STRINGY RUGS

BLAST is proof that there are a lot of crazy people in Holland. Haha. The reson I bought this cd was because Dave Kerman was part of the band at this point and I love his drumming. He doesn't disappoint either. Man this is an intense and over the top listen though. Difficult is the word. So angular and dissonant it's often hard to swallow let alone enjoy. It could take me 50 listens before I could fully understand and appreciate it. Or maybe that day would never come.

"E Se Di Questo Voi Dicere Piue" opens with drums, actually this track and the final one are the only songs where the drums aren't handled by Kerman as Rob Snuders guests behind the kit on these two. Horns and dissonance follow. Marimba and angular guitar come in too. It's heavy 31/2 minutes in. "Limbaire" features outbursts of sound that are contrasted with calmer sections. Nice bass before 2 minutes followed by dissonance. Kerman is excellent on this one. Sounds come and go late. "Outgrowth" has some vocals and lots of bottom end including the deep voice. It changes before 4 minutes to an experimental mode with guitar, spoken words and other strange sounds. It kicks back in before 5 1/2 minutes to that earlier soundscape with deep bass and vocals. "Litho 1" is a short tune with marimba sax and guitar.

"Communifade" has this epic intro with drums all over it as horns blast away. Kerman is amazing ! Check out the horns though, we get tuba, bugle, trumpet, sax and trombone in various sounds (bass, alto, baritone) ten in all. It settles 2 minutes in. Experimental sounds 5 minutes in. Drums return then horns bast. It settles 6 minutes in to a melancholic mood. "Bouncing" opens with deep bass and other sounds early. The drums become prominant then 2 1/2 minutes in, then we get no melody just sounds coming and going.The drums are back a minute later. Growly bass after 5 1/2 minutes. Weird sounds a minute later. "Ink" opens with angular guitar and horns. Spoken words before 2 minutes as marimba comes in. Lots of horns 5 1/2 minutes in to the end. "Litho 2" is another short tune like part 1 but with acoustic guitar, sax and marimba. "O.A.L.I." is quite powerful as Kerman pounds it out and we get lots of bass sounds in the soundscape. Guitar 2 1/2 minutes in before drums dominate then horns return. Crazy horns before it calms down. It kicks in one more time. "Tectonic Afterbirth" is very distracting for me. I just want to injure myself for some reason. Percussion, horns, miramba and guitar all come and go. I'm gone.

3 stars, although Rio / Avant fans will love this.