Rehumanizer

Cosmic power rock/post rock/space rock. Kind of like driving a real maserati, maybe, but in space? Maserati formed back in 2000 in Athens, Georgia. Their music is dense, passionate stuff. Lots of synths, but not the dancey kind--more of the earnest, space opera kind. Earnest power guitars. The bass guitar drives this album all the way--I’m not the sort of person who pays attention to the bass guitar (sorry bass guitarists, you matter), but it’s impossible to do otherwise here. Tight rhythms, cool layers, and momentum like a comet. Crescendos which fade into interludes where the bass guitar or the synth pushes things forward until they decide to crescendo again. I think this is kick-ass.

Recommended: 1, 4, 6

1) “No Cave” (10:06): Great energetic synths. Like you’re rocketing through space toward a distant galaxy. Bass guitar adds some drive at around 3:00 and it transitions into more of a cosmic rock piece. Power guitar work at 6:00--pretty badass. Crescendo all the way to the end. 2) “Living Cell” (6:13): Male vocals. Vocalist has that great kind of tired dude rocker tone. Synths flicker at 3:00--cool. 3) “Montes Jura” (6:12): Tons of bass guitar atop atmospheric synths. Walking pace. 4) “End of Man” (4:57): Heavily altered robot voice drives this one--allusion to the song title? Chipper synths, grinding guitars. Normally I hate stuff like robot voice but it adds a nice melody here. 5) “Rehumanizer I” (7:17): Instrumental. Feels like a huge build, with lots of room for guitar improv. I can imagine this in an arena. Great transition to next track. 6) “Rehumanizer II” (5:12): Energy which never lets up. Crazy finale. One note bouncing in the beginning like a pulsar.