Very few groups have the ability to pull off instrumentals as abstract, as unforgettably chaotic, or as decidedly original as does
Hella
. The spazz-core style contained within the nine tracks of
Hold Your Horse Is
is a beauty to behold, yet is certainly not for the meek or close-minded. It should be known that these nine songs are purely instrumentals, that no vocalization is needed, and that no matter what you have heard before,
is bound to make an impression you won't soon forget. The enjoyable cataclysm of sound seems to come from a whole orchestra of musicians, yet this wild album was in fact created by only two people,
Spencer Selm
and
Zach Hill
. Drawing on classic
rock
,
jazz
electronica
, and hundreds of other influences that would take too long to list,
has perhaps outdone itself, as
happens to be an album there simply could never be a sequel to. Those familiar with the
progressive rock
group
Dredg
may enjoy the hectic
sonatas
conjured up by
, as it is certainly an artistic vision that launches this duo's creative force to weave such intricate, spastic tunes. One of the most intriguing things about this album is that, if you strip away most of it and just listen to the core guitar/drum combination, each song is a solid tune, complete with direction and melody. The way
Hill
Selm
conceal detailed
avant-garde
musical emotion beneath a churning veil of
noise
could be considered brilliant. Unfortunately, this also could be deemed nothing more than two individuals tinkering with their instruments and calling the mangled mess of sound music. Those who think that way should avoid
, but those listeners who are a bit more adventurous and interested in hearing a group that is deftly original and remarkably skilled should check out
. ~ Jason D. Taylor