CATACLYSM

so called prog-music exhibits a very special form of masculinity. where 'normal' rock music is operating in a first-person-shooter of muscle-packed action heroes matrix, prog-rock fashions itself as the real-time-strategy genre of the genre: dominance through brains.

unsurprisingly the scene is characterized by introversion, mannerism, romantic ideas and full of specialist discourses of people that imagine a better world if only everybody would listen to their 'more intelligent music'. since that routinely fails listening to prog still provides the mental surplus of perceived intellectual superiority.

within a world of such auto-affection the flying luttenbachers certainly bring a different set of sensibilities to the table. the will to disassemble, limitless curiosity and certainly no respect for song-structure, harmonic and rhythmic binding. rather the opposite: the forms of the rock-idiom routinely were questioned, dissected, toyed around with and put together just to see if the resulting corpse still walks. and it does, since whomever mr. weasel walter - who did not even respect the very concept of the 'band' this very special machine to stimulate male-desires - took aboard was sure to bring enough energy along to make even the stinkiest zombie jolt forward.

that said cataclysm is a more conventional output in the stretch of statements offered by weasel walter during the 15 years of existence of the luttenbachers concept. it is nonetheless their finest hour. a mature band (yes band!), that had grown together on two tours, then plugged guitar-maniac mick barr directly into their collective brain to force-develop the missing grammar between death-metal and no-wave music. 9 songs (yes songs!) of splendid abrasivenes, coldhearded isolationism, breathless stop and go eccentrics and yet it all is delivered with a tacit sensitivity not found elsewhere. the last four songs, starting with a cover-version of olivier messiaen's l'ascension, take back the forcefulness and feverishness a bit, explore quieter, more chromatic regions, turn inward and convey even a reconciliatory yet disillusioned mood.

together with the spectral warrior mythos ep cataclysm is the best showcase of the powers weasel and his luttenbachers concept could evoke, and not least why rock still matters - although you need at least 20,000,000 volts to make it fun.

recording quality is superior to other luttenbachers offerings and cataclysm is certainly an apt choice for your next visit to your audiophile dealer. in any case: make sure to listen LOUD or not listen at all!

and remember - it is not the spoon that bends!