and here I like the voice more because it is more emotional and less raging screams as in previous moments, here I even enjoy it. As you can imagine, there come loads of changes and odd moment in which the band don't keep their feelings, they show them and actually do what they want to do. There is a part at minute nine that I love, the guitar sound is pretty cool, and then it vanishes and a new salad of heavy sounds (with even a post rock touch) starts for a couple of minutes, then the music almost disappears and a moment of reflection appears all of a sudden. Some may say this album is filled with a bunch of strange noises, and it might be, but I like it, and that's what counts for me.

Last but not least the main epic comes. 'Guri Guri Tres Pi'as' and its 21 minutes finish this experimental prog metal album. This song starts soft, calm, relaxed, but it has that post metal sound that let us know it will explode all of a sudden. And yeah it happens after two minutes, an explosion comes and heavy sounds appear but just for some seconds, because later it drastically changes and becomes really calm, one can even close the eyes and feel tranquilized, so take a breath because it obviously does not finish here. So a new structure of the song is being built, guitar makes some charm noises while bass plays addictive lines and drums mark the rhythm and intensity. This long track is actually enormous, you just don't have to pressure yourself, don't be pushy and you will find your reward, it has some slow parts but when the energy explodes you will be part of the music itself, open your wings and fly to Random's realm. After 9 minutes the post rock and emotional music is even more evident, though later the experimental side with strange noises return. Man, this is a great, great track, and it was a great decision to finish the album with it, I can say I love it, I love the way it produces things on me, how can the music be that relevant and made me forget other things and just focus on it, it is brilliant.

Well, as you could notice, I fell in love specially with the last track, though I have to say Pidanoma is a very solid album that really surprised, I cannot even explain how this entered so easily in my tastes, knowing I am not keen on this genre, but well, I supposed I just let it flow and the music id the rest. Not a masterpiece at all, but I love it. Four stars!

Enjoy it!

Well. First, I have to say that I don`t like "avant-garde-experimental music" very much, so maybe I am not a very good choice for reviewing albums with this style of music. Second, I don`t listen to Metal Music very much these days and I never have been a fan of music like this. But, I was kindly asked, as maybe other reviewers in this website were, to listen to this album and to write a review about it. Well. I couldn`t understand the lyrics, even if they are sung in the Spanish language (with even me being from Mexico). So... I think it is better to review the music in this album. I have to say that the album is very well recorded and mixed, being really an almost continuous piece of music with little differences between each song (the most notable difference is the song called "Ojota y Media" which sounds really like a sound collage with sound loops, sometimes maybe played backwards, and a spoken introduction which maybe criticizes organized religion). The rest of the songs are really very heavy pieces of music, full of distorted guitars, feedback, angry vocals, with the drums being the main instrument which, with the bass guitar, really carry the weight of each song in this album. So, for the most parts in this album the drummer really shines as a very good drummer, playing very fast heavy drums, and I think that he really has a lot of energy to play these songs at those continous fast rhtyhms (maybe he could finish the concerts very tired, really, but I think that all the members in this band are very young and with a lot of energy to do that ). Anyway, also there are some quiet passages in the songs. As a whole, the album shows a lot of energy, anger, good guitar atmospheres, being "dark" in mood in most parts. But I have to say that as a listener I really was a bit "tired" after listening to this album. So, maybe this album is more for the fans of this kind of music, not for me. I also have to say that I don`t like the cover design and that I can`t understand the concept behind its design.

I have not had anything similar on my musical plate for a while, so Random's second album ''Pidanoma'' was an interesting and somewhat surprising variation, mainly because Argentina does not often produce this type of eclectic, avant-garde, progressive metal.

Nearly everything, from the Spanish lyrics, to the uneven structure and long compositions of the album, supports the unconventional, peculiar and obscure sound from this offering. With three compositions exceeding 16 minutes in an album of just above 60, Random show that they are not afraid to experiment, are ambitious and this largely pays out.

