I’ve recently realized that chaotic, kitchen sink progressive rock/avant garde metal is one of my favorite sub-genre of music, certainly my favorite sub-genre in metal. Bands like uneXpect, Mr. Bungle, and 6:33 are just a few acts that bring me unbridled joy as a weirdo prog dog (no one calls me that). So I was excited to be exposed to the music of Descartes a Kant.
The band launched in 2001 in Guadalajara, Mexico.Their music is self-desribed as surf, punk, and swing. However, that description just scratches the surface of this band. In one song their sound will shift from gorgeous indie pop to chaotic hardcore chaos before a crescendo that resides in a third unrelated realm.
The band went through quite a few line-up changes, but settled down a bit around the time of their debut Paper Dolls. This cemented their sound has much as a band like Descartes a Kant can. The songs were much shorter then, with most clocking in as about two minutes. Each song is a brief burst of artistic fury.
2012 saw their sophomore release, Il Visore Lunatique, which expanded greatly on what the band is. Dolls came off like a Melt Banana meets indie hybrid. Visore runs a gamut of styles in its brief thirty-six minute run time. It brings all sorts of musical acts to mind like Mindless Self Indulgence, Dillinger Escape Plan, Amanda Palmer, Mr. Bungle, Primus, Stolen Babies, and Le Butcherettes.
“Peter Pan Syndrome” sounds like if St. Vincent fronted Nuclear Rabbit. “The Robbery” plays out like a Sleigh Bells meets Melt Banana collaboration. “Convince Me” sounds like straight up Mr. Bungle, and it’s wonderful. Then album’s conclusion, “You May Kiss The Bride,” is an eight minute avant garde cabaret journey. In short, this album has just about everything.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFKRnNQNgf8[/youtube]
While, sonic diversity is at the forefront of this band, musicianship certainly isn’t lacking. Unsurprisingly, the percussion in this band is fantastic. You’ve got to be in order to keep up with the almost random transitions. The aforementioned “Peter Pan Syndrome” could pay tribute to Nuclear Rabbit in style and in low-end technicality. Then of course, there is the trio of vocalists in Sandrushka Petrova, Dafne C. Macías, and Ana Cristina Mo. These women can be fucking punk, they can sound like sirens, but no matter how they’re singing, they’re intense.
On April 28th, after another long five year wait, the band is finally dropping a new album. It’s called Victims of Love Propaganda, and the little I’ve heard so far is heavier and more chaotic than wanything they’ve done. I’m excited. You better get excited too.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er9PC3L2w1w[/youtube]
Check out their music on Bandcamp and pre-order their new record here.
