As a metal fan that also enjoys music of an experimental nature there are a small collection of bands that interest me in both categories. It is an unstable middle ground where you can find such acts as Unexpect, Secret Chiefs 3, Estradasphere, The Locust, Diablo Swing Orchestra … the list goes on. Another notable band is San Francisco’s Giant Squid. Their song “Dead Man Slough” (from 2009’s The Ichtyologist) really grabbed my attention and drew me into their world. The band has just released their latest EP, Cenotes, and it picks up right where they left off. It packs in five songs over an epic 35 minutes - longer than some full length albums you happen upon.
“Tongue Stones (Megaptera Megachasmacarcharias)” is a tour de force of what Giant Squid are about; soaring pseudo-operatic male vocals, pummelling heavy prog rock, trumpets, bass riffs duelling with violins, and a murky sense of grandeur. At nine minutes long it is a daunting presence and an uninviting start to the EP to the uninitiated but the path forward is rewarding. Album closer “Cenotes (Troglocambarus Maclanei)” is a gorgeous number that plays it heavy and strange in just the right proportions even as it marches toward silence. What helps to set Giant Squid apart from many other heavy progressive outfits is their use of atypical instruments. Trumpets, cellos, and banjos festoon the landscape of Cenotes with music’s rich history and make the band’s insane vision that bit easier to reconcile.
Rating: B
See the original review here: http://www.the-tune.net/quicktune-giant-squid-cenotes/
See the original review here: http://www.the-tune.net/quicktune-giant-squid-cenotes/
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