Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Old (USA) - The Musical Dimensions of Sleastak (1993)

There's barely any band that could change their sound in each album as immensely as OLD. Starting off as humorous metallic grindcore in their debut, they took on more of a psychedelic industrial metal style in Lo Flux Tube. Album #3, The Musical Dimensions of Sleastak is filled with experimental madness! Basically a weird yet awesome mix of metal and electronics from the brilliant James Plotkin and the shrieking Alan Dubin. Some who find this unlistenable don't know what they're missing in this wild adventure...

This is another original album ahead of time. They experiment with different styles, more than just metal, letting go of restrictive conventions and patterns so what they create can run free. I don't need the thrashy industrial metal of Ministry when I have this cool weirdness that actually suits me!

"A Beginning" is an astonishing way to begin this offering. Then leveling up high is the apparently two-part "Two of Me". More of the experimentation commences in the freaky highlight "Freak Now". That song was used in the soundtrack for the film Brainscan. Another song featured in that movie is "Peri Cynthion", one h*ll of a 10-minute experimental industrial metal epic. Listen for yourself if you like this sound!

"Happy Tantrum" sounds like an outtake from Lo Flux Tube, but a great improvement from there. It's another one of my favorite tracks in this album, with absolutely no filler. The experimentation actually sounds catchier than that of the mathy metalcore of Coalesce. "Creyap'nilla" can sound a little creepy at times.

"Glitch" is really great but can be a bit glitchy in some parts. "Ebb" allows the experimental instrumentation to flow nice and smoothly, while staying surreal. "Backwards Through the Greddo Compressor" is the 11-minute finale that almost sounds like the album is shortened and compressed. It's so different yet listenable! However, it probably won't help those people who put down the album change their minds.

Yeah, those unbelievers are better off elsewhere. The only people I would recommend this to are those up for a challenge through experimental noise-powered industrial metal, like I am now. Enjoy the weirdness!

Favorites: "Freak Now", "Peri Cynthion", "Happy Tantrum", "Backwards Through the Greddo Compressor"