The Apparatus

 Thursday, 06 December 2007 In a career spanning thirty years Zappa's output as a composer is hardly matched by any contemporary; his staggering catalog of material is even more formidable considering the breadth of styles incorporated. Recently, his son, Dweezil, embarked on a successful tour reviving Frank's music for a younger audience. In a modern musical era dominated by unchallenging artistry, a time when to most, music is a passive entity, full of trite and meaningless babble, rediscovering, or discovering Zappa for the first time is a welcome change of pace for the few pockets of thirsty brains demanding more cerebral challenges. One could begin their explorations of Zappa's music from nearly any point in his career and find material that is involving for the listener, daring you to think in ways you may not have before thought possible. To celebrate the forty years of his provocative music revisiting The Mothers of Invention 1966 debut Freak Out! is more than a curiosity of origins, it is a test of the artist's durability.

Lyrically, however more subdued than later releases, Zappa is as typical; snide social satire and mocking jabs at the music industry and the average, ignorant listener. There is, though, a certain naivete to much of the bohemian lyricism espoused by Zappa, as much of the album is a call to arms for an impending cultural/intellectual revolution that never quite happened. Songs here are varied and largely accessible, but for all the pop sensibility Zappa proves capable of much more with peculiar arrangements and instrumentation, offering new twists to old forms. There is the game of shifting accents he plays on "How Could I Be Such a Fool," or the excellent harmonies and contrapuntal vocalizations of the sardonic and retro doo wop number "Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder." Rhythmic and melodic themes are atypical, taking their cues from Zappa's lifelong infatuation with modernist composers like Stravinsky and Varese, best exemplified on the dramatically orchestrated "You Didn't Try to Call Me." Zappa really hits then uncharted territory on the jammed out feel of "Help, I'm a Rock," with its snake-like Middle Easter vibe and the accapella perversion "It Can't Happen Here." The album closes with the trying "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet," another jam piece deftly mixed with some of Zappa's trademark tape collages, creating a swirl of atonal sound amidst alternately slowed and speeded vocal parts seemingly designed to test the listener's sanity.

That this album has been named among the most important in rock history is no coincidence. This is a piece that not only tests limits and smashes them, it launched the career of a twentieth century musical icon whose work will far outlive the man. There is something for everyone on this album. It has depth and variety aplenty, intelligent social criticism, and a shocking duality of challenging, thoughtful music that is also easily accessible. This is an album where the more you listen, the more you get; certainly not Zappa's most sophisticated work, but far from a disappointment.

 Thursday, 06 December 2007 An instrumental album is by any means bold. Removing vocals instantly alienates the vast majority of listeners, relegating instrumental music to the backwater hobnobbing of elitist audiophiles and a slim intelligentsia honed in on technical capabilities. Joining this zeitgeist can prove a risky proposition for any young artist; straining to push the envelope can leave one stagnant, or too easily become a tiring display of pointless exercises. Enter Scale the Summit. Their self released debut, Monument, is a heroic foray into progressive instrumentalism. A burgeoning MySpace following has grown around this Texas band, and deservedly so. Reminiscent of Dream Theater, or more specifically the guitar playing of John Petrucci, this band forges a confident and complex listen based on clever sequences of intricate melodic statements. Despite tight instrumental interplay, there is an overwhelming serenity to this music. This is not a brash group of young musicians out to prove that they have chops (indeed they do, however); this album is more apropos of a spiritual collective exploring their tranquility through elaborate composition. The depth of their harmony (chord extensions abound!) implies enough mood and melody to move these pieces, beckoning the listener further into their bizarre calm; a vivid tapestry of tones. And all this without ever a word uttered. This is exactly what good instrumental music should be. Monument is challenging and technical, yet gentle and accessible.

Scale the Summit have all the makings of a band poised to leave a large footprint on the modern musical landscape. Their MySpace success can only be the beginning for this talented and focused band. If you haven�t heard this band, you need to.

 Thursday, 06 December 2007 By now most people with an ear to appreciate the technical elements of extreme music have heard, or at least heard of, the mighty Origin. Their albums "Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas," and "Echoes of Decimation" have quickly set precedent as benchmarks of ferocious intensity and dazzling virtuosic instrumental prowess. Jarring staccato guitar rhythms pulse in odd meters at breakneck speed alternating with dizzying arpeggiated sections all backed by the most frenetic quadrilateral drum fury imaginable. Vocals hardly take a backseat as Origin's three-fold attack swirls in a vicious torrent encircling the listener with guttural growls and piercing shrieks. This is the music you hear deep within Jabba's Palace as the Rancor moves in for the kill. Live, the Kansas quartet (formerly quintet) is truly a spectacle to behold as tempos often traverse the terrain from the simply mind-boggling to the totally unfathomable. This band is arguably at the limits of sonic possibility.

That being said, myself and a great many others have approached this band from their explosive breakthrough, "Informis...," and as human nature gets the best of us, we all like to dig deeper, trace things to their root. Origins self-titled 2000 debut release on Relapse records is readily available these days as the band's audience, and indeed acceptance of technical music in general, has grown. While featuring a different line-up than the present band, the core that brought Origin to the spotlight is still in tact; Paul Ryan and Jeremy Turner on guitars, and the inimitable John Longstreth on drums. This fact is most surprising after giving the album a listen. On the whole this is a bland and uninteresting collection that only whispers of the future ahead of this band. The guitars recognizably chug in thrashing dysrhythmic fashion but tempos plod along without the least hint of threat. The dramatic peaks and valleys of future compositions like "Larvae of the Lie," "Portal," and "Reciprocal" are nowhere to be found; instead songs here flat line, never shifting beyond one particular level of intensity. Longstreth's drumming is as always impressive, utilizing jazzy cymbal flourishes dispersed between blasts and precision footwork, but he cannot save these lifeless songs. Vocals provided by the now departed Mark Manning never leave the down beat making for unbearable monotony despite occasional register changes. The bass work of Doug Williams is not particularly discernible save for a few guitar and drum breaks, but these are less about showcasing flashy instrumentalism than vein attempts at thematic development. The improvements this band makes between this album and the next are exponential.

