KAYO DOT

Kayo Dot are back with their tenth full-length release two years after the totally-okay Blasphemy. That album continued the band's recent trend away from metal and toward Gothic rock with some experimental leanings. Kayo Dot has always been difficult to nail down with precise genre descriptors, frequently operating in nebulous grey areas between assorted experimental rock and metal subgenres.

Bandleader Toby Driver has often worked with a rotating crew of musicians for Kayo Dot, but for Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike, he recorded with the original lineup of his previous band, the critically-beloved maudlin of the Well. The musicianship is expectedly top-notch, and the fusion of experimental metal with subtler influences is sublime. This might just be my new favorite Kayo Dot record.

Moss Grew opens with "The Knight Errant". A trilled guitar line soars icily as gothic synth tones pound out an odd beat alongside the rhythm section. The combination of snarled vocals over this minimal instrumental backing is striking and powerfully sinister. A warbling synth line eventually takes the lead for a brief interlude as the song continues its march forward. The second half is focused more on instrumental excursions and features some dark, haunting guitar passages. It all culminates in the final verse, which builds to an apex like one would expect from one of the greats of atmospheric black metal.

"Brethren of the Cross" kicks off with a wonky, goth-y guitar line that staggers forward in a stupor. The verses continue this uneven feeling as they lurch forward toward more stable passages underpinned by black metal and post-punk. This track's climax is also praiseworthy. The main riff of the last two minutes is a crushing, metallic assault with an inscrutable pulse. The riff here feels drunk, but this metrical theatricality is fascinating.

Next is one of the most accessible songs Kayo Dot have ever written, "Void in Virgo". The verses are airy, light, and clean. I never thought "sweet" would be a word I could apply to this band's music, but it works here. It's not off-putting, though. In fact, it's quite a nice contrast. Right when it felt as if this song was about to start feeling a little long, a heavier passage comes crashing in to keep things interesting.

"Spectrum of One Colour" is the shortest song on the album, clocking in at a bit under five minutes. This track opens with an energetic, complex riff evocative of math rock. Big walls of bruising distortion are brought in during the song's slower moments, and Driver's shrieked vocals add to the overwhelming atmosphere. The song's second half features lush synthesizers and a mellower pace, though the aggression remains.

"Get Out of the Tower" starts with an echoing bassline and deft drumming, but it's soon joined by a twisting, flashy guitar solo. This track has an intensity which hasn't been present on their last few albums, and it's a much appreciated inclusion. Even during less-distorted instrumental passages, the vocals are impassioned, and that makes the eventual return of the fury that much more satisfying.

A high-energy drumbeat and willowy synth pads introduce "The Necklace". This moody, anxious piece features distant, strained vocals, as well as claustrophobic synths. This composition stays minimalistic through most of its runtime, but it never feels half-baked or drawn-out.

Moss Grows closes on its longest song, "Epipsychidion". This piece is more classic Kayo Dot, with a maelstrom of gothic-tinged black metal. The guitars are abstract, and the drumming is masterful and dizzying. The first half is one of the best songs I've heard all year, and I really wish Kayo Dot would have stopped at nine or ten minutes. The track closes after about five minutes of drone. Even a minute or two would have been a good ending here, but it just drags on a bit too long.

This final, minor hiccup aside, Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike is a fantastic album. It has the raw intensity and experimental spirit of Kayo Dot's early work while also incorporating gentler influences they've picked up along the way.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2021/11/15/album-review-kayo-dot-moss-grew-on-the-swords-and-plowshares-alike/

Kayo Dot have long been one of the more amorphous acts in the progressive rock and metal scene. There's often a great deal of variation between their individual albums, with their last couple releases being relatively soft and synth-heavy. Compare that to their vaunted debut, Choirs of the Eye, where the band started off as an avant-garde metal act. Of late, though, they've been incorporating more and more influences from the 1980s, particularly post-punk and gothic rock.

This fusion continues on Blasphemy, the band's ninth studio album. This release also sees Kayo Dot reviving a bit of their metal roots. I would not call this a metal album, but it's their most aggressive record in a while. Those heavier tones complement the coldness of the goth influences, and bandleader Toby Driver has managed to write another distinct album.