Nevermind the Tool-esque bass beginning to the album; Random invest more on atmospheres coming straight out of King Crimson's darkest moments and mix this with contemporary expressions found in Indukti's experimentations or Kayo Dot's and Mr. Bungle's extraordinary structures. Of special mention is the strong use of saxophone in 'Me Chango', which gives an altogether different weight to the track's character, and the chaotic post-rock (ala Devin Townsend) soundscapes of the closing 'Guri Guri Tres Pinas'. The very long instrumental passages throughout the album do not tire the listener, except for some unneeded 'fillers' in 'Ojota Y Media' or the closing part of 'Mia Gato está Solo en la Os', which don't serve any useful purpose and slightly affect the consistency of this work.

The trained listener who enjoys high levels of avant-garde experimentation will surely enjoy the majority of the length of ''Pidanoma''. Although not exactly my type of everyday listen, I quite enjoyed this and if it were not for the few inconsistencies, this might have ended up in the 'excellent' category. Nevertheless, this is an intriguing offering and warmly recommended, especially to the RIO souls out there.

3.5 stars with thanks to the band for the promo.

Highlights: Me Chango, Guri Guri Tres Pinas

"Pidanoma" is the 2nd full-length studio album by Argentinian progressive metal act Random (or Los Random as they've opted to call themselves on this album). the album was released through Las T'as Records in January 2014. It's also available for download at a "Name Your Price" tag on the band's Bandcamp profile. "Pidanoma" features the same three-piece lineup, who recorded the band's debut full-length studio album "Todo.s los colores del (2011)" and the "Prrimo, the" EP from 2009.

...and it's obvious that these three guys have played together for a relatively long time now, because the musicianship on "Pidanoma" are absolutely brilliant (not that it wasn't the case on the two preceeding releases, but this time around Random have outdone themselves). These guys are very talented. Technically skilled but still with a great focus on adventurous and boundary breaking ideas and playing.

Stylistically the music on "Pidanoma" is a bit hard to tag correctly. It's progressive alright (I guess 3 tracks with a playing time of over 15 minutes each tell that story), but not in the respect that this sounds anything like Dream Theater and their ilk. This is more in the vein of artists like Intronaut or maybe Yakuza, but still with a unique sound of their own. The riffs are heavy and aggressive, the rythm section are busy and the drumming fusion influenced, and the vocals are expressive. Sometimes raw and sometimes more sensitive in nature (sometimes working more as an instrument than regular vocals). It's only occasionally riff based aggressive music though (actually mostly the opening track "Corto Normal") and the music is predominantly more atmospheric. There is a psychadelic/experimental element to the sound too, which generally works really well for Random. Actually most of the playing time of the three longer tracks on the album is taken up by jamming parts with noisy and experimental guitar sounds and in the case of "Mee Chango" screaming saxophone playing.

All tracks on the album are quite different sounding though. "Corto Normal" and "Mia Gato Est' Solo en la Oscuridad" feature most structured riff sections (the latter features around 6 minutes of experimental/ambient guitar nooding towards the end though), "Ojota y Media" is a short track featuring samples and electronic manipulation, "Mee Chango" has some structured parts but features a long jamming section, and the closing 20:53 minutes long "Guri Guri Tres Pi'as" features beautiful and mellow guitar playing and subtle rythmic playing before more loud and busy climaxes appear. It's a very dynamic track that develops quite a bit through it's playing time.

The sound production is professional, detailed and very well sounding, providing the perfect platform for the tracks to shine. "Pidanoma" is another step in Random's development of their musical style, and while I personally could have wished for more structured sections and less jamming and slow building post rock/metal parts, the music is so well performed and produced that it's impossible not to be intrigued. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

I've said this countless times, but I'm always amazed at how vast the umbrella of prog rock is. Music as gentle as a summer breeze and relentless as a deadly army all fit snugly under the same blanket term of prog rock, and while of course one belongs to a different sub- genre than the other, they're all progressive rock in some way. But in terms of the different sub-genres that make up prog rock, prog metal is perhaps the most widely defined of all the sub genres. From extreme death metal like Meshuggah to crunchy experimental metal like Tool to 'vanilla' prog metal like Dream Theater, there is a plethora of styles within the metal scene.

