Ever since jazz rabble-rouser and reed maestro Peter Van Huffel formed Gorilla Mask with Roland Fidezius (electric bass, effects) and Rudi Fischerlehner (drums, percussion) back in ’10, the Canadian expatriate has thrived on living even further out in the jazz hinterlands. The trio brings punk and math-rock sensibilities to crash the jazz improv party, and now they are four albums into their raid with the recent release of Brain Drain.
As before, Gorilla Mask is often in your face. That said, their tactics with rhythm and harmony remain an integral part of their attack, too. The fuzzed-out bass and the jungle-rhythm drums following along in a staggered path herald the start of “Rampage,” and Van Huffel’s alto sax sets a thematic pattern that goes in lock step with the rhythm section.
Fidezius continues to leave a large footprint; his lumbering patterns set the aggressive complexity of “Brain Drain” and leaves Van Huffel a wide swath of tonality from the middle registers on up in which to romp around.
“Drum Song” is in fact a showcase for Fischerlehner, but unlike the brute force heard elsewhere he conjures up an exotic rhythm with exotic timbres. The other two build their own sonorities expressly around him until before you know it, the swirl of sax, bass and electro effects have built up to a dense commotion.
The rumbling, circular figure of “Forgive Me, Mother” is complemented by Van Huffel’s electrified sax and his husky baritone sax used for “Caught In A Helicopter Blade” allows Fidezius to sneak up the fretboard and assume an almost guitar role.
“AVALANCHE!” is perhaps the first track that feels more like jazz than it does rock though like the other cuts, it doesn’t neatly fit into either category. Whatever it is, the impossible to solve timekeeping and the sax and bass’ ability to pilot through that is amazing. Van Huffel plays both the alto and baritone for the concluding track “HOSER” where the galloping rhythm section plays tighter but no less muscular.
Brain Drain comes to us courtesy of Clean Feed Records.
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