Totimoshi
¿Mysterioso?
6.7
Now here’s something you don’t hear every day. Try as one might, Totimoshi just can’t be forced inside any one box. The California trio isn’t entirely metal, but also can’t really be categorized as punk, or anything else for that matter. Exact comparisons are tough, but think of the Melvins with traces of Bleach and Ultramega OK locked in a death roll with stoner rock and punk tendencies. And oh yeah, top it off with scattered Hispanic imagery and flair. Sound like one fucked up Frankenstein? Take my word for it, it works for them. Totimoshi drives a shank between the ribs of the mundane by combining an ear for the nontraditional with a healthy disregard for the highbrow avantgarde. The band has an unusual but entirely organic sound that makes ¿Mysterioso? sound like the most foreign thing you’ll hear being performed in your neighbor’s garage. You know, the weird ones.
Originally released in 2002, Totimoshi’s second album has been rereleased by Crucial Blast with bonus CD-ROM features. It’s interesting to hear a band take such an atypical approach and deliver it with an entirely natural, every-band earthiness. The rhythm section is loud in the mix and propels the songs with a gritty rumble, as the guitar provides riffs and runs that are angular at times and serpentine at others. The band takes a unique approach to the vocals as well. Occupying a relatively low level in Alex Newport’s production, Tony Aguilar uses an interesting variation of volume and intonation to draw the listener into the song. From a near whisper to full voiced clean vocals to a scream, and everything in between, the vocals add a nice texture to the otherwise muddy denseness. The slithering headbanger “Oblivian” must by now be a staple of the band’s live set, as the guitar and bass work together tremendously well by alternating, providing winding melodies and buzzing backbone. The muted building gutpunch of “Cellophane” is another standout moment. There are also a couple instrumentals, including the noisy, boiling riff-fest “Dirt Farmer” and the spookyass decomposing of a Victrola on “Vitreol-A”.
Throughout ¿Mysterioso? I found myself thinking of how cool these songs must sound in a small, live setting. It seems a sure bet that these guys have a rabid following for their local and regional live shows. It seems equally likely that even though Totimoshi isn't purely a metal band that many MetalReview readers will be drawn to the band’s dark and heavy style. Fans of the unique should definitely make note, and the band has offered up a generous supply of mp3s from all three of their albums. Here’s to nonconformity.
Related
TotimoshiLadron
10/24/2006