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King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Murder of the Universe CD (album) cover

MURDER OF THE UNIVERSE

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Psychedelic/Space Rock


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3 stars This album is as ambitious as its predecessors in the final chapter of the Nonagon trilogy. It most surely is the heaviest and most proggy of them all. Although still undoubtedly very much King Gizzard.

This album is from 2017. I simply have to mention it's one of the 5 outputs of this band in that year. And the mindboggling thing is: all of them are at least good, but often amazing. And totally different.

Murder of the Universe consist of three different stories: - The Tale of the Altered Beast, - The Lord of Lightning vs. Balrog - Han-Tyumi & The Murder of the Universe

The individual songs are typically short. We have 21 tracks in 47 minutes. But they can easily be considered as 3 different pieces.

I applaud KG&tLW for their dedication to always pushing the envelope. And overall, it works really well with this album.

I rate it 3 stars.

Report this review (#2757333)
Posted Monday, May 30, 2022 | Review Permalink
Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars This was album number two from 2017 for this band as they delve into darker music and themes and this is their heaviest album at this point. We get three stories loosely connected in that we are dealing with A.I. Technology and apocalyptic future events. They take this scary and real subject to some funny places mind you. Lots of narration which I actually like and Han-Tyumi the character on the final story speaks for himself and is hilarious. Man if your a music nerd and are into concept albums and themes and characters that span albums you need to get into this band. Han-Tyumi pops up on "Robot Stop" from "Nonagon Infinity", "Tezeta" from "Sketches Of Brunswick East", "Deserted Dunes Welcome Weary Feet" and "The Fourth Colour" from "Polygondwanaland" along with "Automation" from "KG" and more. Mellotron is credited on here, just saying. The stories range from 12 to 20 minutes in medley form with plenty of energy.

So this follows the pattern of the three GIZZARD albums I've already reviewed and I just feel this is my least favourite of those four. Even though this is heavier they've been here done that and I feel it's a step down from the three before it I have already reviewed. In order I rate "Flying Microtonal Banana" first followed by "I'm In Your Mind Fuzz" and "Nonagon Infinity" then "Murder Of The Universe". I still need to get to "Polygondwanaland" and I know it will be right up there. I normally lean towards heavier music but not with this band. "The Tale Of The Altered Beast" is the story of a man fused with machine and is a 20 minute medley. I love the female narration. Same with Han-Tyumi speaking and wishing he was human again so that he could die and be sick and this climaxes with "Vomit Coffin" a killer track just before the final title track ends the story.

Such an entertaining record and easily 4 stars for my tastes but will it end up in my top five when all is said and done?

Report this review (#2777849)
Posted Sunday, July 17, 2022 | Review Permalink
4 stars Review #123!

'Murder of the Universe' is a rock opera of sorts, narrated by a girl with a formal British accent. It is supposedly based on a Sega Genesis game called 'Altered Beast'. I'm not going to talk about every song on this album, just each side. Side one (could this be considered an epic?) is in my opinion the better of the two. It's about a human being transformed in to a beast. The music is fun, yet heavy and dark. Like the black- and-white Addams Family show (something I watch from time to time). Side two is what I think is about the transformation of the world. It tells the story of The Lord of Lightning, the Balrog, and Han-Tyumi the Confused Cyborg. This side has much more narration, from both the girl and Han-Tyumi. The music is similar to the first part. Either way, both sides are great, and they merge together to make a wonderful album. Prog on.

Report this review (#2935082)
Posted Thursday, June 22, 2023 | Review Permalink

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