Behold... The Arctopus
Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning

Taking a musical genre to the extreme can only have two outcomes: the creation of something so evocative and distinctive that it is labeled a masterpiece, or the creation of something shapeless, inelegant, and unpolished that is labeled junk. Undertaking an "extreme" path is therefore a huge risk, something that this New York-based band, Behold The Arctopus, seems to have disregarded. They are proponents of a kind of progressive metal seen from its most technical perspective, which pushes the melodic lines typical of the genre to the extreme, as done by groups such as Spiral Architect, Extol, or Zero Hour; as if that weren't enough, these Americans offer totally instrumental music, making it even more challenging.

The album in question, titled "Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning," was released as an EP in 2005, but re-released in 2006 in a new version, with the addition of two bonus tracks taken from the demo "Arctopocalypse Now/Warmageddon Later" (just remembering these titles gives you a headache), and live versions of four of the five tracks included.

This is the track-list:

1) Exospacial Psionic Aura
2) Estrogen/Pathogen Exchange Program
3) Sensory Amusia
4) Alcoholacaust
5) You Will Be Reincarnated As An Imperial Attack Spaceturtle
6) Alcoholacaust (Live)
7) You Will Be Reincarnated As An Imperial Attack Spaceturtle (Live)
8) Exospacial Psionic Aura (Live)
9) Sensory Amusia (Live)

Musically, as mentioned earlier, the album showcases very complex structures, with instruments continuously focused on solo sections, a rhythm section constantly in syncopation, odd time signatures, absolutely varied riffs, and all kinds of sonic evolutions, leaving very little room for melody and thus music as a core composed of technique and melody. With the added issue that at times it descends into total cacophony, alternated with moments of great brilliance where the more jazzy aspect prevails, but these are nonetheless moments of little relevance within the entire platter, where it's hard to tell where one song begins and another ends. Not describing even a single track results, among other things, from the impossibility of choosing one that represents the fundamental characteristics of the album, as what stands out is primarily the flatness of the songwriting.

It's a great disappointment to have to dismiss this album, which some of you may see as an immense masterpiece. In my opinion, music is deconstructed too much here, and individual skills are showcased at the expense of the musical whole.

Hoping that Behold The Arctopus understands the true meaning of technical metal, I go back to listening to "A Sceptic's Universe," which is in a whole different world.