metalhead gallery

This week I took a brief sojourn from blood, guts, and mystical occult metal in order to soak in some progressive jazz metal from Chicago. The term 'progressive jazz metal' alone should tell you that Yakuza isn't for everyone - there is a lot going on here: tribal drone, psych noodling, clean and harsh vocals....and saxophone. So. Much. Saxophone. Imagine a bizarre hybrid of Remission-era Mastodon, any number of Isis-esque post rock ripoff bands, and this guy:



Sounds vaguely atrocious on paper, but the we all know that the folks over at Profound Lore know what they are doing. Of Seismic Consequence is an album completely unconcerned with boundaries, genre restrictions, or popular trends - it's expansive as it is eclectic, and as enjoyable as it is challenging.

And this is coming from a dude who hates the saxophone.

Tracklist:
1. The Ant People
2. Thinning The Herd
3. Stones And Bones
4. Be That As It May
5. Farewell To The Flesh
6. Testing The Waters
7. Good Riddance (The Knuckle Walkers)
8. The Great War
9. Deluge

I still believe

**Bonus:

Transmutations (2007)
Samsara (2006)
Way of the Dead (2002)