Recommendation #1 - Guapo: Black Oni

Demonspell

cheating the polygraph
Apr 29, 2001
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www.ultimatemetal.com
Guapo - Black Oni (Ipecac, 2005)
File under: Dark intense progressive avant-rock

059.jpg

(side note #1: awesome cover art.)

Tracklisting: Black Oni pts. I -V (this is one 44-minute instrumental divided into five untitled movements)
http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=350716DB3B05C108 part two
http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=9777A961412B85C8
part three (both excerpts are 10 minutes long. Save both and program your player to listen to them back to back for desired effect.)

Description/background: This British band has received favorable attention for their two most recent albums (both being album-length instrumentals), the one being recommended and the previous year's excellent Five Suns, released on the avant-prog specialist label Cuneiform. The music here is often blistering and creepy at the same time, with the same piercing distorted guitars and monstrous low end found on King Crimson's definitive albums, the best overall comparison would be to ask "what if KC had employed an organist on Larks Tongues and Red?" The music here has constant shift changes (especially on the first excerpt I've posted), but never lapses into wankoff territory.
Sidenote #2: These guys are on Patton's label...how about a collaboration? Expect the other recommendation later tonight.

ProgArchives review

Official site
 
I had this for review a while ago. Not too fond of it though. The guys are obviously trying hard to achieve some sort of an avant-garde fest, but something is amiss to keep my attention from wandering.
 
oh snap, I haven't heard this.

Five Suns was one of my favorite albums of 2004 though, so I'll give these a try.
 
Chromatose said:
oh snap, I haven't heard this.

Five Suns was one of my favorite albums of 2004 though, so I'll give these a try.

so it didn't really keep my attention as well as their previous album, it seems to be missing something in the sound compared to Five Suns that I can't place. But I sure do love that bass-heavy dark prog, I'll probably pick this one up eventually.