VOLUME, OBLITERATION, TRANSCENDENCE

YETI are down to a trio here, i'm not sure what happened to keyboard player Doug Ferguson, but they dedicate this recording to him. They also thank SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM. The music itself is very dark and brooding with outbreaks of violence.There are vocals scattered throughout including some yelling and screaming in the background. I can't believe these guys are from Texas, I thought there was an unwritten rule somewhere that said this type of music could only be played by bands from Belgium or France. Haha.

"Cusp Of Something You Don't Understand" opens with lots of atmosphere as different sounds come and go slowly. A melody rises up after 1 1/2 minutes. It's getting heavy 2 1/2 minutes in as vocals yell in the background. It becomes doom-like 4 1/2 minutes in before it kicks back into that heavy sound from earlier. An eerie calm comes in at 6 minutes as vocals whisper. A heavy doom-like soundscape returns at 8 1/2 minutes as vocals yell in the background a minute later. It ends in chaos. "Strangled By Light" opens with lots of atmosphere like the opening track. The synths sound like a girl screaming, very haunting as this sound comes and goes. The tempo starts to pick up with some nice deep bass lines. Drums come in as the sound builds. Here we go 4 1/2 minutes in as drums pound and the vocalist spits out the lyrics with contempt. It lightens somewhat 6 minutes in then kicks back in a minute later. Death growls after 8 1/2 minutes. The guitar takes over a minute later in a dissonant manner. It ends experimentally.

"Blood Lotus" is a cool track that sounds like a Zeuhl song on speed. The vocal melodies with heavy bass and drums are "Zeuhl 101". He then starts to yell out the lyrics theatrically. The Zeuhl passage is back ! The guitar that follows grinds away slowly then starts to churn the soundscape over and over. The sound changes after 3 1/2 minutes as the guitar still leads but in a different syle. Bass helps out as well as do the vocals in the background. The tempo is picking up slowly until an all out assault 6 1/2 minutes in to the end as the vocalist yells out. "Black Pills" is the longest track at 19 minutes.This one builds slowly until drums and mellotron arrive before 5 minutes. They continue to come and go. The sound explodes 9 minutes in as guitar, vocals, drums and bass erupt. He's yelling again before 11 1/2 minutes.The guitar comes in on fire after the vocals stop. It's experimental and noisy after 14 1/2 minutes. A change follows as a good heavy rhythm takes over with guitar playing over top. It ends in chaotic violence.

This is a difficult album to digest. Recommended to fans of Technical / Extreme Metal, as well as the adventerous. I know who you are.