SLOW RIOT FOR NEW ZERO KANADA E.P.

By most accounts, Slow Riot for Zero Kanada is GY!BE's undisputed masterpiece. I certainly share the sentiment when it comes the albums crashing climaxes. However, I am not as universally impressed with the material which has to be overcome before they can be achieved.

The first track is Moya is by a wide margin the stronger of the two on the album. It does come out of the gate a bit flaccid, but after only a couple of minutes the band manages to find their feet and begins mounting a charge which end in one of those gorgeous life affirming musical moments. Following the climax, it slowly winds down and bleeds directly into the second track.

The second and substantially longer track is there the heart of the problem lies. Large portions of Blaise Bailey Finnegan III are devoted anarchic to the poetry and sentiments of an allegedly disaffected American citizen. This portion of the work is entirely unpalatable for a number of reasons. Firstly, as my research indicates, it is largely lifted from the Iron Maiden song Virus. Second, there is no Blaise Bailey Finnegan III he is just a fabrication by the band intended to sound sincere. Lastly, it's awfully rich for a Canadian group to be passing such heavy handed judgements against America. This whole episode blights more than half of the track. GY!BE does eventually slough off this unfortunate episode and comes to another triumphal upheaval of sound, but I can't help but feel like 10 minutes, or over a 3rd of the running time of the album was completely wasted in getting there.

The good moments on the EP are so far above the bad moments that I can't help but give it at least 3 out of 5. Be warned, this isn't merely some middling album, it is a fraught near triumph dragged down by its own hubris. I would recommend it for people who enjoy a really rich wall of sound and are patient enough to get there.