VROOOM

Take the 1980s King Crimson, add Pat Mastelotto and Trey Gunn as a second rhythm section, and you have the infamous "double trio" lineup, who unveiled themselves to the public here on this EP of early renditions of key songs that would get a later airing (after being workshopped on the intervening tour) on THRAK.

The overall approach seems to be a mashup of the harder-edged sections styles of the mid-1970s group with the 1980s lineup - an overlap particularly evident if you've heard the 1980s Crimson's live renditions of Red or Larks' Tongues In Aspic II - with just a pinch of inspiration from industrial rock when it comes to some of the textures and production approach. It's taken me a while to appreciate the double trio era of King Crimson, but the VROOOM EP is actually a good taster for the sounds to come.