FANTÔMAS — Suspended Animation (review)

FANTÔMAS — Suspended Animation album cover Album · 2005 · Avant-garde Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Stooge
Well, what have we here?

This time around, the group took inspiration from children’s cartoon shows. The album’s packaging, which takes the form of a calendar with some interesting artwork, is a good visual compliment for what they are going for. The track names are days of the month, ranging from April 1 to 30 of 2005.

Along with The Director’s Cut, this might be the most accessible Fantomas get. After going unconventional with just one long track on Delerium Cordia, they go back to the quick sound bursts that they used on their debut album. It doesn’t make much difference, since Fantomas is basically a group that requires their albums be listened to from beginning to end (with The Directors Cut being the exception).

Now, I haven’t heard anything this extreme on a cartoon (though I’d love it!). The frantic pacing of the album does feature several calming passages as well as samples and sound effects that may sound familiar to lovers of Warner Bros or Saturday morning cartoons in general. Some of the sounds are reminiscent of what you’d hear from the toys in accompanying commercials. The album may sound all over the place to someone not used to experimental music, but with repeated listens the transitions sound more natural.

Who knows when the next Fantomas album will arrive (if ever), but this is an excellent listen that would certainly not be an under-whelming finale.
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