Schizoid Lloyd - The Last Note in God's Magnum Opus

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.