Wacky, driven, intense, and explosive, it’s the perfect
combination of one of the most mind-blowing bands with a combination of
Avant-Garde and Progressive Metal rolled into one since forming eight years ago
in The Netherlands named Schizoid Lloyd. Their debut album released on the
Finnish label Blood Music called, The
Last Note in God’s Magnum Opus is a smashing debut they have unleashed.
The band has this combination between Queen, Mr. Bungle,
Opeth, and the Diablo Swing Orchestra with the strange time signatures,
growling/screaming vocals, operatic, and surreal beauty that gives Schizoid
Lloyd full control and free rein on what they bring. Schizoid Lloyd is also a
six-piece that considers Remo Kuhlmann on Guitars/Sitar/Vocals, Ruben Kuhlmann
on Lead Vocals/Keyboards, Thom Lich on Grunts/ Guitar/Vocals, Boy van Ooijen on
Drums, Guus can Oosterum on Bass Guitar/Vocals, and Silas van Bezu on
Piano/Keyboards.
The vocals come bursting in on the harmonies and it fits
well between the compositions which is shown with the opener, Suicide Penguin in which it has the
organ go into a carousel-like sound that gives it that dystopian feel. Followed
by operatic vocals that Ruben does in the style of Freddie Mercury and the
Zappa-like guitar structures and the force exploding beats coming in like a
bulldozer hitting a massive brick wall with a giant force and the unexpected
moments are jaw dropping.
There is also Film
Noir Hero that begins with a ‘30s Jazz Piano introduction and it has a Kurt
Weill-sque introduction in which that has some minor and major chords and then
it goes into a Concerto-like dance in a waltz signature followed by harmonizing
vocalizations as the mood changes in beautiful soaring finale.
Also on Chicken Wing
Swans, there is some crazy swinging funk and jazz metal in a mid-tempo and
very much as if they had done a score to an episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show. But they are going into a full throttle mode
with blistering riffs, soaring solos mixed into one on Avalanche Riders as everything going into a haywire effect with the
electronics, choir, and speed metal going into the mix for the Christmas Devil.
You can really expect the unexpected from Schizoid Lloyd.
The supersonic increases of an Amusement Park gone wrong. And between the drums
and guitar with a forceful rhythm circus show to get the players all ready on Cave Painter. As I’ve mentioned earlier,
they have the Diablo Swing Orchestra vibe thrown in. And the closing track is
the acoustic calm after the storm with Prodigal
Son.
Nylon Classical Guitar intro and a somber ballad along with a string quartet, I could tell that Schizoid Lloyd pay homage to DSO’s Justice for Saint Mary and Radiohead’s OK Computer-era, that makes it a beautiful closing finale. This is my fourth time listening to The Last Note in God’s Magnum Opus and I have to say I was blown away the moment I put it on and realizing they have something up their sleeves with this.
An overwhelming and stunning debut for
them and I think they could easily knock the Metal festivals out in the park
with their music.
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