"Ocean Cumulonimbus" opens the album in a way that sets the tone for the entire album. After a quiet, ominous opening, the song explodes into slightly-dissonant chords under impassioned vocals. Synthesizers swell and buzz, adding a sense of urgency of it all. The sequenced synthesizers of "The Something Opal" provide strong forward momentum and allow this track to immediately engage the listener. The whispered vocals which briefly appear were probably meant to sound sinister, but in they wound up coming off as somewhat silly and campy. It's a rare stumble.

"Vanishing Act in Blinding Gray" is another strong point. It's a sprawling, slow-building piece that begins as a gentle bit of melancholia. As it progresses, the synthesizers become more dominant, and the drumming becomes more aggressive. Atonal arpeggios are artfully applied to transition the song to a more menacing movement. Cascading keys and palm-muted guitar riffs bring this song to a crushing, majestic climax.

Unfortunately, much of the album's second half isn't as enthralling as its first. The music is still good and enjoyable, but aside from the closing track, I don't feel there's much I can really say about it. Avant-garde influences mesh with goth flavors, but the tempo of the songs does not vary much. Combined with their similar timbre, this can make the second half feel tedious.

Blasphemy closes on a high note, though. The title track begins with sounds I'd almost expect from Peter Gabriel. Springy bass, warm synths, and cymbal-less percussion imbue some good kinetic energy into the music as jagged guitar cuts through the mix to generate contrast.

On this album, Toby Driver continues to put more stock into the gothic rock sounds of the 1980s while adding a touch more heaviness than the band's last couple releases. It's mostly successful, but there are moments where it sounds like they're wallowing a bit. Some of the second half could have used a bit of tightening up, but strong ideas are present throughout Blasphemy's full runtime. I'd definitely call this a good album, but I think their 2014 album, Coffins on Io, did a better job of pulling off the same general sound.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/10/07/album-review-kayo-dot-blasphemy/

Kayo Dot is a New York based avant-garde rock and experimental metal group which formed in 2003 after several members left Toby Driver's previous project, Maudlin of the Well. Kayo Dot has been subject to several line-up changes, although the only constant member is Toby Driver on bass, lead vocals, guitar, clarinet and keyboards. 'Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue', combines a more avant and less metal overall sound, and features over an hour of guitar based compositions with less frontal vocals and a higher emphasis on atmospheric textures and avant-garde playing. This is my first exposure to Kayo Dot's music. Here are my impressions of compositions presented on this record:

1. Gemini Becoming the Tripod (10:43). Quiet start followed by instrumental outbreak (with imitaton of a buildup) and then we get an atmospheric section (which is established with help of violin and intricate percussion) with eerie vocals. The screaming approach is unsettling (sometimes a bit annoying), the composition is very angular, even abrasive, awkward at some points, which is not an unusual thing for this subgenre of prog. (6,5/10)

2. Immortelle and Paper Caravelle (9:42). As the first track, this starts quietly. The tempo is slow, moody(almost melodic) moments are present. The vocals are delicate (perhaps too delicate for my taste). There is a very prominent minimalistic nature in this composition. (6/10)

3. Aura on an Asylum Wall (7:44). Starts with a spooky pattern and spoken words with some instrumental modifications here and there. Next up we get prominent trumpet and violin melodies on top with guitar and bass accompaniment with quite diverse percussion. Distorted bass from 7th minute till the end. This seems like the most consistent composition on the album. (8/10)

4. ___ On Limpid Form (18:00). This epic begins with almost random guitar strumming followed by vocals with some choir addition. Nice guitar-violin interplay near 3 minute mark, trumpet is a good touch. What comes next is a section of disconnected chords of distorted guitar and drums, containing pauses of silence. It continues till the end of this composition. There's not a lot (interesting) happening here compositionally. I have to say that this track might not be the choice for an active listening, because it isn't very good in holding your attention throughout all of it's length, so it may seem dull and uninspiring. (6/10)

5. Amaranth the Peddler (14:07). Again, it starts in a very minimalistic manner. No hints of melodies just sheer dissonance. Toby's vocals vere present for 2 minutes. The signs of buildup could be heard when guitars and double bass gradually come in, with different noises made by horns, violin. Ambiance and anticlimactic ending to this album are achieved, I guess. (6/10)

'Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue' is definitely not an easy listen. At one point the music requires all of your attention, on the other hand some of it resembles background noise. The inventive factor is present, there were no hints of replication (at least I didn't hear any), so this album is worth listening. I just wished it had a bigger amount of structure in these compositions.

