ODYX

Unapologetically taking the world of brutal eclectic prog to ever more adventurous heights, the bizarrely named WYXZ continues to crank out equally nail-biting complexities with its latest release ODYX which continues the compositionally demanding mix of math rock, avant-prog, noise rock, sound collages and free improvisation. The product of the experimental wizard Ben Coniguliaro who tackles drums, guitars, bass, keys, glockenspiel and piano, this fifth album in the wacky world of WYXZ features Ben's brother Quinn Coniguliaro on bass, guitar, noise and percussion along with two guest guitarists: Matt Hollenberg (Cleric, Simulacrum, Shardik) and Alex Verbickas.

Perfectly suited to be featured on John Zorn's Tzadik Records, ODYX also finds Zorn himself as the executive producer thus bringing this high octane avant-prog with dizzying soundscapes ever closer to the top realms of innovative prog artists who dare to forge ahead and not get bogged down in safe and secure retreats into retro-ism. While not delivering anything different than what came before in the world of WYXZ, this is a case where if you absolutely crave angular frenetically charged avant-prog that goes for the brutal prog jugular never once concerned about crafting soft and cuddly melodies, then you can't go wrong with ODYX which hammers the senses with incessant brutal time signature blows like a jackhammer that never ends.

These manic displays of technicality charge forth with elements of almost everything under the sun. Funky bass lines appear in the midst of atonal guitar arpeggios, dissonant counterpoints rampage through aggressive and chaotic maelstroms of din yet rhythmically the eight tracks seem to glide effortlessly akin to New York's no wave movement of the early 80s only with the genetic heritage of avant-prog peculiarities such as Thinking Plague with the adrenaline fueled dexterity of math rock antics of acts like P.O.N, The Flying Luttenbachers or the schizoid Japanese madmen, Ruins. While aggressive assaults are the main shtick for WYXZ, the noise-drenched free improv rampages offer the variety of mind-numbing escapades of manic moments of pure noise that exists in its own world outside the context of the avant-prog / math rock assaults.

There's only so much you can really say about music like this. It must be experienced to be understood and is the epitome of complex music for complexity's sake. Perfect for the hardened progger who has heard it all and wants everything turned up several notches without the distractions of melodic constructs to interfere with the effect of otherworldliness as the album truly comes off as existing in an alternative reality. While some may find this utterly aimless and nothing but noise, i must say that that's the entire point. This is about escapism from the status quo and when pop infused hooks are required, there are plenty of artists to supply those fixes. WYXZ serves the need of crafting bizarre jagged soundscapes with the intensity of extreme metal but forges ahead through the lens of avant-prog and math rock. Definitely too weird for most but for those who crave the most extreme examples of brutality in their prog, WYXZ does not disappoint.