Dark, noisy proggy stuff from this double-based trio that soothes and challenges. It’s hard not to embrace the bass melodies dealt by Rich Fessler and Rob Raspolich and not to embrace Scott Pico’s sparse, tasteful drumming (Give most drummers the shot at being in a trio with two bass players and they’ll try to take over as the lead instrument - Pico doesn’t.). Tracks such as the brutal “Repetition” and “Jigsaw” demonstrate that this band (aided in the recording of this by one Steve Albini) is cutting onto some interesting paths in the world of indie rock.

But this album is not an easy listen as the trio turns your expectations about how songs should progress, about the nature of vocal melodies, about the arc of the spatter marks once Pico’s drums have blown your brains out, about all kinds of things. It’s at times an unnerving but fascinating journey and perhaps best enjoyed in small doses, followed by something based less on projectile catharsis.

Love it or hate it, this is one album you (and your friends) will be talking about for some time to come. – Jedd Beaudoin