In the on again / off again world of KAYO DOT in regards to being an avant-garde metal band, Toby Driver has shifted gears once again away from the Gothic rock / electronica menageries of his post "Hubardo" period and once again jumped back into the heavier realms of music complete with death growls. While some may call KAYO DOT's tenth studio album MOSS GREW ON THE SWORDS AND PLOWSHARES ALIKE a return to form, it would be more accurate to call this album an interesting album length compendium of everything Driver has conjured up in his past works and thrown onto the work table for the ultimate mix of all the previous styles in one listening experience.

One thing is for sure and that is that KAYO DOT remains in its own little world, utterly unclassifiable although the list of ingredients that include avant-garde metal, gothic rock, doom metal and progressive rock do give a hint of what to expect. With some rather bloated projects in the past with huge rosters of guest musicians, MOSS GREW is basically the Toby Driver show where he plays all the instruments with the only exception being guitar solos performed by Greg Massi. Jason Byron, the long term collaborator continues to provide the lyrics for Driver's unique atmospheric knotty prog to latch onto.

Clocking in at close to an hour, MOSS GREW ON THE SWORDS AND PLOWSHARES ALIKE displays a triumphant return to those missed metal accoutrements that decorate Driver's musical palette like no other. "The Knight Errant" unapologetically breaks down the door announcing that the series of non-metal albums has ceased and a new chapter of the KAYO DOT experience has begun. With dramatic synth stabs, howling atmospheric keyboard fuzz and off-kilter percussive outbursts, Driver re-introduces his growly metal vocal angst yet without the aqcompanienmt of heavy guitar distortion but rather jagged angular keyboard runs, jazzy drumming dopamine inducers and crazy roller coaster ride time signature changes and proggy workouts. Some heavier guitars do make their appearance but always play second fiddle to the untamed and oft unhinged synth madness.

It becomes quite clear with the second track "Brethren Of The Cross" that Driver did not completely abandon his avant-goth leanings of the previous albums but in fact has melded them with his prior avant-metal and Maudlin of the Well sensibilities. The juxtaposition of elements provides a turbulent stormy ride like chartering a sailboat over the Drake's passage to Antarctica. This atmospheric jungle mixed with the more aggressive metal leanings is exactly what the doctor ordered and offerings the much needed contrast that has been missing on Driver's non-metal offerings. The result is an abstract soundscape in the vein of MotW's "Bath" and "Leaving Your Body Map" as well as the earliest KAYO DOT offerings all kept in the more accessible realms of Driver's more recent jaunts into the easier on the ears soundscapes of Goth electronic mood enhancers.

The diversity factor has been turned up on MOSS GREW and that is what makes it such a welcome return to past glories! While recent albums sorta got stuck in a one-trick pony groove, this one really isn't afraid to let each track drift to wherever feels right. "The Necklace" is a particular standout as erratic percussive drive accompanies a chilled out synth soaring sequence with Driver screaming from beneath the mix. Another standout is the closing 13-minute plus "Epipsychidion" which delivers what one could only deem as atmospheric death metal. Thick ambient cloud covers suffocate heavy drumming and growly vocals with weirder than weird meandering compositional fortitude that reminds as to why Toby Driver is considered one of the most inventive artists in today's prog and metal realms.

MOSS GREW ON THE SWORDS AND PLOWSHARES ALIKE comes as an unexpected surprise as the previous album "Blasphemy" really made me think that Driver had peaked and was destined to no longer compose music that i can't really resonate with. If anything this album reminds me that Driver is always on the lookout for something new to latch onto but also has his pulse on the whims of the fanbase and returned to a more familiar comfort zone in the nick of time for those on the fence. Overall, MOSS GREW is not only a dramatic and welcome return to his metal roots but really does capture the essence of everything Driver has tackled up to this point. It's sort of a recap in musical form of all those "leaving your body map" musical projections. What really makes this one work is the abstract fuzziness of it all, as if it is the soundtrack to a dream. Just enough melodic progressions to latch onto yet one of the most surreal KAYO DOT experiences to behold in a very long time.

KAYO DOT decidedly abandoned any metal connections on "Coffins On Io" and started melding Gothic rock with it's unique brand of dark jazz, avant-prog and darkwave. Toby Driver and friends continue this on BLASPHEMY, the ninth studio album. While the previous release "Plastic House On Base Of Sky" was larger than life with 21 extra musicians on board to create a somewhat bloated production, BLASPHEMY on the hand creates a more immediate effect by reducing the lineup to a mere six participants. The result is a more direct progressive rock experience that focuses on creepy atmospheres that match the foggy album cover art with Gothic bleakness.

