Named for a movie by American sexploitation auteur Russ Meyer, Motorpsycho are an eclectic Norwegian band whose music is an adventurous amalgam of progressive rock, psychedelia, alternative rock, folk-rock, hard rock, jazz, country, and old-school heavy metal.
Based out of Trondheim, the group emerged fully loaded in the late ’80s, but really caught fire with the release of their ambitious third album, Demon Box, which spanned two LPs and earned the group a Norwegian Grammy nomination. With a loyal fan base established, Motorpsycho set out to make a name for themselves both at home and abroad, issuing a string of acclaimed albums that chewed through genres with impunity, with highlights arriving via Phanerothyme (2001), Child of the Future (2009), and The Tower (2017).
2019 saw the release of their latest LP „The Crucible“.
Both visually and musically, The Crucible starts where the last album The Tower ended, but it soon takes on its own hue, and it is clear that it cannot be called a ‘sequel’ as such: this is very much a step further out than anywhere the band ventured on The Tower. While it is broader lyrically speaking, it is even sharper focused musically and, if possible, even more idiosyncratic and insular than ever. Unarguably a Motorpsycho album, it is one that is going to make the novice Psychonaut’s head spin, but feel comfortingly unfamiliar to the acolyte. Motorpsycho was always too gnarly for prog nerds as well as too musically unwieldy for punks, and as their appeal becomes ever more selective, they are still proudly falling between all cracks, stools or chairs one might think of putting in their way. ‘Prog rock’? Call it Motorpsychodelia!
The Crucible was recorded at Monnow Valley Studios in Wales in August 2018 by Hans Magnus Ryan (guitars, vocals), Bent Sæther (bass, vocals, sundry) and Tomas Järmyr (drums), with co-producers Andrew Scheps and Deathprod. To these ears, and to the band’s satisfaction, this co-production ploy worked out wonderfully, and has resulted in a beautifully crafted record, smaller in size but at least equal in ambition to its celebrated predecessor. It is somehow both more focused, and denser in content, but also compositionally more ambitious than The Tower. One would perhaps think that this necessarily results in a diminished sonic assault, but the album still packs a wallop like a good rock record should. And – ‘for once’ some waggish tongues would say – does not outstay its welcome.
Cadû is a 4 piece ProgRock / TripHop formation hailing from Vienna Austria.
With band members emerging from all corners of the Viennese underground scene, Cadu benefits from a vast variety of stylistic influences ranging from Trip Hop to Jazz to contemporary music and progressiv theatre music, which being incoporated, combined and torn apart by heavy riffs and mindless screams.
Their songs are mirrors and reflections of deep rooted subconscious dreamworlds hitting the 21st century human experience.
Never resolving but always evolving their arrangements move back and forth between utopia and dystopian breakdowns forming a unique dark yet colorful musical experience.
Arena Vienna / “Big Hall” / adv 25 € / doors 30 € / 19.00h
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