Origin's self-titled release is ultimately an unnecessary piece unless you are a die-hard fan or collector. It is not entirely without merit as it certainly is a technical work, but does nothing to raise itself above the average death/grind act. If you're considering this album as a first foray into the Origin sound or if you're a fan wondering what treasures it may hold, than wonder no more and happily turn your attentions elsewhere. Sometimes you dig into history and uncover some unpleasant articles. This is one of them. Do yourself a favor and skip this release. You won't be missing anything, I promise.

 Thursday, 06 December 2007 It is logical to assume that an artist, or a unified group of artists, as is the case here, would by their third full length album present material that is diverse, well conceived and executed, and of a particular forward thinking frame of mind. This should especially be the case when said compositions are the intellectual property of a band whose name evokes the grand design of the infinitesimal neurological pathways and suggests their function as pivotal to human spiritual existence. Lofty goals to be sure, and the imagery presented delves into a neuro-theological ego-centric existentialism framed by the paradoxical scientific certainty of a vast and uncertain cosmos. Carl Sagan would be so proud.

Unfortunately the music of this band does not live up to expectation. This album barely ranks as a technical release. What we get here is really just run of the mill, wall of sound death metal. The playing is intense, yes, and there are busy riffs aplenty, but this band provides no challenge. Structures rely too heavily on repetition, tricky time-signatures are consistently negated by cop-out grooves, and melodic segments feel rehashed, hokey even, in their lack of development, from song to song. Tommy McKinnon's drum performance is commendable for his blasting and footwork, but there�s not much to set him apart stylistically; he just sounds like a metal drummer. The gravely vocals are adequate, but do provide a refreshing rhythmic complexity. Guitar wise, Rob Milley proves a tasteful lead player, laying down soulful melodic lines between more frantic outbursts, although he fails to show any other dimension to his playing.

I don't mean to completely pan this release. There is enjoyable music here. Neuraxis exploit a clever knack for dark melodies that set them apart from their more jubilant peers. This aspect makes for dramatic and moody pieces that, when at their best, might draw comparison to late period Death. Riffing is reasonably varied, drawing from a diverse crowd of metal predecessors. I do have a major gripe on the wholly out of place intro on "Chamber of Guardians;" but there are other places where the album makes some decent music. Check out "Clarity," "A Curative Struggle," and "Axiom" in their entirety. The opening riffs of "Monitoring the Mind" take an ostinato pattern and shift the tonal center to great effect.

I want to really like this band, but I just can't recommend them for anyone seeking something new. This album is good, but not good enough. I understand that since the release of this album the band has swapped members. I honestly hope the future of this band sees brighter things.

 Thursday, 06 December 2007 Music of this caliber is a feat only rarely achieved. Sean Malone and company have masterfully executed an album that leaves no sound unexplored, leaving the listener awed in turns by contrapuntal complexity and minimalist exotic soundscapes. Like many, the urge to buy this album was rooted in the lure of Seans Malone and Reinert (half of that most revered band Cynic) playing together. After experiencing this album, that fact is merely an interesting side note, as what is created here is something wholly separate yet equally profound.

Malone's compositions are aided by big name players making cameos; notably, John Myung of Dream Theater, and Trey Gunn, formerly of King Crimson. Their presence is felt on these pieces, but doesn't dominate, as Malone proves adept at creating ensemble pieces that are engaging yet serene.

The album begins with a peculiar keyboard induced caterwaul intermittently strewn among a nearly New Age type chord progression. From there the album is in full force, diving headlong into eclectic euphoria. Fans of ambidextrous fretboard work will be sated by the frequent use of Sticks and Warr Guitars by Malone, Gunn, and Myung. Often their use is reminiscent of Discipline era King Crimson; rhythms and melodies overlapping, creating a swirl of ambient tones. These sounds work especially well over the tribal pulse created on songs like "Redemption's Way" or the meandering of "Srikara Tal." They also work well to grab the listener in segues and outros as on the funky fusion of "Code/Anticode" and among the clever melodic inversions of "Reflections." "Rivers Dancing," one of several pieces highlighting the dazzling guitar work of Ron Jarzombek features orgasmic eruptions of melody and moves in and out of numerous moods, each set among the piece to represent the many states of river, from placid to rampage. Jarzombek manages to channel his virtuosity brilliantly, keeping things on a level that stresses the melodic development of the song rather that his own technique. In fact, that is essentially the technical surprise of the whole album; that there is a collection of fine musicians whose collective musical stylings are entwined in such a fashion that no single part or player is ever weighted more than the rest of the composition. The many twists and turns a song may take are less about random assembly than they are about Sean Malone sharing his visions of what these songs are in explicit terms.

Nothing is forced here. Gordian Knot is successfully a focused and confident release that a exhibits a grandeur only wisdom can create. Lots of people have great chops, but this album has brains. This should be required listening for any music fan.