Ideas of Reference

Psyopus | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 19, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Good Fight Music
• ASIN: B0006212KE
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #258,318 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Damn, March 20, 2005

By 

General Zombie (the West) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ideas of Reference (Audio CD)

I was gonna wait around, try and really pick apart this album and analyze, but screw it. There's no need. Simply put, this is the craziest metal album I've ever heard. Imagine The End (the 'Transfer Trachea...' ep) mixed with Necrophagist with the jazz influence cranked way up. And though I've only listened to it maybe 7 times so far, I may be prepared to declare 'Ideas of Reference' to be the finest, most compelling sheer madness album out there, dethroning the now legendary 'Calculating Infinity' album.

Now keep in mind, I've never been the sorta person to insist that music needs to be very technical to be good. True, the best album's combine strong songwriting with high technical ability, but if you can only have one you take the songwriting in a heartbeat. This album has nothing to recommend it in terms of conventional songwriting, but Psyopus have taken incessant wanking to a new level, transcending self-indulgence and moving into realms of pure madness and genius. I don't know if any of the tracks really add up to a terribly cohesive whole, but the individual parts are staggering enough that it doesn't much matter. Though they're all amazing, the guitarist, Chris Arp is who really matters. He virtually never plays straight, chugging riffs, but rather winding, circular and ridiculously fast metal-jazz runs and licks, combined with harsh, staggering walls of noise. He is literally astounding to listen to. What's more, Psyopus has a sorta distinct flavor amongst the numerous tech-metal bands out there, with the sharp, clear guitar tone and the prevalent use of blast-beats. The vocalist, your standard 'core shouter, is nothing special, and the vocal lines are virtually never of interest, but they don't really need to be. And though they may only have a few very specifics sounds, they use them all well, moving constantly but surprisingly smoothly from one of movement to the next.

Amazing stuff. Maybe I'll eventually become somewhat less excited about it, due to the lack of conventional songwriting, but it's pretty damn impressive now.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars obscene amalgamation of tech-metal and avant-jazz., March 5, 2005

By 

Lord Chimp (Monkey World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ideas of Reference (Audio CD)

how to describe the experience of _Ideas of Reference_? It sounds like the high-precision brutality of Dillinger Escape Plan with the grinding complexity of King Crimson MkV, the fusionesque proficiency of Mahavishnu Orchestra, and spazzed-out instrumental passages from the darkest, freakiest fantasies of Dream Theater (stuff they would never go on to perform themselves). Erratic speeds, unrelenting assaults, frenetic percussiveness, and mangled, atonal guitar riffs make it sound like the disgusting, mutant cousin of avant-jazz and extreme metal on a major amphetamine binge! All that, combined with a unique use of texture and attentive use of additive rhythms, overlapping time relations, and meter changes. This is a group dripping ingenuity and pragmatism, and power enough to kill an elephant. highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars oh. my. god., July 16, 2005

By 

stilettostiletto (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ideas of Reference (Audio CD)

this album is ridiculous. i think this band might contain the most talented guys to hit music ever...period. THAT'S how good this record is. their drummer is AMAZING, and their guitar player is mind-blowingly good. if you like grind, BUY THIS NOW. if you like metal, BUY THIS NOW. if you like math rock, BUY THIS NOW. if you like ridiculously talented musicians, BUY THIS NOW. you won't be disappointed.