There are two camps of KAYO DOT fans, one that went gaga over Driver's unique avant-garde metal style that mixed metal bombast with jazz, chamber prog and avant-garde weirdness and then there are those who love this second phase of non-metal mood maddening Goth. Of course there are those who get into both sides. I'm in the first camp and have never related to this phase of the KAYO DOT universe and unfortunately BLASPHEMY does not change this fact. The album consists of eight tracks of over 45 minutes however there is also a second bonus disc titled PURITY for those who can't get enough of this style of KAYO DOT. If that's the case get the Digibook Limited Edition and bliss out!

Admittedly while i literally hated this album upon first listen, it actually has grown on me a bit through forced exposure until i can put myself into the head of the creators who forged it in their fiery pits. The admirable aspects include highly complex time signature changes, abstract and surreal tones and timbres that really do take you to the heart of the matrix for deep contemplation. The whole thing does sound what The Cure might've evolved into had they pursued a more progressive rock oriented sound. The down side is that after the first three tracks the album begins to lag a bit and the spell that the album casts begins to wear thin to my ears.

While the production works quite well, i find the vocals to a bit irritating to be honest. Musically all is fine featuring those knotty KAYO DOT workouts but considering the music is so dark and depressive i find the vocals to be a bit one-dimensional and in the end pretty much ruins the overall experience. In fact the vocals sound processed much of the time and there is some sort of tinny tone that reminds me of modern day electro-pop which while not inherently bad for what it is, doesn't resonate in the context of a dark gloomy album theme to my ears. Whatever the case some have warmed up to this album as the logical next step from this series of non-metal albums.

Given the Gothic rock leanings, BLASPHEMY also has more pop oriented hooks than most KAYO DOT albums would ever dare. As a KAYO DOT fan i'm more accustomed to the jagged surreal soundscapes of "Choirs Of The Eye," "Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue" and "Blue Lambency Downward," therefore this one is just too tame for my interest from an artist known to expand the metal world's horizons into bizarre new colonizations of sound. All in all this isn't as bad as my first impressions implied but after giving it more time to sink in and renewed contemplation, it still doesn't exactly light my fire. When it comes down to it, BLASPHEMY just doesn't deliver what it promises. I can't enjoy an album that i constantly have to reinterpret it to what i want it to be. While i can overlook that to some degree, in the end this just doesn't rank high on my KAYO DOT experiences.

5.0 Stars. maudlin of the Well + Kayo Dot = Astral Hubardo

Kayo Dot have been on a strong run for a while now. Ever since their landmark Hubardo album back in 2013 they have been delivering a diverse but consistent string of albums for the rest of the decade. They had tuned down the pure Avant chaos of their earlier work but in exchange had made their albums more direct and engaging, while still being far away from commercial or selling out.

Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike sees a shifting back to the older, more experimental style of Kayo Dot, partially due to the deliberate homage to former band maudlin of the Well and Greg Massi joining the band once again. As with the older Kayo Dot albums Moss is very uncompromising, with their being lots of extreme metal, grows and screams. They have even managed to do some Avant drone metal and expansive sound scaping, which I have not heard from them since their earlier 2 albums and never thought I would again from them.

Their is a lot of familiar ground between this album and Hubardo in terms of aggression and song writing. However the key difference is the Mauldlin influence in Moss, which causes the songs to be more abstract and experimental. While most of this album is dark and heavy, ambient and new-age sounds permeate though to add a more otherworldliness feel.

The album was created during the Covid pandemic, when the world was turned upside down and people were full of fear and dread. The nightmare of 2020 has been perfectly reflected on Moss, which tells stories of cruelty and pain, with their being no hope on the horizon. The darkness intensifies as the album continues, with it reaching a climax at the start of Epipsychidion ( probably the most chaotic and destructive song Kayo Dot have ever created), before everything crumbles away into Avant Garde sound scaping.

Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike may well be the most challenging album Toby Driver has ever written (which is impressive if you look at his back catalogue!), as it contains a level of darkness and intensity that surpasses the likes of Hubardo, Coyote or Library Loft. The extreme metal and psychic darkness will make this album hard to listen to, even for most Prog listeners. Yet despite this there are some of the best music I have ever heard to be found here. I would rank this album as highly as their debut Choirs, which is one of my favourite albums of all time.

Reuniting some of the cast from previous Maudlin of The Well albums, Toby has stepped back into relativity with this, at times, stunning album.

1. "The Knight Errant" (8:21) a fascinating ride: high energy, yet, on cruise control the whole way--and narrated by an angry man with something to say. Could have used a little more variation in tempo and themes. (17.5/20)

2. "Brethren of the Cross" (8:20) engaging both musically and lyrically, the key and tempo changes are fresh and unpredictable--which makes me want to come back to it more. The instrumental seventh and eight minutes are awesome as the music slowly deconstructs. (18.5/20)

3. "Void in Virgo (The Nature of Sacrifice)" (9:10) definitely has a moTW feel to it despite its more modern/recent Depeche Mode-like synth wash treatments. The lead guitar work is my favorite element but the chord and key changes are also awesome. From the opening with Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins)-like rolling bass play and the guitar's melodic foundational chord progression, I am into this one. The sensitively sung lyrics and interjection of 80s synth sounds are wonderful. As a matter of fact, it's an extraordinary vocal performance--one of my favorites by Toby Driver in a long time. Great lead guitar play by Greg Massi--even as the walls of sound thicken. Awesome song! Great ending! (19.5/20)

4. "Spectrum of One Colour" (4:57) uptempo and fast-moving, this one sounds like a Billy Idol song. Interesting how Toby's dominant bass and the guitar's chord play weave around each other. I'm thankful to be able to understand the scream vocals, however, since I have trouble (or an innate lack of interest in) hearing words, the deep impact of the song is lost upon me. Love the oscillating synth work in the final section. (8.5/10)

5. "Get Out of the Tower" (7:06) that murky, echo bass of recent KD albums anchors a more moTW music structure-- even more emphasized by Toby's screaming vocals. (I think he's actually angry, folks!) The "angry" Robin Guthrie guitar play is another great aspect. While I like this song, I'm not as enamored of Toby's fairly untreated vocal--it's too thin and weak (except when he gets into the growling in the second half)--this despite the fact that I can appreciate the target of his anger. The full soundscape of the second half is much better than the spacious opening three minutes. (13.25/15)

6. "The Necklace" (8:10) a song based over the field-filling drumming! Floating, droning synth-guitar wall-scapes and screamed vocals help give it its other shape and identity--with great, slow-transitioning sustained chords--but the real attention-grabber here is the drumming--especially in the first half. Cool song! (14.25/15)

7. "Epipsychidion" (13:13) the walls of cacophony--despite the use of Edge Evans' guitar tone from the early 1980s-- coupled with the scream vocals throughout the first half of this song irritate me to no end. The song improves in the sixth minute as the walls of noise are taken down and Toby sings in a human voice (sounding drained and exhausted--a reflection of the planet and it's homo sapiens?) The second half, with it's experimental sound explorations, is highly entertaining and even enjoyable. Still, I simply can't reward those first five minutes too highly. (25.5/30)

Total Time 59:17

I don't know how Toby & Company manage to release album after album in which they challenge the existing norms of what is practiced--of what is acceptable--in progressive rock music, but they do--and here, with Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike, they've done it as well as they ever have. Definitely the most stunning display of the combination of frustrated aggression, instrumental virtuosity, and melody I've heard in 2021. In spite of this praise and recognition, I feel as if, once again, I'm faced with rating an album from this year whose song output ranges quite drastically from extremes of "pleasing" to "irritating." Were it not for the weak aspects (the growl/scream vocals and occasional lack of change or development), this might be one of my favorite albums of the year--and certainly the best experimental/post metal album. As it is, I can only go with the metrics. B/four stars; a very interesting and polarizing album to listen to (for me). I do not, however, hesitate to urge you to try it for yourselves.

In Hubardo, Toby Driver returns to the extreme avant-prog metal roots that he embraced with his prior band Maudlin of the Well. The reason that Driver revisited the heavy sounds of the early days of Kayo Dot and his prior band was because he felt that a lot of the avant metal that was being produced was not deserving of the accolades that it was receiving, that it wasn't quite challenging or imaginative enough. So, he rips out all of the stops for this one and creates a monster of an album.

