PIDANOMA

I've said this countless times, but I'm always amazed at how vast the umbrella of prog rock is. Music as gentle as a summer breeze and relentless as a deadly army all fit snugly under the same blanket term of prog rock, and while of course one belongs to a different sub- genre than the other, they're all progressive rock in some way. But in terms of the different sub-genres that make up prog rock, prog metal is perhaps the most widely defined of all the sub genres. From extreme death metal like Meshuggah to crunchy experimental metal like Tool to 'vanilla' prog metal like Dream Theater, there is a plethora of styles within the metal scene.

One of the most exciting bands of the past few years to emerge from this scene is the young Argentinian band Random. With a fusion of relentless heavy riffing, a jazz-rhythm sensibility, and a nice sense of humor to boot (with song titles like "Mi Gato está solo en la Oscuridad," or, "My Cat is Scared of the Dark"). Their 2014 album Pidanoma shows this style extremely well. Pidanoma pushes the boundaries of experimental technical progressive metal even further than their excellent 2012 debut, Todo.s Los Colores Del, which was a phenomenal metal release of the year.

Pidanoma shows the power that a young band with no expecting fanbase has as well. While bands such as Dream Theater and Opeth cater to their fanbase, young bands such as Random will soon take the stage as they freely experiment with sound, form, and texture. This album is rife with these experimentations, and while at times the band goes astray with their riffing and jamming, they never stray far from home. The bulk of the album is taken up by the last three tracks, which last 17, 16, and 21 minutes apiece, respectively, and the band freely moves in and out of structures, feels, and dynamics while maintaining a sense of home and stylistic individuality.

And the band does weave a very unique style throughout the entire album. The music is a fascinating mix of technical metal, alternative metal, experimental metal, and a jagged RIO/jazz that adds a spicy element to the music. While the combination may sound less than appetizing, the band does it in a spectacular manner, making an excellent offering of music. The more atmospheric sections of the lengthy songs like "Mi Gato está solo en la Oscuridad" have a dark tinge to them, making for an almost haunting atmosphere. The instrumentations, which varies greatly with the utilization of the guitars, bass, vocals, and drums in excellently unique ways, contributes to the wonderful timbre of the album, which is really what gives this album its character.

Overall, Pidanoma is a treat for a fan of technical experimental metal. The band's phenomenal use of varied guitar tones, bass lines and riffs, textured atmospheres, and a spot on use of saxophone (by Adrian Terrazas-Gonzales of The Mars Volta fame, no less) make for a great sound that is utterly unique to Random. While this album suggests that the band is still in a bit of a maturation phase, I suggest that in future years Random will be a force to be reckoned with in the prog metal scene. 4 stars.