Excerpts from the journal of Dr. Penfold, "Mad" Scientist:
...They told me I was "mad". They told me that it couldn't be done. They told me it was wrong. They told me what I was doing went against the laws of man. Well the joke's on them! Ever since I had my creation dream I knew what my mission in life was going to be. My creation will show everyone the errors in their ways.
...Haha! It's alive! My creation! I have given it life! The world's first sentient turntable! I shall call it Needle. No! That is not good name. I'll come up with something suitable.
...I feel guilty. This morning I had to tell an unconditional lie to DJ. When he asked if there were any other sentient turntables like himself, I told him that there were a few scattered around the world. I want him to be happy.
...Today was fairly momentous. It marked the first occasion in which I let DJ spin a record that expanded his musical horizons, giving him a taste of doom metal. He didn't get the appeal immediately, but he came around pretty quickly.
...DJ's appetite for new forms of music, or new music period, is astonishing! I've never known anyone with such a voracious desire to grow more cultured.
...To be perfectly honest, I'm flabbergasted. DJ and I got into an argument about what to listen to this morning. The argument got pretty heated. I wanted to listen to one of my favorite records. DJ refused to play it. I don't know whether DJ has hit adolescence or what, but his insistence on free will when it comes to the music he plays back is becoming problematic.
...I really should have seen this coming. DJ has reached a higher level of consciousness than expected. When we speak to each other DJ exhibits more and more signs of being human.
...This is terrible! DJ has become increasingly depressed because I have not been able to provide new listening material. I have exhausted everything at the library and I couldn't pay my cable bill so I have no internet. Out of boredom (and spite perhaps?) DJ spun a record so fast that it frisbeed off of him into the air.
...No! I woke up this morning to find DJ comatose. None of his running lights were working. He was completely unresponsive. In a panic I checked all of his internal parts. No blown fuses. No frayed wiring. Everything looked alright, yet DJ was gone. My creation, the light of my working life, was no longer there. I guess it is true what they say. All suns die.
Good day to you waveriders! Are you ready to hear something really interesting? Something off the beaten path perhaps? That's terrific because I'm going to tell you all about a fantastic album from the band Monsterworks. It's called the Album Of Man, and when you listen to this collection of tunes your brain will be so excited it will do a string of back flips! Yes back flips! Yes I know that it is not actually possible for the brain to perform gymnastics. Just go with it alright?
Veteran waveriders might recognize the name Monsterworks. This band originally formed in New Zealand in the 1990s but have since relocated to London. Back in 2011 I reviewed their superb The God Album. I was blown away with the band's combination of heavy metal/hard rock stylings spun into a unique musical package, and I remain awestruck today. Album Of Man takes the sonic blueprint I first heard on The God Album and improves on it by adding more musical variety. That last sentence is sufficient for folks already familiar with Monsterworks, but what about everybody else? Allow me to fill you in.
I had a friend recently tell me that any band that cannot be easily delegated into a specific genre falls under the classification 'progressive'. Monsterworks, according to my friend, play 'progressive' metal and I suppose that is true. The band mixes traditional, thrash, death, folk, NWOBHM, and progressive metal into one glorious package. Throw into the mix lead vocals that jump all over the map from death/black metal growls and howls to perfectly melodic clean singing and you have some idea what is in store for the listener. Basically, this music is an auditory roller coaster! It climbs, dives, twists and turns in incredibly exciting ways, and once the ride stops all you want to do is jump back in line to listen again!
Album Of Man is forty one minutes of metallic bliss wrapped up in a ten song package. Looking for something highly aggressive yet nuanced? Check out "It's Alive", "All Suns Die", and especially "Harden To Art". How about something acoustic and comforting? Give "Being Human" a whirl, and to a lesser extent the more electrified "Known". Would you like to know my favorite tracks off the album? I'm glad you asked. In my opinion album opener "The Creation Dream" is stupendous, and the one-two punch of "Free Will" and "Air-WHCSF" to close out the proceedings is utterly phenomenal! Seriously, "Air-WHCSF" is the most epic album finale I've heard in quite a while!
What's that waveriders? I seem too excited about this album? Well I'm sorry, but if you take a listen to this music there is no doubt in my mind that you'll feel the same way! Bottom line, Monsterworks rocks and the Album Of Man is incredible! Get in the know waveriders. You can thank me later.
-Penfold
Free Will
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