The perfect soundtrack for a scientist racing against time to try and come up with a much sought after miracle cure? Upon hearing the debut full-length by
Irepress, 2007's
Samus Octology, it may be a bit of a descriptive stretch...but then again, maybe not. Hailing from Boston, MA, the quintet is a lot like
Isis -- they have no problem mastering tricky bits on their instruments, and creating gynormous mood shifts in their music -- all at the same time! And because of this, the eight-track, 45-minute album is best experienced in one long sitting, front-to-back, as the band's main goal appears to be to take the listener on a long and winding audio journey. Equally influenced by clean jazz and hard-hitting heavy metal, this all-instrumental, head-on collision of styles can be sampled throughout the album, but especially on such tracks as "Samus" and "Snayk's Tale." Not exactly easy listening, but not an album to slap on when you're getting ready to go out hell-raisin' on a Friday night. ~ Greg Prato