KIND OF SALTZ

If Porcupine Tree dreamed a Tuba in Zeuhl and met Metallica along the way.....

An eclectic Avant Garde effort by Oslo's trio SOT. "Kind Of Saltz" 2011, is masterfully performed in all the extension of the word, yet composition wise it is a bit short of being that unique.

After all, the Tuba as such is usually considered and underestimated, as an "odd" and "cheap/humor" instrument in all kind of music environments.

But here in the open-minded RiO/AV prog sub-genre, it is as always, quiet welcomed, as any other kind of "misfit" instrument in the maistream music world.

OK!, After the thrill of listening to Of's Tuba counterpointing to perfection every rhythm of Tusj's drumming, and especially to the riffs and licks of the low-keyed but masterful Salt, the electric guitar player, I can not help but make some music associations and in fact I am not the only one as far as other SOT reviewers.

Yet I chose the "Porcupiners" because SOT's musical language is quiet "refined", as opposed to early Zappa or Robert Fripp's King Crimson (or even Mahavishnu O.), who were more focused on perfection through less Post/Math clean-cut manners and through rougher and more natural ways , like the kind of refinement Steven Wilson and company did later with those same influences.

Metallica because this kind of electric guitar full chords reminds me of them and finally Zeuhl, because the few singing is unintelligible.

All in all a highly promising first record which blends Jazz with Metal, in a very Rock in Opposition syncopated rhythm language, but also in electric guitar post/math's space/psychedelia atmospheres. With touches of angry riffs and delicate melodies (or both), which contrasts and enhances the perfect-pitch performances.

Adding to that a precise dossage of humor, this effort is well worth ****4 PA stars.