The Obvious Promo

Another not very known entry from the seemingly bottomless Dutch underground, this act couldn’t have possibly hit the spotlight with a goofy moniker like this their early exploits (the demo and the first two EP’s) trying to fit their “chicken-esque” name containing spastic direct thrash/crossover quite reminiscent of Wehrmacht and Spazztic Blurr, loud unpretentious music played just for the fun of it.

However, on the EP reviewed here a major metamorphosis has occurred; the sound has shifted to fairly intriguing retro progressive/technical thrash of the jumpy, hectic variety with quite sudden time and tempo changes. The dominant delivery resides within the mid-paced confines, but expect several speedy explosions to shatter your perceptions that will be tested to the limit by the volatile jazzy technicaller “Period!” which contains some air-headed crossover leftovers; and especially by “Juvenile Ditty”, a spastic unpredictable jumper with more brutal deathy shades the latter calling to mind acts like Atheist and Terrahsphere, these jolts breaking the nervy stop-and-go template ala Acid Reign. “Sorehead” is an eventful over 8-min progressiver which funky Mordred-esque base is carved by compulsive fast-paced strokes ala Terrahsphere again, and a few really weird psychotic rifforamas taken straight from the Thought Industry and Carbonized repertoire. “Not About Me” is all about hard-hitting, diverse thrashing with intelligent, crunchy riffage which will remind of another obscure outfit, the Americans Forced Entry, the stop-and-go technique applied to the fullest again in league with a surreal dissonant Voivodian flavour.

The light-hearted semi-declamatory punky vocals are strangely fitting into this surreal schizophrenic fiesta which mind-scratching, staccato riff-patterns were even compatible with the more mechanized, sterile music environment of the 90’s. The contrasting, even somewhat chaotic at times, execution is captivating all along, aptly avoiding the “disjointed illogical accumulation” traps, the guys wisely keeping the bouts of aggression within the acceptable confines. A cross over the old and the new school sounds was definitely to be expected on future recordings, and this is exactly what occurred on the excellent full-length, a bizarre amalgam of classic thrash, groove, alternative, funk, jazz and other more outlandish ingredients the overall approach reminiscent of the Japanese avant-gardists Doom, among other left-hand-path auteurs.

The old school resurrection wave would have greatly benefitted from such visionary artists, but the band were no more before the beginning of the new millennium. Eggheads or not, their roamings around the metal field were nothing short of outstanding, hatching more than just a few fairly interesting chicken from their less ordinary coop that were definitely worth taking the time to count.