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Blotted Science - The Machinations Of Dementia

Tuesday, 11 December 2007

Editor's rating

9.4

out of 10

Reviewed by:
Chad Coup
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Wednesday, 12 December 2007
Average user rating: 9.6
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Music Information

Track Listing:
01. Synaptic Plasticity
02. Laser Lobotomy
03. Brain Fingerprinting
04. Oscillation Cycles
05. Activation Synthesis Theory
06. R.E.M.
07. Night Terror
08. Bleeding In The Brain
09. Vegetation
10. Narcolepsy
11. E.E.G. Tracings
12. Sleep Deprivation
13. The Insomniac
14. Amnesia
15. Adenosine Breakdown
16. Adenosine Buildup

Artist: Blotted Science
Title: The Machinations Of Dementia
Genre: Death Metal • Instrumental
Release Date: 18 September 2007
Record Label: Eclectic Electric
Format: Full-length
Country: United States of America
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<h4>Blotted Science - The Machinations Of Dementia</h4>

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Editor review

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful


Overall rating (weighted)		9.4
Musicianship		10.0
Composition		9.0
Experimentation		9.0
Production		9.0
Value		10.0

"Welcome to the Laboratory. Here, we delve deep into the inner workings of the physical mind. You will observe, as we have, that our findings are not always pleasant, and indeed ofttimes plunge into the realm of disorder and chaos. But are the minds of our subjects truly in a state of chaos, or do they simply exist on a different plane of random order so complex that we have yet to fully realize it? ...shall we proceed?"

Those liner notes when the CD case is opened greet the music fan with the sense of humor present in guitarist Ron Jarzombek's writing style. Even though this music has the typical Jarzombek flair, it remains wholly technical death metal. Instrumental technical death metal, that is. The absence of vocals really helps drive the point home that death metal is a genre to be respected for its structure and technicality. Those that shrug off death metal because of the vocals should have nothing to complain about here. Instrumentation is given the utmost priority when it comes to these delightful 57 minutes.

This is both a technical progressive metal and technical death metal fan's dream. Look at this lineup: Ron Jarzombek, Guitar; Alex Webster, Bass; Charlie Zeleny, Drums. Before this album was completed, things indicated a storm was coming. Two previous drummers, being Chris Adler (Lamb Of God) and Derek Roddy (Hate Eternal), had conflicts with performing on this project for various reasons. Also, Watchtower's planned/mostly written 'comeback' album had fallen by the wayside for the time being. Jarzombek also was in need of finding a new 'toy' to use for composing music.

Thankfully, these hiccups haven't affected the whole of this awesome project. Having both Webster and Zeleny on the same record with one of metal's most underrated guitarists is rather fortuitous to say the least. What came out of this record? Is it more Spastic Ink riffs or something new and exciting altogether? It's a little of both. It's clear that Jarzombek has his own style; if you like it, you'll be in hog heaven. If you want technical death metal in the style of Cannibal Corpse or Necrophagist, you'll get that as well. It's essentially darker Spastic Ink, except with the best of death metal's trappings.

The brand new system of composition that Jarzombek uses is something called The Circle Of Twelve Tones, which came from the theory of the Circle Of Fifths. According to Jarzombek, "It's a clock looking diagram that spells out the major scales in 5ths moving clockwise and counterclockwise starting with C at 12:00. To the right of C at 1:00 is G, then on to D, A, E etc... Moving to the left from C are F at 11:00, Bb at 10:00, Eb, Ab, etc... Going clockwise is moving up a 5th note by note, going counterclockwise is moving down a 5th."

Jarzombek then incorporated this organizational method into coming up with the twelve-tone circle. "I've always been a believer of learning as many rules as possible, then bend, abuse, and break them. So how about we just throw all the notes anywhere on the "clock"??! What would that sound like? Well, of course it depends where you throw the notes. Isn't that what a 12 tone row is? Yeah, and I've done that numerous times before, so what's so different about laying the notes out on a "clock"? It creates patterns, LOTS of different patterns. And they all lead to different chords, scales, and note clusters."

What the listener gets is some really rewarding tech death. The performances from all the musicians are quite impressive. The level of precision is so sharp that you could cut your finger on it. It helps that Webster helped co-write some tracks with Jarzombek, so the songs have a different flavor than what fans are accustomed to. The first track is perhaps the most varied and successful on the album, and that's saying a mouthful. It has insane runs, dynamic soloing, a thunderous breakdown - a technical one - and some cool synth stuff that could be found on an old Roadrunner Records tape from the early 90s. The album flies by so fast that you're wondering if there's more. It's one of the most value-heavy albums ever released, as the notes and parts come and go so smoothly that you're not being taken aback by the myriad transitions and changes. Simply put, it is a masterpiece of instrumental technical metal. And, it's pretty good music, too.

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Last updated: Wednesday, 12 December 2007

User reviews

Average user rating from: 1 user(s)


Overall rating (weighted)		9.6
Musicianship		10.0
Composition		10.0
Experimentation		9.0
Production		9.0
Value		10.0

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Monday, 12 May 2008

Written by Justin Rahner - View all my reviews - Top 10 Reviewer


Overall rating (weighted)		9.6
Musicianship		10.0
Composition		10.0
Experimentation		9.0
Production		9.0
Value		10.0

The above review quotes the inside introduction to the album. Upon reading this, it instills a vague image in the listeners mind of what is soon to come. Then, for 57 minutes, that vague image becomes a vivid of what is known as "The Machinations of Dementia." Each song is another piece that formulates into a mental image based on a personal interpretation of the instrumental death metal blitzkrieg that enters the auditory receptors. Keep an eye on Blotted Science, they are the fathers of what will become a new direction into the progressive and techincal: a world where lyrics are obsolete and the instruments are what speaks to the listerner in a voice not made of words but sounds that paint the picture ultimately left to the fans to add detail.

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