BANSHEEFACE

I'm another collaborator who was asked, directly by the band, to review this album. It is a privilege to be sure! Like the other reviewers, I would enjoy listening to Bansheeface even if I had not been specifically asked. I listened to a few earlier songs by the band, as a frame of reference, before starting to gather my ideas for this review. However, I can't talk at length about Pseudo/Sentai's other music. The general critical consensus seems to be that Bansheeface is as good, if not better, than Pseudo/Sentai's earlier albums.

Other reviewers have stated that they found it difficult to compare Pseudo/Sentai to other bands. My immediate reaction when I started to listen is that it sounded like System of a Down. That is definitely a compliment in my opinion. Specifically, the way the songs are written and structured and the harmonies are what brought System of a Down to mind. Of course, Pseudo/Sentai are not just a copy of another band; they are not as strident or lyrically obscure as our favorite Serbian metal band. Pseudo/Sentai are often labeled as sounding a lot like The Mars Volta. I don't know enough about The Mars Volta, who've always sounded too manic for my tastes, to make a good comparison.

On Bansheeface, Pseudo/Sentai mix industrial and electronic influences in with the other elements in their sound. My favorite songs on the album are probably the longer ones, which allow the musical ideas to develop. "The Holy Metamorphacity" and the title track are two of my favorites. There are even some good old-fashioned guitar solos on the album! Pseudo/Sentai is a group of undoubtedly talented people who have the skill to make the ambitious music they're aiming at. Bansheeface gets a very well-deserved 4 stars.