One of the dozen or so things I recently was sent to review in the Chain D.L.K. surprise package of accumulated overdue promos with no supporting documentation, 'Necroscape' by ttma turned out to be a real shocker of an album. It's the second album by vocalist Mike Patton and electronics/synths whiz Anthony Pateras, also enlisting the aid of Erkki Veltheim (violin, mandolin) and Will Guthrie (drums). I didn't know Patton was involved in this when I first listened to it, but I should have. If by chance you heard it without knowing anything about it (like I did), your first impression might be "What the fuck is this ungodly bizarre shit??" or something to that effect.

While it begins in an almost benign fashion with sustained vocal and piano notes supported by cymbal flourishes and squinky electronics on the title track, it quickly moves into ever expanding circles of chaos on "Cutlass Eye" with Patton screaming over Guthrie's furious drumming and Pateras' weird electronics. There's a tortured song in there somewhere, and by god, these guys are going to beat the crap out of it.

There's still four tracks and about 15 minutes to go, and I'm kind of exhausted already, so instead of trying to describe the rest (surely you must get the gist by now) so let's talk about who this album might appeal to. First and foremost, Mike Patton fans for sure, and they are legion. Anthony Pateras has a sizable following as well, especially in Australia, where he's from. Since 1999 he's released numerous albums, has composed for film, theatre, and new music percussion groups (such as Speak Percussion and Synergy Percussion) among other endeavors. People unfamiliar with either Patton or Pateras who might like this album would be fans of totally weird music and gonzo avant garde, the experimental side of Zappa (strictly uncommercial) and fans of the kind of hardcore that isn't confined to guitar bashing. You are highly unlikely to hear any of 'Necroscape' on the radio, but who cares! This album is far from perfect (and truth be told, some of it I could have done without) and likely not what you'll be expecting but still has plenty of merit. If I had to recommend a format it would be the white vinyl.