Order and Punishment

Nothing could have prepared me for what I was going to experience listening to this album for the first time. !T.O.O.H.! play a unique blend of progressive wankery backed by intense grind, with a good dose of truly bizarre vocals thrown in for good measure. Sadly, this was to be their last album before their split, caused mainly by their record company, Earache. However, it's safe to say they went out with a bang, as this is a perfect note to end their musical career on.

From the very beginning, you can hear that you're onto something a bit special. The first track, Al Amin (Aneb Jak Vycakat Jelito), begins with a demonic growl, and then breaks straight into some technical and brutal guitar and drumwork. And then the vocals kick in. They're strange to say the least, and first time through, I was really hoping that they wouldn't ruin the rest of the CD for me. However, I've since grown to love them. They fit with the style of music perfectly; the element of insanity about the vocal style just fits with the technical onslaught of the music. The "marmite effect" will apply here. You'll either love or hate the vocals. There are some parts where the vocals are just perfect though. The screaming and chanting at the beginning (and mid points) of Konec Kontinentalniho Kontejneru is great, and is a good example of how the insanity of the vocals compliments the intensity of the other instruments.

The next thing that strikes me about this band is the bass work. The bass seems to be a pretty overlooked instrument in most genres of music, so bands who utilise it to full effect always sound that extra bit special to me. !T.O.O.H.! go above and beyond what most bands can ever hope to achieve with the bass. The technicality of it all is astounding, yet they still manage to make it tie in perfectly with the drum and guitar parts.

The drum work throughout the album is very well done. It's a driving force of the music, the technicality and precision of it all is truly impressive. Schizoid manages to remain aggressive while still not missing a beat, and he blasts out some incredible beats throughout the album.

Finally, I come to the guitar work on the album. What can I say? It's just breathtaking. The riffs are all great, and the benefits of having two guitarists can really be heard with the way in which they've layered guitar parts to great effect. Short solos intertwine with brutal riffs throughout, and the end result is amazing. Now to the matter of the solos. Although no one solo is that long, they're all incredible, especially the solo at the end of Kali. I really couldn't think of any better way to end such a superb release.

There are only two things that sadden me about this album. Firstly, it's only a woeful 35 minutes long, and really does leave you craving for more. That brings me nicely onto my second problem, this is their last ever release, so never again will I hear such innovation from this group of brilliant musicians. Nevertheless, as I've previously said, this is the perfect way for them to end their career. Thank you and goodbye !T.O.O.H.!, may your music go down in Death Metal history.