siLLy puPPy PIKE 173 - THE BLOB is the 72nd album released by BUCKETHEAD in 2015. He who was raised in a chicken coop sees no end releasing these PIKES and a seemingly limitless imagination in how to construct song titles and musical amalgamations. This one is once again exclusively performed by BUCKETHEAD and is all instrumental. It also clocks in near the half hour mark at 28:40 and has six tracks each telling exactly what THE BLOB is doing. Despite similar track titles, they are clearly separated by brief moments of silence and don’t run together like most of the PIKES with such track listings.

Track one “Blob Enters The Room” (5:51) starts out with an extremely aggressive industrial metal riff and electronic effects that alternate and then synergize. They trade off with blistering solos. This track is also slightly progressive as it changes up with strange time sigs here and there but mostly stays on a steady beat in its various modes but the variety of one style shifting to the other is fairly pronounced. Very cool start!

Track two “Blob Digs A Hole” (7:11) starts out with heavy thrash metal riffs and trades off with electronic effects. This evolves quickly into strange progressive sludgy riffs that remind me of bands like Intronaut but not for long as it goes back to a standard thrash metal attack that trades off with electronic noises. Riffs trade off as do tempos. Solos come and go without warning as do electronic embellishments and break downs. This one is pretty cool as well.

Track three “Blob Goes Upstairs” (6:28) is a tuned-down crunchy progressive sludge romp with electronic embellishments and abrupt clean arpeggios inserting their way into the mix. It is almost fairly straight forward metal at times with the riffs sounding like they are sliding off a cliff of sound before they change into the next chord progression. The soloing almost sounds like chicken clucking. This is another one that is hard to latch onto. It is progressive as hell with strange time sigs and things changing and morphing in such a way that it really does conjure up images of a formless BLOB. This one is pretty friggin’ cool as well.

Track four “Blob Finds Ancient Scroll” (5:11) starts with a heavy power metal type riff that is fairly rhythmic with a nice melodic development that gallops like the best of the pack. It has a nice classic 80s sound at times. This one is more of a traditional metal rocker and not progressive reminding of BUCKETHEAD’s early days in the 90s when he could belt out some great riffs without getting totally weird. Did i just write that? OK, not AS weird i should emphasize. This one is pretty decent as well.

Track five “Blob Gets Drink Of Water” (2:15) is another thrashy metal rocker with progressive time sigs. It kinda mixes elements of thrash metal with alternative, progressive and sludge. A few electronic effects are added as well. Short but sweet but very good.

Track six “Blob Goes To Sleep” (1:44) is another heavy metal rocker but has a stomping feel to it at first before it is joined by electronic effects and then goes weird on the progressive time sigs while keeping a steady heavy bass and drum beat. A scorching solo erupts. A truncated little fiery track that packs a punch. Decent as well. Another PIKE i really like a lot. The first three are very cool and the last three are decent but not mind blowing. 3.5 stars