CD: “All For One” by Arthouse Hours

I’ve been wracking my brains on how to describe the music on All for One that Arthouse Hours make and all I can come up with is that it sounds like some freeform Jazz musicians were given traditional rock instruments and asked to improvise whilst someone recorded it.

Guitars jar discordantly, drums smash about randomly and the vocal mix is all but lost in the unholy cacophony but there is also something interesting going on. It’s like watching a car crash unfold in slow-motion, you can’t take your eyes (ears) off it. It’s a weirdly compelling mash up of Prog and Punk in a blender of Grindcore.

They have this to say about the album (from Bandcamp) thematically, the album centres on an individual under stress. Our protagonist goes through a break up with the object of his desire. He has conflicting thoughts on this, which frequently turn to dreams. He later questions whether he has actually experienced loss, instead acquiring something that is much bigger – a realization dawns that life must go on. On it goes – The band hail from St. Petersburg, Russia and (going by the music) have a very surreal take on life. This is definitely an acquired taste, you have been warned! For fans of Rolo Tomassi, Voivod, Yes and Hawkwind.

Tracklisting
One’s Rising
Heavily Assaulted
Nitride/Oxide
Like This
Away
One’s Quitting

Band Links
http://arthousehours.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arthouse-Hours/141812105915635

Words: Dan O’Gara