PIDANOMA

I have not had anything similar on my musical plate for a while, so Random's second album ''Pidanoma'' was an interesting and somewhat surprising variation, mainly because Argentina does not often produce this type of eclectic, avant-garde, progressive metal.

Nearly everything, from the Spanish lyrics, to the uneven structure and long compositions of the album, supports the unconventional, peculiar and obscure sound from this offering. With three compositions exceeding 16 minutes in an album of just above 60, Random show that they are not afraid to experiment, are ambitious and this largely pays out.

Nevermind the Tool-esque bass beginning to the album; Random invest more on atmospheres coming straight out of King Crimson's darkest moments and mix this with contemporary expressions found in Indukti's experimentations or Kayo Dot's and Mr. Bungle's extraordinary structures. Of special mention is the strong use of saxophone in 'Me Chango', which gives an altogether different weight to the track's character, and the chaotic post-rock (ala Devin Townsend) soundscapes of the closing 'Guri Guri Tres Pinas'. The very long instrumental passages throughout the album do not tire the listener, except for some unneeded 'fillers' in 'Ojota Y Media' or the closing part of 'Mia Gato está Solo en la Os', which don't serve any useful purpose and slightly affect the consistency of this work.

The trained listener who enjoys high levels of avant-garde experimentation will surely enjoy the majority of the length of ''Pidanoma''. Although not exactly my type of everyday listen, I quite enjoyed this and if it were not for the few inconsistencies, this might have ended up in the 'excellent' category. Nevertheless, this is an intriguing offering and warmly recommended, especially to the RIO souls out there.

3.5 stars with thanks to the band for the promo.

Highlights: Me Chango, Guri Guri Tres Pinas