Melt-Banana
Cell-Scape
A-Zap Records
2003
AZCD-0005
Yow! My ears hurt!
That’s the best way to sum up Melt-Banana’s newest offering, Cell-Scape. With the first explosive track “Phantamagoria” the listener is transported into the schizo environ of the Japanese ensembles sonic-death assault. Despite all of the maniacal connotations, Cell-Scape is an excellent project from the band who brought you such tracks as “We Love Choco-Pa!” and “Bored Elephant” (both on the tasty release Cactuses Come In Flocks). This newest project is a good primer as any for the groups mad seizure of sound.
The super smooth base lines are suburb and do their duty to offset the mad vocals detonating from YaSuko’s mouth. The electro-distortion and guitar barrages lead up to a supreme headache, and I can’t warn you enough about the song “Key is a fact that a cat brings”. The songs wind up and wind down faster than the average brain can follow.
But it's all just fine.
I don’t recommend listening to this while driving, for you will surely have an accident. Newcomers confused? There is no explaining Melt-Banana- you just have to hear them believe.
-John Southern