Starting now I will be making occasional recommendations for certain items in the store that I really like. Kind of like a staff pick and also like our other blog entries that describe recent items, only now we will be covering a lot more metal. This is something that I might do daily, weekly, every other day, whatever. It depends on what is on my mind.First I would like to tell you about an incredible band that is way too underrated. Psyopus, although they are signed to a major metal label don’t gather fans like other bands as they are far less accessible to the common and untrained ear. This greatly misunderstood monster hails from Rochester New York with Guitar extraordinaire Christopher “Arpmandude” Arp as the ongoing mastermind behind the compositions. Their sound is a brutal, blasting yet versatile form of tech grind that uses lots of time/tempo changes, fearless use of atonal chords, and unorthodox instrument techniques. Some reviewers complain the music is too tasteless, and over the top. Although I don’t really agree with the first comment at all I will admit that it’s over the top, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. This music is to be approached with intentions other than looking for something to dance/mosh/get stoned to. It’s almost impossible to compare them with anything familiar, but I would have to say that it is a precise blend of Primus with Buckethead, playing Schoenberg compositions while layering that with Psychedelic, Avant Garde movie soundtrack sequenced Synthesizers translated and arranged for a band similar to Origin (with occasional appearances by Sun City Girls). As crazy and as smoke-blown-up-the-ass as that sounds I get the impression that these guys are actually quite modest and well educated people that really like having fun with their music and like to play with the listeners. For instance, on their album “Our Puzzling Encounters Considered” is a song titled “Siobhanis Song” where there are 24 guitar tracks with one for each note used during a certain part of the song to give the impression that the notes are falling from all over the place. Another great example of this is the “Imogen’s Puzzle” Trilogy. One track on each of the three albums and the first and third parts are meant to played simultaneously. “Imogen’s Puzzle pt.3″ is essentially part one played backwards then reversed. I haven’t tried this out for myself but I can imagine that it is quite a freakfest. Other than the intentional musical challenges that they put themselves through their lyrics cover a wide range of odd ideas and issues ranging from insects and siamese twins, to sex changes and snuf films. In conclusion I would really advise that you pick this up. I wanted to expose this band to an audience different than the common metal fanatics that they are marketed to. I felt that if listened to the right way that this could be something that music appreciators that lurk in all sections of Dissonant Plane could find to appreciate if they gave it the chance and well studied listen that it deserves.Psyopus on Myspace