One of the most exciting bands of the past few years to emerge from this scene is the young Argentinian band Random. With a fusion of relentless heavy riffing, a jazz-rhythm sensibility, and a nice sense of humor to boot (with song titles like "Mi Gato está solo en la Oscuridad," or, "My Cat is Scared of the Dark"). Their 2014 album Pidanoma shows this style extremely well. Pidanoma pushes the boundaries of experimental technical progressive metal even further than their excellent 2012 debut, Todo.s Los Colores Del, which was a phenomenal metal release of the year.

Pidanoma shows the power that a young band with no expecting fanbase has as well. While bands such as Dream Theater and Opeth cater to their fanbase, young bands such as Random will soon take the stage as they freely experiment with sound, form, and texture. This album is rife with these experimentations, and while at times the band goes astray with their riffing and jamming, they never stray far from home. The bulk of the album is taken up by the last three tracks, which last 17, 16, and 21 minutes apiece, respectively, and the band freely moves in and out of structures, feels, and dynamics while maintaining a sense of home and stylistic individuality.

And the band does weave a very unique style throughout the entire album. The music is a fascinating mix of technical metal, alternative metal, experimental metal, and a jagged RIO/jazz that adds a spicy element to the music. While the combination may sound less than appetizing, the band does it in a spectacular manner, making an excellent offering of music. The more atmospheric sections of the lengthy songs like "Mi Gato está solo en la Oscuridad" have a dark tinge to them, making for an almost haunting atmosphere. The instrumentations, which varies greatly with the utilization of the guitars, bass, vocals, and drums in excellently unique ways, contributes to the wonderful timbre of the album, which is really what gives this album its character.

Overall, Pidanoma is a treat for a fan of technical experimental metal. The band's phenomenal use of varied guitar tones, bass lines and riffs, textured atmospheres, and a spot on use of saxophone (by Adrian Terrazas-Gonzales of The Mars Volta fame, no less) make for a great sound that is utterly unique to Random. While this album suggests that the band is still in a bit of a maturation phase, I suggest that in future years Random will be a force to be reckoned with in the prog metal scene. 4 stars.

According to their website, Los Random are an experimental trio from Tucumán, Argentina, who mix distant sounds from all quarters and kinds, creating their unique, eclectic and unpredictable music, which they define as "Incorrect". Starting in 2009, they have to date released one other full-length release and an EP, all with the same line-up of Pablo Lamela (bass), Raúl García Posse (guitar, vocals) and Marcos Crosa (drums). Musically this is all over the place, blending free jazz with Faith No More, Tool with Meshuggah, Art Zoyd and Hawkwind, and the result is a chaotic musical maelstrom where there are no rules, and all that matters is the music and following the path even though there appears to be no rational reason for doing so. In many ways it reminds me of the first time that I listed to Axis of Perdition, as although I knew that I was part of only a small group of people who would really appreciate it, I also knew that I had to keep listening as I was almost mesmerized by what was going on.

The use of sax on "Me Chango" is inspired, giving the music a very different feel, and it would have been interesting to hear more of that, possibly on a fully instrumental album to allow their space rock feel to really come through. This truly is progressive in its' truest sense, as it attempts to break through what many people would even believe what is music at all, let alone the subgenres and pigeonholes. Play this to most people and they won't see it through the first song, it is only a few of us that can get inside these guys minds and understand that what they are bringing to the scene is something new and incredibly exciting. Miss this at your peril, but you may not like it very much. www.losrandom.com

This new album from Los Normal came as something of a surprise. Not that it is a change from their previous style, that I don't know. In fact, before this, I had not known anything about this band. I never attempt to hide the fact that I am usually not terribly impressed with prog metal bands, unless they incorporate more traditional prog aspects in their music. Well these guys impress me.

While all three of these Argentinian musicians are very talented, it's the drummer, Marcos Luis Crosa, who stands out. His drum beats are powerful, precise, inventive, and rarely repetitive.

