An Albatross - Blessphemy (Of the Peace Beast Feastgiver and the Bear Warp Kumite)

I knew something was up when I received my copy of An Albatross' latest album, Blessphemy (Of the Peace Beast Feastgiver and the Bear Warp Kumite) and noticed that the release date was almost 7 months ago. My suspicions were confirmed upon my first listen to this record, which is pretty much a fast-paced wall of noise that seems almost purposeless in its approach. Everything about this album seems pointless, except for how fast it moves, which allows you to get to the end faster. The guitars tend to just chug along at breakneck speed and are unnecessarily loud, though unfortunately not loud enough to cover up the obnoxious, high-pitched screaming that are this band's excuse for vocals. The drums, at least, are done well, though the production seems distant and gives no weight to the sound. Frankly, the most redeeming quality of the album is its length at just over twenty-seven minutes. Otherwise, I don't see many good things to say about this album. In the end, it just all seems like needless noise. [www.analbatross.com]