BLOTTED SCIENCE

Now then, here's one I've been looking forward to, ever since discussing the evolution of its recording with Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster at the end of March this year. In fact, at that point, he was only half way through laying down bass tracks but here it eventually is in all its tech-metal, mind-bending, virtuosic, instrumental glory. For those not in the know, Blotted Science is a side-project for a trio of musicians - aside from Webster, there's guitarist/songwriter/producer Ron Jarzombek of Watchtower fame, and newly acquired drummer Hannes Grossmann from Obscura. 'The Animation of Entomology' is a long awaited follow up EP to their debut album that was unleashed four years ago, 'The Machinations of Dementia'. As suggested by its title, insects are the theme here - not lyrically, of course, as it's purely instrumental - and Ron has synched all the music to entomological-themed movie clips. I'm presuming the physical CD comes complete with said clips (this is a digi-promo I'm reviewing here so only the music's been made available to me). What I can say though, tech-metal/insect-wise (never thought I'd ever be writing that phrase!), is if you're a listener who also likes to visualise the music you listen to or music that is so potently provocative in its dynamic that it arouses your imagination into "seeing" the music, then 'The Animation of Entomology' succeeds in its essence. The lengthy passages of cleanly-picked faster-than-is-surely-humanly-possible arpeggios, aside from being breathtakingly tight and masterful in their execution, conjure all sorts of images of a scurrying mass of insects, speedily crawling their way around to the sonic cacophony. Gotta see those synched movie clips - I'm more than intrigued now! Playing-wise, with the high calibre of musicians involved, expectations are equally high, and they don't disappoint. The four tracks are simply amazing. Structurally as well. And we're talking extreme progression and technicality that surely even the likes of Jasun and Troy Tipton might listen to with jaws dropped. Actually, scrap that, the Tiptons are capable of similar fretboard virtuosity but masterful musicianship doesn't get much better than on Blotted Science's latest offering. Mixed in with all the up-tempo widdlings are some more down/mid-tempo, less cacophonic passages as a neat contrast so it's not all-out high velocity-driven pieces - albeit this forms a large part of the playing time. 'The Animation of Entomology' is incredible, a welcome return for Blotted Science, and highly recommended.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Basick Records

EP

THE ANIMATION OF ENTOMOLOGY

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

24:48

RELEASE DATE:

28th Nov 2011

TRACK LISTING

1) A Sting Operation
2) Cretaceous Chasm
3) Ingesting Blattaria
4) Vermicular Asphyxiation

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

USA

"...masterful musicianship doesn't get much better than on Blotted Science's latest offering."