Musically, Los Normal seems to be about pushing the boundaries of experimental metal, often into strange territories.

The album begins with Corto Normal, the closest thing to a traditional prog metal track on the disk. Beginning with a Primus-like drum/bass rhythm, it is an excellent opening track. The only fault is the vocals of Raul Garcìa Posee. Maybe it's just my tastes, but I find that raspy style of punk shouting almost as unappealing as death metal growls. Posee does redeem himself with some great, crunchy guitar work.

Ojota y Media baffles me a bit. It sounds like an excerpt from a live concert, with some spoken word, possibly from a radio announcer (I don't speak Spanish), dropped in at either end. The performance may be good, but the lesser sound quality detracts from the album.

Then comes the meat of the album. The remaining three pieces are all over fifteen minutes long, and each one is great in it's own way. The first, Mee Chango is the most traditional of the three. It features some interesting guitar and bass work, but is driven by Crosa's incredible drumming. He starts out low key, and manages to steal the song by building from that subdued beginning to a frenzied drum extravaganza by the end. Neil Peart fans should get a smile out of this one.

Mia Gato Está Solo en la Oscuridad manages to capture some of the spirit of late sixties Pink Floyd experimentalism and place it in the Los Normal prog metal mind set.

Guri Guri Tres Piñas is the most experimental of the three, and at just over twenty minutes, the longest. Led by Posee's spacy guitar, this song send the listener on a nice psychedelic journey.

I'd say this is a great album. Not perfect, but still one of the best so far this year.

Argentinian band LOS RANDOM, aka Random, was formed back in 2006. They released an initial EP in 2010, one year after the current line-up of the band was established, which was followed by their official debut album "Todo.s los colores del" in 2011. "Pidanoma" is their sophomore production, and was self released by the band in January 2014.

As this album kicks off with Corto Normal, we're treated to a 6 minute ride through an at times impressive display of dark metal. Brutal thrash metal, stoner metal and doom metal are blended together in a monumental construction of glorious dark and menacing metal, crushing it's way through multiple themes and alterations in pace and intensity in a curiously elegant manner, although this song does start to get a tad aimless in the final few passages. Still, an impressive opening, and a brilliant one for the first four minutes or so. The following atmospheric piece Ojota Y Media is bookended by sampled radio sounds, with distanced metal guitars and rhythms partially hidden behind a noise texture covering the sections in between them. A transitional creation if anything, setting the listener up for what is to come.

This album concludes with three massive creations, clocking in at 17, 16 and 21 minutes respectively. Epic length creations, and rather demanding all of them too. They are also radically different from the tracks that opens this album.

All of these compositions twists and turns through multiple themes and motifs, some more than others. Monumental riffs and intense interludes appear on more or less regular intervals, reminding us that we are indeed listening to music crafted by a metal band. Just about everything else is rather less than conventional however.

I guess the common denominator on all of these three compositions are sequences featuring light toned and often textured guitar details, creating psychedelic, cosmic and post rock oriented vibes. Sometimes as lonely, cold standalone entities of a frail nature, at other times supported by slow drum patterns careful percussion or intense and menacing drum rolls. Occasional jazz-tinged interludes appears, delicate plucked guitar driven passages reminding of Rush in their gentle late 80's phase makes occasional appearances too, and at other times the band will mix one or more of these ingredients with more of a distinct metal touch too. Dark impact riff driven sequenced, harder edged compact riff construction, driving and occasionally funky, booming bass guitar given free reign here and there. There's also room for both a bass solo and a drum solo in these curiously wandering and rather challenging escapades.

Just where to place this band within a genre context is tough, although I guess describing them as some sort of cosmic flavored avantgarde post metal band should be pretty close in terms of giving potential listeners some direction. And while Los Random is a markedly different band in just about all aspects, my gut feeling is that those who enjoyed the escapades of a band like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum might find Los Random to be an interesting band as well. In particular those among them that also tends to enjoy cosmic flavored music and post rock.