PIDANOMA

Argentinian band LOS RANDOM, aka Random, was formed back in 2006. They released an initial EP in 2010, one year after the current line-up of the band was established, which was followed by their official debut album "Todo.s los colores del" in 2011. "Pidanoma" is their sophomore production, and was self released by the band in January 2014.

As this album kicks off with Corto Normal, we're treated to a 6 minute ride through an at times impressive display of dark metal. Brutal thrash metal, stoner metal and doom metal are blended together in a monumental construction of glorious dark and menacing metal, crushing it's way through multiple themes and alterations in pace and intensity in a curiously elegant manner, although this song does start to get a tad aimless in the final few passages. Still, an impressive opening, and a brilliant one for the first four minutes or so. The following atmospheric piece Ojota Y Media is bookended by sampled radio sounds, with distanced metal guitars and rhythms partially hidden behind a noise texture covering the sections in between them. A transitional creation if anything, setting the listener up for what is to come.

This album concludes with three massive creations, clocking in at 17, 16 and 21 minutes respectively. Epic length creations, and rather demanding all of them too. They are also radically different from the tracks that opens this album.

All of these compositions twists and turns through multiple themes and motifs, some more than others. Monumental riffs and intense interludes appear on more or less regular intervals, reminding us that we are indeed listening to music crafted by a metal band. Just about everything else is rather less than conventional however.

I guess the common denominator on all of these three compositions are sequences featuring light toned and often textured guitar details, creating psychedelic, cosmic and post rock oriented vibes. Sometimes as lonely, cold standalone entities of a frail nature, at other times supported by slow drum patterns careful percussion or intense and menacing drum rolls. Occasional jazz-tinged interludes appears, delicate plucked guitar driven passages reminding of Rush in their gentle late 80's phase makes occasional appearances too, and at other times the band will mix one or more of these ingredients with more of a distinct metal touch too. Dark impact riff driven sequenced, harder edged compact riff construction, driving and occasionally funky, booming bass guitar given free reign here and there. There's also room for both a bass solo and a drum solo in these curiously wandering and rather challenging escapades.

Just where to place this band within a genre context is tough, although I guess describing them as some sort of cosmic flavored avantgarde post metal band should be pretty close in terms of giving potential listeners some direction. And while Los Random is a markedly different band in just about all aspects, my gut feeling is that those who enjoyed the escapades of a band like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum might find Los Random to be an interesting band as well. In particular those among them that also tends to enjoy cosmic flavored music and post rock.