Blotted Science
The Machinations Of Dementia
8.1
If technical, instrumental metal is your thing, then look no further than Texan trio Blotted Science. And if you’ve read reviews of The Machinations of Dementia, and/or are familiar with the band already, you know that it features absolutely phenomenal musicianship from the likes of guitarist Ron Jarzombek (Spastic Ink, Watchtower), bassist Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse, Hate Eternal), and Charlie Zeleny (Behold…the Arctopus, Jordan Rudess). Though it’s at least semi-accessible, it also seems to cater to musicians or listeners who simply enjoy basking in jaw-dropping, mind-bending musicianship.
Yes, at close to an hour in length, The Machinations of Dementia is a dense, intricate ball of wax in line with what the threesome have released with their respective primary units, though groups such as Canvas Solaris, Dysrhythmia, Scale the Summit, and many more prove slightly less taxing by requiring less concentration to fully grasp their songs. Despite the relation of the song titles to each other, which refer to medical conditions/terminology, the songs themselves are varied enough that they don’t blend together, while most of them do call for one’s undivided attention to comprehend exactly what’s transpiring. Still, it’d be nice if Blotted Science added more flavor to the mix a la Canvas Solaris. Regardless, jumpy opener “Synaptic Plasticity” shifts more than overhead luggage during a plane crash, though it settles into a solid groove at the 1:41 minute mark prior to taking flight once again. Naturally, guitar and bass leads punctuate the soundscape, in addition to nimble drum fills, like in “Laser Lobotomy” and numerous others. Also, for better or worse, it’s nearly impossible to not compare portions of “Brain Fingerprinting,” “Activation Synthesis Theory,” and “Night Terror” to instrumental sections from the past few Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment albums. However, the six-part “Activation Synthesis Theory” is different insofar as it clocks in at over eight minutes, whereas its peers range from 1:11 (“R.E.M.”) to 5:55 (“Synaptic Plasticity”), with plenty falling in between. At times aligned with progressive, death, and thrash metal, Blotted Science do indeed keep the listener on their toes, and have a sufficient amount of groove to tie it all together.
Even though it’s a tad too long at 57 minutes – there’s also the fact that the bass drums could use more oomph – The Machinations of Dementia is entertaining nonetheless. The replay value is questionable, but for what it’s worth, Blotted Science have crafted a complex, knotty record that is surprisingly approachable and more user-friendly than initially thought. It won’t change your perception of instrumental metal, as the basic premise remains the same, but it’s still one of the more intriguing albums of its kind.
