For the second time this week, I'm going to call out my love for all things related to the mythical beast the Kraken (or in layman's terms, a giant squid or octopus), and as you can see by the cover art on the debut from Brain Tentacles, these guys obviously love the big guy as well. This new trio is comprised of Bruce Lamont (Yakuza, Bloodiest, Corrections House etc.) on horns, voice, electric piano, and synth, Dave Witte (Discordance Axis, Municipal Waste, Deny The Cross etc.) on drums, and Aaron Dallison (Keelhaul) on bass, voice, and synth. Together, they make a hell of a racket, at times quite musical with their blending of jazz, metal, and avant-garde, and at others it's just pure noise rock that will surely melt your speakers. Mostly instrumental save for some occasional vocal bursts, the album mixes short, chaotic math-rocky pieces with longer tracks that are like a head on collision of Canterbury jazz/prog and sludgy metal, like "Hand of God" and "Cosmic Warriors Girth Curse". With no guitar present, it's up to to Lamont's horns to be the main focus here, supported by some raucous bass & drum rhythms, and he is more than up for the challenge on "The Sadist", "Kingda Ka", and "Fruitcake", but it's Dallison's leathery bass that takes center stage on the atmospheric "Fata Morgana" and the lean, mean "Peace in War".
While it's not going to be an album for everyone, Brain Tentacles is chock full of adventurous sounds and daring instrumental flights, and if you can show a little patience through all the chaos, you'll eventually find much to enjoy here.
Track Listing
1. Kingda Ka
2. Fruitcake
3. Cosmic Warriors Girth Curse
4. Hand Of God
5. Gassed
6. The Spoiler
7. Sleestack Lightning
8. The Sadist
9. Fata Morgana
10. Peace In War
11. Palantine
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