CAUSTIC CASANOVA - Patheon: Volume 3

Release date November 30/18 (Bandcamp)

Here we have a strange one, Washington, D.C.'s Caustic Casanova delivering four tracks of widely varying "prog-punk/psych-metal/noise rock" on Pantheon: Volume 3. We trip out on opener 'Clown Butter', a funky, bass-infatuated instrumental that sounds like a very quirky Suicidal Tendencies (which makes it sound like Infectious Grooves, I guess). Second track 'Everyone's Goddamn Business' reminds me of a reworked version of 'Shapes Of Things To Come' for some reason ( a track I never particularly liked), introducing the male/female vocal duality into the mix.

Things take a turn for the better on the final two tracks. 'Stampede' takes less twists and turns, rocking technically, but more conventionally, sounding like they let their inner Rush come through a bit. The nine minute 'God Luck and Good Speed' (a Woodeater's cover) finishes off the EP on a high note with yet another stylistic shift. Beginning life as a banjo-led noise-scrape, it quickly shifts into monolithic doom territory, including a sped-up mid-section nod to the mighty Sabbath, Stefanie's vocals really fitting in well with this style.

All together, a very quirky listening experience. I'm not particularly prone to proggy, experimental stuff, so this admittedly isn't in my normal bailiwick ... therefore, take the following with a grain of salt. Personally, I'd prefer that the band shave off the offbeat edges and focus on less 'out there' ideas, because they have the chops to be a good prog/doom band. Psych/noise fans will likely laugh at my suggestion though.

[6.5]