No Eyed Bird

Led by drummer Weasel Walter, Oakland’s instrumental band The Flying Luttenbachers enter their post brutal-prog era with blast beat happy “Cataclysm”. The album is themed as a battle between the biblical Behemoth and ‘The Void’ (2004 album), ending with the “celebration of the inevitable self destruction of a tyrannical, non-sustainable system”. Alas, the Republican Party lives on. Perhaps capitalism or the USA is a more appropriate parallel. I say that Weasel knew what was seen the Behemoths dying eye was our own eventual demise. Musically, the albums aggressive and heavy bass, perfectly dissonant jazzy guitars and unrelenting beats are all neatly produced (much like the new Hella album). The tracks on the album clash circus, metal, & horror-movie, each one a separate nightmarish sedative-invitation to pain. Guitars & drums frequently revert to a call & response system. This conceptual album thematically transverses ancient times, greek mythology and finally bludgeons Western music to a pulp with cover “L’Ascension”, by French composer Olivier Messiaen.

-johnny darko