The drumming is chaotic though not quite manic. Vocals are supplied via the Hardcore barking/screaming style with limited amounts of spoken word to pepper the record. Massive guitars crunch and crackle with abandon through most of the album, relenting for a few clean passages on "Binary, Part II" which are then buried beneath a rolling tide of one building riff. The madness of fellow countrymen Gorguts creeps through in the way the bass guitar bobs and weaves through the music, but this might be owed to the crystal clear production which reveals the bassist's skill.

There are more change-ups than you can shake your "Hardcore breakdown" stick at, but this is not your average Hatebreed brand of sonic abuse that is quite popular these days. No, Ion Dissonance make music by which to maim. There are more than traces of Meshuggah appearing on the album, particularly in identical percussion patterns from the final three tracks. There is even a subtle staccato riff in "Binary, Part II" that seems to be liberally and literally 'borrowed' from those Swedes. Also heavily applied throughout the album are Gorgutsian riffing patterns that themselves are perhaps taken from elsewhere. The overall vibe of (old) Dillinger Escape Plan permeates, so if you like that band's non-Mr. Bungle sounding output and the other measuring sticks mentioned here, this may very well be your cup o' tea. Perhaps more originality will be displayed on their next album.

written by Tony Belcher

Playing time: 32:05