There are two discs to this album, and pretty much all of the first disc is dark, chaotic, heavy, extreme and loud. But, it is also obvious that the tracks are not your typical, run-of-the-mill extreme metal. It is definitely not accessible music at all, but highly imaginative and well-produced metal at it's finest. Right away, starting with "The Black Stone", the Kayo Dot listener will know that she/he is in for craziness. This 10 minute track is heavy and harsh, yet complex and brilliant. Layers of bass and guitar pile upon growling and extreme brass along with harsh vocals by Jason Byron, formerly from Maudlin of the Well. "Crown-in-the-Muck" is a bit lighter in feel, but still as dark as the previous, but then layers of brass come in building a foundation for layers of guitar to join in later. Vocals come in half way through with a combination of growling and yelling, sometimes at the same time, sometimes separately. "Thief" is a very interesting delve into an almost speed metal/avant punk sound, then, true to Kayo Dot, it turns into what could be a free meter piece. Vocals are more tonal here, but there is a use of some odd modes. "Vision Adjustment to Another Wavelength" begins abruptly with shouting and is joined by a choir of harsh vocalist styles that are layered on top of brass, drums, bass which come together in a cacophony of noise. Halfway in, a flute takes the song in a complelty different direction turning to a free form jazzcore along with growling vocals. "Zlida Caosgi" as keys and guitars play around almost playfully, suddenly it is destroyed by layers of loud guitar, and then things calm again turning this into a track that has a returning riff that almost sounds like a standard metal tune except it continues to rely on the synths to create some nice textures. The outlying track on this first disc is the last one, "The First Matter (Saturn in the Guise of Sadness)". This one is strikingly different from everything else we have heard on this album up to this point. The music is quite atmospheric sounding very much like something that could have fit comfortably on Ulver's "Blood Inside" album. The vocals are quite beautiful here, but the melody is definitely non-standard.

On the 2nd disc, the "mellower" mood continues with "The Second Operation (Lunar Water)". A standard meter that consists of simply a hypnotic keyboard pattern with a violin playing the melodic part starts it all off. At 3 minutes, things get quite ambient, but with lots of dissonance. Several singers provide an avant-garde style chorale. This one also sounds a lot like Ulver especially when the vocal parts become surprisingly beautiful, yet remain very non- standard. The 2nd disc ends up being the softer side of the album, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of places where everything gets extreme, however, the harsh vocals appear a lot less on this half. However, "Floodgate" will prove that anything can and does happen as this track literally re-opens the floodgates of heaviness, harsh vocals and extreme prog. This track is followed by "And He Built Him a Boat" which once again steps back for a calmer sounding track, not much like anything the band has done before since it is the closest thing to a standard style than anything else on the album, but a great track nonetheless. The calm side continues at first on "Passing the River" which starts out as a study in restraint and dark, complex beauty. The last half, however, turns into a churning, wailing guitar solo which occassionally gets interrupted by outbursts from the rest of the ensemble turning it into metal shoegaze and jazzcore combined. The album ends with complex and epic "The Wait of the World" which pretty much brings everything together in one 14+ minute track.

Many have said this is the heaviest of all of Kayo Dot's albums, and that is the truth. There are plenty of impenetrable sections on this album, especially on the first disc. However, there is a lot of style that Kayo Dot listeners will be used to on the album also as most of the 2nd disc is a bit less chaotic, but still quite complex. Some have said that this is a good album to begin with if you want to get into Kayo Dot's discography, but, even though it is a masterpiece of avant- prog metal, it would not be the one that I would recommend, unless you do like extreme music, even then I would approach it with caution and stick with "Choirs of the Eye" as a beginning point for exploring the band. However, I still consider this one of the band's best albums even with it's harsh tracks. You have to listen closely and concentrate on the music, otherwise it may just sound like noise, but it is not an album to just listen to casually. For that reason, not everyone will be able to handle it's abrupt changes from harsh metal to ambiance. But for those that are willing to explore and are adventurous, this is an essential album.

4.95 Stars. Avant-Prog at its most accessible

Kayo Dot are a band that have been on a steady rise over the last decade. After hitting rock-bottom in 2012 where they had to produce Gamma Knife on a budget of $0, they have slowly gone up the ranks by getting signed to the Flesher Label, and now the larger Prophecy Productions. The last time they were signed on a bigger label (2008 with Hydra Head) it all began crashing down on themselves, but thankfully this time they have created something that should appeal to a larger market without sacrificing their "Avant-garde" label.

