After touring for three years with bands like the Locust and Pig Destroyer, Child Abuse has once again dropped an album that can only be described as bizarre. A not-so-subtle blend of math-rock, death metal and free jazz, the New York trio’s second album Cut and Run is a new direction both for metal and for electronic music. Though a metal band without guitars may seem like a pizza without cheese, these guys pull it off without a hitch. Heavily distorted synth takes the lead while the bass and drums thrum out a palsied foundation for the almost Dadaist vocals. This album is far from conventional metal and makes Mayhem seem like Buddy Holly in comparison. Fans of Fantômas and the Locust rejoice! Everybody else, run and hide! (Lovepump United, www.lpurecords.com) D. C. S. Murray
Winnipeg music & culture since 1989