Spastic Ink
Ink Compatible

Some time ago I stumbled upon the site www.drummerworld.com (go check it out), and within the site, I noticed, among others, the name of Bobby Jarzombek (already drummer for Riot and in the latest album of Demons & Wizards). It immediately reminded me of Ron (guitarist on Watch Tower's second album “Control and Resistence” and former guitarist of S.A. Slayer), who, unsurprisingly, is Bobby's older brother. I downloaded 3 videos and an mp3, being blown away by the technical skills of the left-handed Texan drummer. Given my love for musical challenges and complicated albums, I decided to purchase this “Ink-Compatible” blind, to hear what Bobby could do with his brother Ron, bassist Pete Perez (already with Bobby in Riot), and Watch Tower's singer Jason McMaster. Ron himself says he has been inspired by cartoon music for years. Now, a smile may come to your face, but try watching any Tom & Jerry cartoon, for example, close your eyes, and just listen to the background music. I've tried it, and I assure you the result is amazing. These are all insane compositions with incredibly complex tempo and rhythm changes that presume a very high level of technical skill from the musicians playing these seemingly silly but actually very challenging songs.

That said, the product in question is an insanely chaotic jumble of notes and chords with a crazy number of tempo changes and technical difficulties, both rhythmically and melodically, which highlight the absolute technical value of all the band members. However, all the technique is excellently seasoned with melodic parts tailored in a way that the songs never fall into the already heard or plagiarism of some prog-metal band (did someone think of Dream Theater?). Many parts recall the chaotic style and passages of the Texans W.T.; indeed, no more than 20 seconds of any track go by without a change in rhythm or tempo, and during every song, there are mini or maxi solos by the various instruments. The great value of the guitar solos and the frequent overlaps of solos from all instruments must be emphasized.
The Jarzombek brothers’ combo enriches their music with some samples and keyboards (which W.T. lacked and maybe would have been a good addition). The production is very good, highlighting Ron's guitar and Bobby's drums, but in any case, the voice and bass do not remain in the shadows. The diamond points of the album are certainly the fast and intricate opener “Aquanet”, the exquisite instrumental “Words For Nerds”, the other technical instrumental “Read Me”, heavy parts and melody united to perfection, the subsequent “Multi-Masking” (perhaps the best of the album) and the long suite “A.C.R.O.N.Y.M.” (over 12 breathtaking minutes with more than 5 almost psychopathic minutes of intro). The others still stand at very high levels with excellent melodic inserts that always blend perfectly with the most complicated structures I've ever heard. McMaster's voice is fitting, although it may seem annoying to some (even though it's much better than in the first W.T. work); there are also cameo appearances by special guests (mentioning the most famous) Daniel Gildenlow (vocals in "Melissa's Friend") and also Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth), Jens Johansson (Stratovarius), Doug Keyser (bassist for Watch Tower).

I finally mention the entertaining minute and 20 seconds of the concluding “The Cereal Mouse”, the video of which can be found on Ron's website; it's a cartoon of a little mouse, which Ron and Co. have set to music. I recommend watching it to realize what goes through the minds of these geniuses. You can tell by ear that Ron and Bobby can only be brothers: almost unreachable.

If you are not a fan of hyper-technical prog-metal bands, if the exacerbated and exhausting technique that seems like a sterile display of skill doesn't appeal to you, don't buy this album and don't even listen to the online samples. This is not an easy album, it needs to be listened to and re-listened to multiple times to get into the minds of these great musicians, to understand the intricate passages there, and to enjoy and appreciate the points that truly leave you speechless.