ODD SENSES

'Odd Sense' - Psyopus (4/10)

I must say, since my last experience with Psyopus, my tolerance and opinion of the band has certainly improved. With the nearly unlistenable 'Our Puzzling Encounters Considered,' it's pretty easy to see why this band does not warrant a huge fanbase. Mixing chaotic, maddening guitar parts with screechy vocals, Psyopus are a band much more likely to annoy your average listener than to amaze them. The first time listening to this band, I can honestly admit that my mind wasn't as open to something so different as I would have hoped. Looking now, I still do not think that Psyopus are musically excellent, but there is something to be said for them, especially in some parts of this latest record, 'Odd Senses.'

Chris Arp, despite being quite a goon when it comes to songwriting proper, is one of the most unique guitarists in the world, and despite the fact that many listeners won't enjoy Psyopus, it would be foolish to say the man has no talent at all. While alot of 'Odd Sense' does boil down to something resembling noise, it is very structured work.

Some of the issues that transcend the band's playing are still dominant in 'Odd Sense' as well. Despite being as musically open-minded as I can, I still cannot find anything musically pleasing about listening to a loop of a woman saying 'I Love You' over and over again on the track 'Choker Chain.' As far as comedic value goes, the tongue-in-cheek nature of some of this material does have it's merit, but the appeal wears off far too quickly.

There is however, one track on here that may warrant hope for the band. The closer of the album 'A Murder To Child' lacks vocals (the main problem with the band) and even heaviness. It isn't even in a metal style! I've always thought the best (and only truly enjoyable) moments that Psyopus had to offer were the ones where the band took their technical nature and transposed it onto a more musical field. The album's closer is in fact, a neo-classical composition. It is atonal and avant-garde (both qualities proper of the band) but it actually shows the band can make some good music if they put their hearts into it. The album closer is a track I would recommend to anyone who enjoys avant-garde music.

Chris Arp has said that the next Psyopus album will be something more along the lines of the musical style that 'A Murder To Child' delved into. If this is true, then there really is hope for this band. Besides the final track however, the band really isn't 'there' yet in terms of listenability and potential of enjoyment.

There is naught to do but wait for the next release.

PSYOPUS only took a mere two years to follow up their melody mutilating sonic assault "Our Puzzling Encounters Considered." And although ODD SENSES pretty much picks up where that album left off with their insane mathcore metal that is turned up past 11 and is guaranteed to frighten small animals and parents, there has been drastic changes in instrumental duties! In fact only mainman Christopher Arp is back with his insane guitar antics and all other musicians are making their debut in the strange musical butchery of PSYOPUS. Firstly, Adam Frappolli has been replaced by Brain Woodruff on vocals. Secondly Fred Decoste has been replaced by Michael Horn on bass and finally Jason Bauers has usurped the percussive throne of Jon Cole and also contributes some marimba to the mix. Surprisingly, the band sounds relatively similar to the past in the shredding core elements that would strike fear into any sensitive ears but there are also plenty of fresh new elements on board to make this a worthy continuation of the sonic melody mutilations heard on the first two albums.

While the intro "44" is a short ambient slice of doom and despair, quickly the true opener "Medusa," a track that describes the difficulty of getting over someone when you have to see them all the time, ushers in both the core elements of PSYOPUS but also finds Woodruff adding some death metal growls to the mix. Arp is on fire as he not only displays his hammer-ons from hell but manages to induce a trance-like experience from super-slides as well with as much intensity as you could expect. Despite all the usual mathcore elements on board with the PSYOPUS stamp of approval they add all kinds of new touches to create a more dynamic ear canal assault for the listener to engage in. Tracks 1-5 are pretty much heaviness of the usual PSYOPUS plan with creative new ways to destroy melodic developments and seduce sinister spirits into creating anti-earworms but there are plenty of surprises on ODD SENSES.

"Boogeyman" is quirky crazy as it begins with several members including the girl who left the telephone message on the previous album's bonus track all taking turns reading poetry and each member reciting random words with a music box in the background but alternates with the brutal mathcore assault that we know so well. A tried and true tradition continues with a third installment of "Imogen's Puzzle Pt 3' only this time is recorded with a back backmasking technique without any obvious Satanic messages to be found. Paul McCartney is still alive and only Jay Chou can hear it "只有你能聽得到!" "Choker Chain" is the typical mathcore as usual but also continues the theme of the extended theme of troubles with women as it incorporates the echo effect of the hidden track on "Our Puzzling Encounters." On that hidden track a girl leaves a telephone message and when she says the word ANNOYING it last for 23 minutes. On "Choker Chain" this effect is used repeatedly with irritating cliche clingy girlfriend quotes mixed which finds its way tucked in between the metal outbursts.

"Ms Shyflower" begins with Gregorian chants of some kind and then becomes more of a heavy progressive metal type of music heard from Enslaved but ultimately picks up with the zany aggro vocals however the guitars stay fairly reserved for Arp as it's not about craziness and more about mood setting. Perhaps the most alternative track that utilizes dissonant chords rather than frenetic hammer-ons and finger tapping but still heavy as friggin' hell. "A Murder To A Child" proves to be the most UN-PSYOPUS track of all and all about Arp's delving into avant-garde classical music with dissonant guitar chords and bizarrely structured progressive compositional styles. It's totally a classical acoustic piece with Matt Colbert helping out with classical guitar, Owen Tomaszewski on cello and Adam McOwen on violin. As usual Arp adds on an overly long hidden track that takes up over 20 minutes of real estate, however this one is actually pretty interesting when they shut the bleep up. The music is basically a continuity of different jam sessions that cover the gamut of different types of metal to simply hard rock. Unfortunately it also includes pathetic attempts to be funny with ridiculously stupid skits that are stupid as bleep. This is a good case of why musicians need to stray far from the comedy world and vice verse (hear that Eddie Murphy?) Nevertheless despite this final faux pas of stupidity, i really love this album. Very cool for anyone who delves into the extremities of metal.