UNORTHODOX CREATIVE CRITERIA

"Unorthodox Creative Criteria" is the 3rd full-length studio album by Chile, Santiago based technical/progressive metal act Coprofago. The album was released through Sekhmet Records in June 2005. It's the successor to "Genesis" from 2001.

Stylistically the material on "Unorthodox Creative Criteria" is technical metal featuring alien futuristic atmospheres and the occasional nod towards jazz/fusion. When the band are most raw and technical they sound almost one to one like Meshuggah did on "Destroy Erase Improve (1995)". It's actually almost to the point of being scary. It's everything from the raw shouted vocals, to the angular odd-metered heavy riffs, to the way the lead guitars create atmosphere, to the Holdsworthian jazz/fusion influenced guitar solos, to the drumming. Coprofago occasionally break out of that sound and do something a little different and when that happens it's a relief to hear them play something a bit more personal (there are several atmospheric jazz/fusion influenced parts on the album and also some nods towards death metal), and discover that they don't just exist to emulate Meshuggah (which they othwerwise do very well).

Coprofago are an incredibly well playing band, and they master their instruments and the different vocal styles on the album to perfection. "Unorthodox Creative Criteria" also features a powerful and well sounding production, so imagine how great this album would have been, had it not been (for the most part) a tribute to another band. If you can't get enough of "Destroy Erase Improve (1995)" and don't care if it's Meshuggah playing, then I can highly recommend "Unorthodox Creative Criteria", but if you crave something a bit more unique this may not be your pick. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is still warranted for the high quality of the album as a product.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)