This album was the first one I had the privilege to review at KVRX in 2024. I wasn't even a DJ yet and the operations directors at the time had these big stacks of CDs and this one had the most fun cover to me. It turned out to be an experimental treat and I think it just has to be responsible for how my music taste developed during my time at the station.
Grim Iconic....(Sadistic Mantra) is a great time. It has these perfectly timed, strict drums, but Gallego's vocals and the melody will sometimes turn atonal, discordant and brash all through it. At the time when I reviewed this on its physical CD back in the day, I thought he was way bigger than he was. I just loved it and, I suppose, didn't know music could sound like this. I'd come from a small town with a smaller background in music than I'd like, and this was one of the first albums to speculum my brain open.
Dogear must have been the song of my sophomore year, it was on repeat. I'm not sure how many other people would describe that track this way, but to me it's sexy! It's fun to dance to and hypnotic, with insistent lyrics. I understand that the multi-instrumental experimentation may not be for all listeners immediately, but I think if you're open-minded at all to the jarring, this albums a great one to try.