- Elementary Revolt

1/13/2007

Giant Squid - Metridium Fields

Tracklist

1. Megaptera In The Delta
2. Neonate
3. Versus The Siren
4. Ampullae Of Lorenzini
5. Summit
6. Eating Machine
7. Revolution Of Water
8. Metridium Field

Info

Giant Squid! No it’s not the title of a Discovery Channel Special (actually it might be but that’s not the point), the point is the Austin, TX band Giant Squid creates a groovy musical chaos that encompasses the senses like it’s namesake wraps around a drowning sailor. Giant Squid has just recently gained the support of indie label The End Records, and are releasing a complete remake of their first album ‘Metridium Field’. Billy Anderson, who is famous for working with other pioneering crossover acts like Neurosis and Mr. Bungle, produced the album the first and second time. This is a pretty big accomplishment for such a new band, and when you hear the sheer musicianship on ‘Metridium Field’ it is obvious why they gained the attention of Anderson.

The first track ‘Neonate’ starts out crunchy, doom laden, and black Sabbath-ish, then careens into almost death metal aggression, with the occasional quiet breakdown. Very reminiscent of crossover giants System of a Down, especially because of the instrumental breakedown (it can't really be called a guitar solo) that has a very Middle Eastern flavor. The track ‘Ampullae of Lorenzini’ is very slow and groovy, with epic, heavy bursts, very much in the vein of Pink Floyd. The shortest song on the album clocks in at six minutes thirty nine seconds (unless you count the fifty second shorts that consist of weird noises and samples), and the longest song at twenty-one minutes and nine seconds, so this is not an album of short little poppy hits; quite the opposite. It is an album of introspective, trippy music that languidly leads the listener into chaos and bliss at the same time. Although don’t let the slowness and length of the songs fool you, this is not some hippy jam band, the songs are very dark and heavy with a definite doom influence.

Fans of the anthemic pop hits on today’s radio would probably not enjoy Giant Squid. But fans of stoner rock, jazz-fusion, and classic rock progression will absolutely love their sound. Giant Squid is gaining attention for their live shows as well as recorded music and one listen to ‘Metridium Field’ will make it clear why. These guys are good players, plain and simple, and not bad songwriters either. They are also not as technical as some modern progressive artists are, so a non-musician can actually listen to it and not feel insane. For kicking back and enjoying a most likely inebriated afternoon, these guys are the perfect listen.

ColetteClaire / TheGauntlet

MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/giantsquid

DD

http://www.mediafire.com/?fmmuhtqtmi2

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1/13/2007

eraser at 6:02 p. m.