BEHOLD... THE ARCTOPUS*

*HORRORSCENSION*

Tech metal band Behold... The Arctopus's latest album is completely random and atonal - and not in a good way like much of Skullgrid, their previous release. The band is trying way too hard to be faster and more extreme and Horrorscension is effectively a bunch of unlistenable noise.

Every so often something will stand out (a lightning speed solo or a melody) but it only lasts for a second (or two, if you're lucky) before disappearing into a mess of noise again. One would be hard pressed to remember a single thing about this record once it was over - other than the fact that it all blurred together.

It's not even that the performances are bad. Every member plays their respective instrument well, but unfortunately each is hitting all the wrong notes in all the right places. New drummer Weasel Walter does an admirable job taking over for Charlie Zelleny, but the songs he's playing on here are so poor that his talent is all but wasted. Likewise for the other two members. Horrorscension is truly horr-endous; a cesspool of terrible songwriting and squandered talent. Very                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  disappointing and, quite frankly, bordering on abysmal.

*1.5/5*

Alex Sallas