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Xhohx - Karyotypexplosion review




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Reviewer:
7.8
Band: Xhohx
Album: Karyotypexplosion
Release date: 2007


01. Primat
02. Dzahindzo
03. Blaxbox
04. Kohlerio Neanderthal
05. Gegen
06. Zuth
07. Zturmena Metastab Ilis
08. Nera Febramata
09. Leghio
10. Silexio
11. Tell Vs Rezistan Zik
12. Nukleark

Xhohx is a relatively young two-piece from the shores of Belgium. According to the band members themselves, the band exists solely because of "two musicians' will to get rid of their own musical education". After their grouping up in 2002 it took them up to 2007 to release their début album. Now put these two facts together and try to imagine what sort of non-musical, crazy, highly ADD piece of music that will form. Does that sound similar to an older, more known band? That's right; Ephel Duath must have had a hell of an influence on these guys.

Xhohx seem to be out for one thing and that is to make your life as miserable as possible. You cannot pronounce the band name, you cannot pronounce the song titles and you most certainly cannot follow the flow of this album. If there even is one. What Xhohx offers is three quarters of an hour of experimental/progressive metal, with a lot of so called "fusion" thrown in.

That results in a ton of very fast, very short riffs, without any form of repetition. Usually these riffs pass by only once or twice, though sometimes in a different scale, but it does not matter anyway. The drum machine, bass, vocals and occasional piano do exactly the same, that is, they do completely different things at all times. Your brain will be too busy to try and stay sane that it cannot recall what the hell happened a mere five minutes ago, and will simply let the music pass as a sonic wave of incomprehensible sounds. Annoying? Most certainly. Freakishly attractive and interesting? That as well.

Even though this album annoys the living daylight out of me, it does keep me interested. For one there is the unexplainable desire of wanting to be at least once able to know what song is playing without looking at the cd-player, and another reason is that I want to find out what happens with my perception of the music once I'll finally "get used" to it. Actually, just the getting used to part will be an achievement to be proud of for the rest of my life. After many listens, this still baffles me. How will this affect you?


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Production: 8





Written on 22.08.2008 by If you're interested in extreme, often emotional and underground music, check out my reviews. I retired from reviewing, but I really used to be into that stuff.


Comments

Comments: 4   Visited by: 47 users
23.08.2008 - 00:43
Damnated
Churchburner
this sounds good, i'm up for schizo music. i've also been re-discovering Ephel Duath lately.

btw, what's the release year? under the title it says 2008, but in the review you say they released their debut in 2007.
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Blessed is he that murders Christ in himself and in his fellow men.



Written by TheBigRossowski on 10.02.2009 at 16:01

if my wife and I can't conceive, I want a medical shipment of your sperm so our baby will be just like you.
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23.08.2008 - 02:47
Lucas
Mr. Noise
Written by Damnated on 23.08.2008 at 00:43

this sounds good, i'm up for schizo music. i've also been re-discovering Ephel Duath lately.

btw, what's the release year? under the title it says 2008, but in the review you say they released their debut in 2007.


2007, as far as i know. i simply forgot to edit it in the album-adding.
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SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?

"The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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23.08.2008 - 02:49
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Holy shit... I mean... this guys are waaaaaaaaay more crazy than Ephel Duath!!!

Just listen to the vocals, fucking insane and somehow creepy.
Awesome stuff. Freak music ist krieg.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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23.08.2008 - 03:28
Sunioj

Yeah, I like the bebopesque growls that they have.
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