Short Reviews [Titan to Tachyons - 2020 - "Cactides"]

The New York City-based avant/instrumental metal trio Titans To Tachyons comprise guitarist Sally Gates (ex-Orbweaver, ex-Gigan), Kenny Grohowski (Secret Chiefs 3, Imperial Triumphant, Brand X) and Matt Hollenberg (Cleric, John Zorn). Heavily influenced by science fiction for their song titles, anyone who references Red Dwarf (the last track is “Everybody's Dead, Dave,” which also features guest bassist Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Fantomas)) is alright by me. Add to that their massively complex, distorted, angular slabs of music which are highly experimental while also hitting into RIO, and this is something which is right up my dark alley. This is not music to be sat and listened to sedately, it is visceral and designed to elicit a response, with some areas being incredibly metallic, while at others they add in some light to better reflect the shade. This is disconcerting stuff, music to set your teeth on edge while bashing in your brain. There are sections where they are almost hypnotically melodic, and others where it is so off the wall as to be in another building altogether. They can be clean, or messed up, gentle or harsh, providing sweet chords or dissonance, so that the listener has no idea where they are going, or even if they want to stay the course until the end. But as with all great experimental music, there are consistent surprises, such as the use of a bow on “The Starthinker Is Obsolete”, or the way they can move so far away from themes that one cannot believe they will ever find their way back, yet they do. The three musicians may sometimes seem to be living very much in their own world, yet they are incredibly tight and the way they can spin the music in a 180 is very special indeed. This will not be to everyone’s taste, much like Dave Lister, but if you can get your head around this, then it will indeed be like finding an edible pot noodle.