BUCKETHEAD — Pike 172 - Crest Of THe Hill (review)

BUCKETHEAD — Pike 172 - Crest Of THe Hill album cover

Album · 2015 · Progressive Metal

4/5 · 2015-12-08
siLLy puPPy

PIKE 172 - CREST OF THE HILL is the 71st album by BUCKETHEAD in 2015. All instrumental it is. All music by BUCKETHEAD it is performed. It clocks in near the half hour mark at 30:33 it does. Four tracks it does contain. Very strange the cover is. What else is new?

The title track starts things off and is a crunchy down-tuned alternative metal rocker with crunchy riffs that turn into some sort of synthesized guitar lines which revert back to hard and heavy crunchy metal guitar riffs. BH’s style of alternating the heavy with the freaky is on full display here as the different riffing styles exercise their call and response effect. There are some interesting moments when the riff intentionally repeats itself to sound like the record is stuck and just when you’re ready to say WTF it changes into something new. A great little mind bleep here. Like many of these PIKES i’d call this progressive to a certain degree. It has interesting tidbits of progressive rock without ever diving in all the way and allowing me to call it such but this is definitely stuff that a progressive metal lover would appreciate. Between the riffs changing up, the tones going from calming to crushing and time sig freak outs that only last a tiny while all adds up to something that keeps my attention for sure. Great track however i’m torn whether to call this progressive metal or simply alternative metal plus.

Track two “Clattering Of Hooves” at 8:54 starts out slower with a slower guitar in a weird timing and then plunges into heavy metal riffing. The riff is accented by some strange electronic sliding and other effects. This one is definitely progressive in its time signatures as they are all over the place. This is a lot like the last track in its fluttering all over the place but it seems that all the attributes have been turned up a few notches therefore the riffs and speed are riffier and faster and the time sigs are more jazzed up. The solos are more extreme and the mixing is sometimes a huge murky noisefest. The electronic embellishments are more extreme and the distortion reminds me more of noise rock bands like Sonic Youth or Lightning Bolt. The style changes are abrupt and unexpected. I love this one! This album is definitely progressive at this point.

Track three “Antique Forest” at 8:58 starts out with a weird distorted sound and then a drum follows and then totally takes a 180 into a funky riff and then into an electronic freakout and then back to the jazzy riff and then a guitar solo and then a new electronic weirdness and then a heavy fuzzy rocking riff. Whew! This is one of those that changes every few measures into something completely new all the while keeping a basic flow going so in effect there is too much going on here to write down as it meanders through metal, jazz, electronica and more. Think Mr Bungle on speed. Ha! My kinda twisted weird, wild and totally unhinged sonic bliss! This is definitely one of my favorite tracks in the whole PIKE series! I applaud, i acclaim and i clap. This one rocks my world.

Track four “Equestrian Statue” at 2:23 is still different yet. It starts out slow and somber and is symphonic sounding. It actually sounds more like the darkwave of Dead Can Dance. It is basically some sombre drones that change notes and some light echoey guitars. No bass or drums to be found. This is actually well placed after a frenetic and freak out of an album as this is designed to be calming and taking a breath of sanity. This is also well constructed as it has a nice development in the melodic department.

I love this PIKE! This is another one of my favorites in the series. It is progressive and crazy with some of the best musical maestrohood to be heard. Excellently executed and the tracks are laid out in a satisfying manner which makes this PIKE pleasant on many levels. This is a wild and adventurous musical romp only recommended for the MOST ambitious musical adventures and definitely the soundtrack for the most intense roller coaster ride at BUCKETHEADLAND.