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For those who aren't familiar with !T.O.O.H.!, they're more or less an avant garde death/grind project from Prague in the Czech Republic. Their name, which is an abbreviation for "the obliteration of humanity", was adopted in 1993 (they used to go under the moniker "Devastator"). Order and Punishment, or Rád a Trest, marked their seventh studio release in 2005.
Those who already know and love !T.O.O.H.! have come to expect nothing less than the utmost originality and quality of musicianship from them. This may not be for everyone, but it certainly suits me. Simply put, Order and Punishment didn't disappoint. Colorful and innovative, Order and Punishment turns technicality and brutality into something unique, bewitching, and downright captivating. It's hard not to be sucked in by the zest and the variety, and it doesn't help that these Czechs are obviously fluent in their instruments. To put it in perspective, this album has scarcely escaped my headphones since I got it.
The problem with most avant garde releases is that though flashy, they have the tendency to get on your damn nerves. It doesn't matter how original you are; if your music's annoying, you can bet nobody wants to hear it. Thankfully, !T.O.O.H.! fell through a crack in the overbold system, and as a result, their music comes off as vibrant and exciting, without ever imploring you to press "skip" or reduce the volume.
Snazzy numbers like "Hanicka- Pribeh Nebozacky" (in English, Hanna- the story of the poor girl) and "Konec Kontinentalniho Kontejneru" grab you by the nutsack and never let go- and in this rare case, that's a good thing. All of the songs have a jazzy flavor to them, and it fits quite nicely.
Lyrical nazis may be a little put off by the English translation of the lyrics, as they do tend to be a little asinine ("let the naughty dog is hanged!")... but alas, they weren't intended for the English language, which is why they weren't sung in English. And I give them credit for their broad spectrum of lyrical themes, encompassing everything from little poor girls raped and killed by water sprites, to the murder of mushroom pickers, and even politics in the title track. Maybe not the most articulate lyrics of all time, but quite entertaining all the same. And in light of the music, who really cares?
"Order and Punishment" is across-the-board chromatic, variable greatness. It's imaginative and forward-looking, and has no outstanding pitfalls whatsoever that I could see. I really hate to hand out perfect scores, and I searched long and hard for a reason not to, but I just have no complaints about this album. Long live the obliteration of humanity.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Al-Amin (Aneb Jak Vycakat Jelito) |
| 2. Analyza Ahnedy |
| 3. Konec Kontinentalniho Kontejneru |
| 4. Hanicka - Pribeh Nebozacky |
| 5. Abu-Hassan |
| 6. Rad A Trest |
| 7. Ja Samaritan |
| 8. Padaji, Piskaji |
| 9. To Je Jizda Bozinku |
| 10. Kali |
: 36.45
| Buy other !T.O.O.H.! albums |
