BUCKETHEAD — Pike 22 - Sphere Facade (review)

BUCKETHEAD — Pike 22 - Sphere Facade album cover

Album · 2013 · Avant-garde Metal

3/5 · 2016-07-02
siLLy puPPy

PIKE 22 - SPHERE FACADE is the 12th album released by BUCKETHEAD in 2013 and the 52nd overall solo studio album.This is yet another weird one with tracks separated. There are EIGHT of them and this PIKE clocks in at 31:44 with BUCKETHEAD performing all instrumental duties and production handled by Dan Monti and Albert. This is another that was released both with untitled tracks and hand drawn art for the cover and with named tracks with the weird collage cover. It was released simultaneously with “Pike 21 - Spiral Trackway”

"Monorail Stop" (4:18) begins with electronic noises and odd time sigs that speed up and slow down and then an organ that goes in and out of tune and then becomes distorted metal that changes it up frequently. Basically the electronica and metal trade off but anything goes within the parameters of the steady drum beat

"Sphere Facade" (4:25) is a slow freaky electronic bass sound with low humming in the background and then suddenly turns into a heavy metal guitar riff with electronic drums. Riff becomes doomy before becoming a keyboard riff which changes back to metal. Weird

"Waterproof Membrane" (3:32) begins as grunge but soon becomes chimey keyboard sounds and bass that then becomes deeper with strange electronic sounds freaking out all over the place. A strange guitar solo joins the party and then erupts into a fast and furious solo. This one is really wild. It changes it up pretty frequently but it is basically a trade off of metal and electronica

"Reflection Surface" (3:01) has steady drumbeat with tinkly keys but soon turns into a grungy guitar riff. Another that changes frequently. Different drumbeats play with different guitar riffs and electronic sounds

"Viewing Deck" (4:24) starts out as a mellow clean guitar riff but turns into an alternative heavy metal riff. It basically trades off the two styles. Rather cliché and dull and a preview of many PIKES to come where this kind of track creates lots of filler for future releases

"Spokes In Space" (3:47) is another alternative metal rocker but begins with a strange riff that has strange time sigs and electronic drums. It then turns into weird talking electronica with slow drum beat. The gist of this one is once again the trade off of metal riffs and electronic effects that also overlap as they change things up

"Bantam Pavilions" (4:45) starts with a drum beat and clean guitar riff but soon becomes grungy thrashy metal. Yet another that changes noises, tempos, instruments and riffs every few measures

"Game Grid" (3:35) starts out really slow with a clean guitar and light percussion unlike all the other tracks on this one, stays the same for its entirety although it does add on some smoothed out ambient swirls in the background. Not bad for one of those über-mellow tracks

Overall this one is nice in the weird department but not as cool as the previous PIKE. One of the things i dislike about this one is the overuse of canned electronic drumbeats. The alternative metal riffs sound recycled as well. There are lots of interesting moments on this one but lots of mediocrity as well. Just good this one