GRINDSTONE

4.5 stars. I have to thank Avestin for bringing this band to my attention. Well I wasn't thanking him after the first couple of listens haha, but after many spins i'm processing it better, but more importantly i'm really digging this album big time. How do you describe this music ? They mix in so many genres from Avant-garde to Jazz, from orchestral that sounds like it's out of an epic movie soundtrack to a dark and heavy Post-Rock flavour. This is silly, adventerous, experimental but most of all entertaining. The drummer is amazing by the way. Interesting that the band thanks Dweezil Zappa in the liner notes.

"The Kingdom Of Kitsch You Will Be A Monster" really contrasts well the dark passages with the chaotic ones. This does get frantic much like THE MARS VOLTA music. Pounding drums to open as chunky bass and vocals arrive. The vocals a minute in are sinister-sounding before he screams out. I love the intricate melody that follows that reminds me of ANGLAGARD. This is one of my favourite tracks, there is so much going on. Ear candy. It' the perfect opener. "Winterreise" is very uptempo with the drums out in front and all over the place. It calms down to almost a whisper before the drums lead the way back out. Piano arrives as the song settles down again with an orchestral section taking over(like out of a movie) that sounds incredible. Here we go again, full speed ahead ! "Stalemate Longan Runner" opens with something you would expect from KING CRIMSON these days, it's dark, heavy and experimental. Even some angular guitar thrown in. Again the drumming is killer. The tempo picks up as mellotron comes in, and I hate to say it but it makes me emotional it sounds so much like the great ANEKDOTEN at that point. It's just a wall of sound really. 3 minutes in we get a completely different melody that is light and classical sounding to end it. The song that follows sounds like less then a minute of a music box playing.

"Moonchild Mindgames" is a little out in left field as we get horn melodies and strange sounds before the dark piano melodies come in to change the mood to end it. "The Red Room" opens with a brief jazzy sax melody before turning heavy quickly. It then turns lighter again with sax leading the way in an uptempo melody. The drumming is amazing. The sax becomes dissonant to end it. "Asa Nisi Masa" sounds again like KING CRIMSON to open before a heavy, uptempo, industrial sounding melody follows. "Psalm" is my favourite song on here. The vocals are processed as they slowly sing. Suddenly this angelic female vocal melody soars over top. She leaves, as does he, as sounds start to slowly build. This is a fantastic section as the drums get louder and louder until she's back singing those soprano melodies. "-... . --.-. ...." is definitely a secret code right Jim ? No it's the name of the song believe it or not. This is a short horn led track. "1:4:9" opens with dark piano melodies in a haunting soundscape. It's like someone turned the power on before a minute. Heavy guitar as piano joins in a minute later. The power is shut off 2 1/2 minutes in as the original piano and dark atmosphere is back. She's back with those soprano vocal melodies but now it's like something out of a horror movie. Dissonant horns come in. It blends into "Fight Dusk With Dawn" where it turns dark and sinister quickly. It starts to get quite heavy. Nice. Sax and heavy drums take over 2 minutes in. They sound great. The sax eventually becomes prominant(mellotron is back) ending with dissonant sounds before a haunting section arrives. More dissonance and heaviness. Amazing !

I honestly don't know what to say in conclusion. This has to be one of the best recordings ever to come out of Norway.