ZENDEN GREENPURP — Quadrillionth (review)

ZENDEN GREENPURP — Quadrillionth album cover

EP · 2022 · Progressive Metal

5/5 · 2024-09-26
siLLy puPPy

One of the latest sensations that has been captivating the Reading, England scene and beyond in the last few years has been the strange mutant artistry of a band called ZENDEN GREENPURP which is the unifying force of maniacal vocalist Jack Brissenden, bassist Bret Colloff, guitarist Harry Jones and Dan Postin on drums. Cranking out a strange musical gallimaufry of gauche yet gallant exhibitions of heavy psychedelic prog that mixes the disparate fantasy words of theatrical prog metal with anarchic thrash punk replete with frenetic time signature changes and high octane insanity sounding something like the Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Devil Doll, The Doors and maybe Captain Beefheart?!!!

Anyway you slice it, ZENDEN GREENPURP stands out in a burgeoning world where every sort of musical hybridization has taken place which is no easy feat and even more impressive that the band is actually fun to listen to! Wait, what? Music is supposed to be fun? Only hitting the scene in 2021, the maniacal four has also wisely not pummeled us with sprawling epic albums to woo in their audiences but rather has taken the old fashioned route by winning fans over with crazy energetic live performances followed by a series of short EPs that whet your appetite for more! Sounds like these guys have a clue in how to navigate the music-rich world we find ourselves in today. So far releasing three EPs none of which are over 20 minutes, this one, QUADRILLIONTH is the debut that came out in 2022.

This explosive set of three tracks immediately slaps you in the face and makes you take notice with thrashy punk rock guitar grooves bashing you over the head in cahoots with crazed psychedelic 60s that would could rise Jim Morrison from his grave. Of course the most glaring and in your face aspect of the GREENPURPs is the eccentric and demented vocal style of Jack Brissenden who is as stark raving mad as GG Allin only with the histrionic outbursts of Mr Doctor of Devil Doll however Brissenden maintains a frenetic speed that would puts all the competition in their place as the speed-worshipping musicians keep the music fast and furious thus blurring the distinctions between psychedelic rock, progressive metal and anarchic punk. Is it a Broadway show parodying Phantom Of The Opera or is it the evil illegitimate offspring of Frank Zappa finally making his public appearance? One things for sure, you haven’t heard anything like this before!

QUADRILLIONTH only consists of three mere tracks that add up to a mere 16 minutes but i swear that after you are stung by the idiosyncratic mindfu.c.k that is ZENDEN GREENPURP you will either run in terror donning your crucifix high in the air or embrace the erratic mad genius at play. Right out of the gates the declarative “Take On The World” is almost a manifesto of intent for world domination followed by the illustrious psycho-punk antics of “Limitless Power,” the GREENPURPs do indeed sound drunk on pure adrenalized ambition and one that expresses itself in a frenetic outrageousness so rare in rock music these days. As the EP closes with “Doctor Obnoxious” the lyrical deliveries become even more crazed with schizophrenic bouts of blitzkrieg poetic prose in tandem with horrific screaming, goofy yelps and clownish gleeful tirades that leave your head spinning and after all is said and done making you question your own sanity.

One of the most original bands i’ve heard in a long time, ZENDEN GREENPURP is as distinct as the Cardiacs, as schizoid as Captain Beefheart’s “Trout Mask Replica” and as freakin’ weird as Ween! My kinda psychedelic pschyo punk metal on steroids! Perhaps the closest thing i can even come up with in comparison is a more psychotic version of the 70s prog punk / glam rock group Zolar X famous for dressing up like aliens and crafting a similar style of punk / metal / prog / psych and eccentricity. Of the first two EPs, QUADRILLIONTH is by far the most manic and unapologetically schizoid with crazy avant-prog inspired time signatures punctuating every punk-infused cadence and every molten metal motif. A true downed power line in the pond effect, this one with an incessant energetic drive that is absolutely unhinged!