SCORCH TRIO

This Finnish-Norwegian trio (Raoul Björkenheim on guitar, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten on bass & electronics and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums) offers edgy and fiery Avant-Prog seemingly emphasizing on the technical musical mastership, for example the dozen notes per second kind of sonic masturbation. This particular prog style has always been the one I get awfully tired of in a short time. But already listening to the 12½-minute opening track reveals a great level of originality and a vast spectre of nuances. For the electric guitar I occasionally get some associations to the legendary Norwegian, Terje Rypdal (which I however prefer of these two; Björkenheim's vocabulary is edgier and darker, often using distorted sounds). The next, shorter track takes a completely different path: filling the silence with very introspective and experimental sounds in a slow, meditative manner. It manages to be quite interesting if you have patience enough.

The third one stands clearly on the (free) jazz territory instead of rock; the double bass and guitar both play bubbling note-streams being equally in the spotlight, and the percussion favours hi-hat. The intensity, especially for drumwork and the tormented guitar, increases next. And after that a more meditative approach again. This album is interesting for that open-minded, never-know-where-they-go- next kind of personality. Recommended for jazzy Avant Prog diggers who appreciate also meditative nuances. Others may have it hard to get into this very non-melodic and improvisation-oriented music.

Live release of Nordic avant prog trio is very energetic one. Even if the heart of the trio is Finnish guitarist Raoul Bjarkenheim with his fast,scratching and very technical guitar work, Norwegian respectable drummer Paal Nilssen-Love has more than enough space for his drumming improvs. Norwegian bassist/multi instrumentalist Ingebrigt Hayker Flaten (he played with Bugge Wesseltoft, Ken Vandenmark and McPhee) uses plenty of electronic sounds there, but in all album's atmosphere is quite airy and minimalistic.

This album is live recording, but there are not big audience and you will feel this "live" effect mostly because sound is very raw, with no overdubbing or studio tricks. Music recorded is quite characteristic for trio (and all the generation of modern avant rock improvs bands) free form quite noisy and angular rock compositions, borrowed free jazz atmosphere and some techniques, but seriously based on rock tradition itself. Musicians all are really very competent, and they really enjoy what they are playing there. Quality album for prepared fans of avant prog improvisational music.

My rating is 3,5 rounded to 4.

Second this power trio's studio release continued their sharp and quite noisy musical experiments, but this time with bigger accent on guitar sound.

Music there on this album is rock improves with great technical level of musicianship, but differently from their debut album in whole is much more bulky and unfocused. It's always a risk when the album is recorded with pure improvisatory content, what doesn't means that there are not enough great result examples all around though. One of the main risk is when musicians start playing music for themselves - they openly enjoy their musicianship, but forgotten listener soon becomes bored.

This album's music could be placed somewhere on the border - I really enjoy some moments and great energetic musicianship, but there are plenty of whole compositions where listener is not necessary - musicians playing deep and wide, enjoy what they are doing , but don't care too much if this music is really interesting for listener.

Not bad album, even good enough for band's fans, but far not the best entry for newcomers and could be seriously boring for listener without serious interest to minimalistic sharp rock improvs.

Nordic power trio's debut album. Jazzy by its structure and punk-rockish by its energy,aesthetics and sound, music on this album are collection of improvs played by very competent musicians.

Sound is quite ascetic, but noisy and scratchy at the same time. The best way to imagine how does it sounds think about Japanese brutal noise-avant of last decade (Ruins,etc), but without dark hardcore brutality, and with strong jazzy vibrations instead of it.

Music is sharp but complex rhythm and musical themes' breaks are played with such virtuosity that you often would not feel that sharpness. Some compositions are almost elegant!

Good album for fans of noisy avant-rock with jazzy flavour.