Band:	Krokmitën
Album:	Alpha-Beta
Style:	Experimental death metal
Release date:	2011

01. Alpha-Beta
    1 - The Reversed Speech
    2 - Surrender
    3 - Geisteszustand
    4 - Panic Attack
    5 - La Transformation
    6 - Cocktail Of Blood
    7 - The Thirst
    8 - Locked In A Red Room
    9 - Hidden Knowledge
    10 - Self-Hypnosis
    11 - Maculate Conception
    12 - Nativus Malesuadus
    13 - Contagium Famositas
    14 - La Thérapie
    15 - Epileptic Seizure
    16 - Corporeal Reanimation
    17 - Upheaval
    18 - Occam's Razor
    19 - Oroboros

If there's one type of band I instinctively steer clear of, it's the type that constantly makes me look around and ask "where am I? the fuck is that? the fuck is this? " You know, Blackjazz/Unexpect/proggy prog kind of stuff. Stuff that makes me want to run wailing back to the death metal stronghold and play with Tonka trucks.

Occasionally, however, said death metal stronghold is infiltrated by "experimental" stuff. Krokmitën has strolled into it, twirling its mustache, twiddling its fingers, and have plotted something big with the concept album alpha-beta. Something all experimental like. And when something as structurally weird (for DM, at least) as this moseys on in, I can't help but feel a little suspicious.

Luckily, this is a comparatively safe experimental album. And I like that about this thing in particular quite a bit. The WTF moments scattered throughout don't at all detract from the album's death grooves. They're there to surprise and keep the listener entertained, not to show off. The album doesn't revolve around them.

Although the lyrics read a bit like what you'd expect from a writing seminar run by Jeremy Loughner, they're easy enough to ignore if that's not your kind of thing. There's an abundance of solid riffing, an abundance of excellent growling, and some pretty vicious-sounding drumming as well. The band is skilled, and you'll likely bang your head along with them quite a bit during this. As for the more experimental, ambient/orchestral bits, they too are, for the most part, enjoyable. Also, when the album's brutal moments crescendo, they succeed in bringing on the spine quivers and Mick Jagger lip contortions--a feat worth recognition.

Bottom line, this isn't an album to causally toss on while drinking and/or around friends. Nor is it supposed to be played while alone, puffing tobacco, tugging at your goatee, pretending to understand the obnoxiously cryptic Baudrillard book you're looking at. It's experimental stuff. You're going to have to experiment with it.