IN A FLESH AQUARIUM

Twisted carnival avant-garde metal mania is the specialty here. The name of the band is perhaps fair warning, as they showcase a wild degree of individual ability but work out some of the busiest and most hurried compositions I've ever heard, all characterized by haphazard changes. With the wild female vocals flying all over the place like a banshee, In a Flesh Aquarium may very well appeal to those musical masochists who call themselves Koenjihyakkei fans. I found myself pausing the music after almost each track just to afford myself a breather and ensure I didn't get a headache. Lovers of incoherent extremeness and sonic chaos will find a funhouse in this one- a roller coaster from hell with broken tracks and perilous turns.

"Chromatic Chimera" Dissonant and madness-inducing, the first track demonstrates the band's penchant for quick shifts and discord. Just when I felt I had a handle on the direction of a given passage, the band takes a sharp turn and the track becomes something completely different. The barking and growling clash with whatever everyone else is doing, and the musicians clash with each other. However, the bass and violin pairing (slapping and popping on the former, cheerful notes on the latter) make for excellent terse interludes.

"Feasting Fools" More frantic, seemingly nonsensical mayhem ensues, with jarring rhythms, copious amounts of thrash guitar, double bass drumming, and frenzied vocals. Unexpectedly, there's a dark chant in the middle, followed by more theatrical vocals.

"Desert Urbania" Light piano provides a brief respite before a barrage of growling and sputtering drums accost the hearer. It adopts a dark cabaret visage when it isn't in onslaught mode.

"Summoning Scenes" Biting disarray is this time juxtaposed with calm guitar and violin passages, providing a much-needed lull.

"Silence_011010701" Spooky, alarm-like strings screech and wail in the beginning of this bizarre, atmospheric piece. Delicate keyboards rise up with a snare, electronic drumming, and an orchestral sound to create something relaxing and actually enjoyable.

"Megalomaniac Trees" After the pit stop, it's back to the hellish circus of sudden tempo-changes and auditory pummeling. There is a wonderful riff that stays consistent for a while, and a sweet violin soars above it. It's one of the better songs for me, anyway.

"The Shiver - Another Dissonant Chord" The only other delicate moment of the album, this features eerie keyboards, deep, rumbling bass, and light vocals.

"The Shiver - Meet Me At The Carrousel" By this point, the exhaustion of the album sets in, and it's difficult to tell this apart from the other nonsensical blasts of sound that permeate the album.

"The Shiver - A Clown's Mindtrap" The final part of this tripartite song is less difficult to follow, but still not easy to swallow. The tone of what sounds like a bagpipe concludes it.

"Psychic Jugglers" Barking and jumbled business flails all over the place. At eleven minutes, it's almost nauseating.