The best description that can be applied to their new album Blasphemy is if their previous albums Hubardo and Plastic house on base of sky had a baby, with a hazy song structure that harkens back to the ill-fated Blue lambancy downward. For those who are not familiar with the band, image a heavy rock band with black-metal flourishes combined with complex 80's synth arrangements and unorthodox song structure. This album has managed to use the key strengths of each of those albums while avoiding the extremes that turned a lot of listeners off. Blasphemy allows moments of intense heaviness and screamed vocals such as that found in Hubardo, however it never becomes a cacophony of sound that overwhelmed many listeners. The 80's synth arrangements are just as tangled as they were in Plastic House, but the rock elements provide a grounding to the sound and give it a greater impact. Lastly the songs are given the freedom to roam off track, but unlike Blue Lambancy there is end destination and storyline to stop the album from losing its way.

As well as learning from their previous albums, Blasphemy has two new features that have never been done on any Kayo Dot (or MOTW) album. The first is the new, dynamic singing style of Toby Driver and the second is the use of modern electronic dance music (EDM) that Toby has explored in his side project Piggy Black Cross. Toby has always been blessed with a very wide vocal range, allowing him to sing at very high and low notes, as well as being able to use harsh metal vocals. However on virtually every album he tends to sing in a consistent manner depending on the song (or segment of a song) being played. On Blasphemy, his vocal range is constantly changing throughout every song, in order to match the constantly shifting sound from the band. This, combined with the use of auto tune on An Eye for a Lie (the masterpiece of the album, or the worst thing they have ever done depending on who you ask) and other songs has proven to be very controversial with the Kayo Dot fan base, who despite being used to the unexpected, were REALLY unprepared for this.

From my perspective Blasphemy seems to be the perfect evolution of the band who is going in the right direction. The song structure of Kayo Dot has always been wild and dynamic, so it makes sense for Toby's voice to follow the same style. The use of auto tune as narration for the character Blasphemy (a demon child who is awoken from her sleep, and then brutally murders everyone on the ship) was a strike of genius, and shows that the band have no limits in what they can create.

Hopefully this album will continue their successful trend so they can continue to increase the scope of their projects. As a final note the deluxe edition is the essential version of the album. It contains electronic/dance versions of the main songs, however the structure of each track was dramatically changed to make them effectively brand new songs. These remixes match very well with the main album, using An Eye for a Lie as the bridge between the EDM and metal sound. To conclude Blasphemy can be ranked as one of Toby and co's strongest albums, while still referencing many of their previous work and moving into new EDM territory. It is a great starting point for those new to the band and in my opinion is only eclipsed by Choirs of the Eye as their key masterpiece.

Released in 2010, just shortly after the release of "Coyote", this one-track EP "Stained Glass" features pretty much the same line- up as Coyote. However, this 20 minute track is different enough than anything on Coyote, and it is obvious why it just wasn't included there. This track has some definite musical sections and contains quite a dynamic feel to it that was missing somewhat in Coyote. This track seems to pull the best from their masterpiece "Choirs of the Eye" all the way through "Blue Lambency Downward" as it moves across avant prog atmospherics, dynamics and sensibilities. There is also a guest appearance from Trey Spruance (from "Secret Chiefs 3") who plays the guitar solo.

The piece is centered around the vibraphone, a Rhodes piano and an electric guitar. The four sections are broken up into the instruments that are the most prevalent in the section. This first section is led by voice and violin which changes to distorted organ and tenor sax in the 2nd section, bass and glockenspiel next, and then finally to heavy guitar with tremolo effects, harmonium and synthesizer.

The music remains quite atmospheric all the way through, but stands a little differently than most of Kayo Dot's music in that it has a counting meter, though it is rather opaque. There is an air of mysteriousness all the way through and a section where there is a ten chord progression that rotates through the three main instruments, one at a time, and then starts to played with different odd counts, sort of like a round, yet often beginning on off beats. It's quite complicated, yet it the overall sound seems rather sparse and light.

The EP is a definite must for fans of Kayo Dot, and also for fans of avant prog. But as such, it might not appeal to everyone because of the use of un-traditional modes and intervals. I find it very intriguing and a nice surprise buried in the middle of Kayo Dot's discography.