... TOT LICHT

This is certainly one of the strangest discs I've ever heard and it took me a very long time to assimilate. Discus is an Indonesian band that mix heavy-metal, avant-garde, jazz, and traditional chants into something for which the word "unique" barely scratches the surface. Plan on a few dozen spins of this title before you get what's going on, after your first spin you'll be laughing and saying WTF was that?

"System Manipulation" and "breathe" mix speed/death metal with breezy jazz and other oddities to produce the craziest part of the album and things change constantly. Don't like what you hear? Wait 10 seconds and it'll change. "PESAN" shifts gears and gives us acoustic guitars, strings, woodwinds, and lovely harmonies. Definitely a needed respite after the sonic assault of the first two songs. "Verso Kartini" almost reminds me of "Sound Chaser" from Relayer and is an excellent example of Discus' instrumental prowess. But what puts "tot licht!" over the top is the epic closer "Anne" clocking in at 20 minutes and worth every second. Inspired by the diary of Anne Frank this is Discus going for broke. Very ambitious to say the least. While I can hear influences from other bands here Discus is very original and truly progressive in an era where so many new albums seem to retread past glories in one way or another.

This is a band capable of a masterpiece and this album has many flashes of brilliance. There are a few minor problems. Some of the lyrics seem a bit juvenile, some of the male vocals are beyond annoying, and it could be argued that the quirkiness factor is overplayed to the detriment of the overall vision. Still this album is one hell of a ride and highly recommended for fans of heavy metal, jazz, and avant-garde. It takes a long time to reward you but those albums tend to have more substance in the long run. I can't wait to hear their next venture!

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