Rating: NNN
The sixth album from Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra brings another slight band-name and lineup change, but it doesn't find frontman Efrim Menuck reaching his potential. The co-founder of Godspeed You! Black Emperor still makes stumbling experimental rock but fails to improve on his previous work.
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Hindering the album's success is the uninspired 15-minute opening track, There Is A Light, which has terribly grating vocals. Make it through that and fans will find themselves on more familiar ground. I Built Myself A Metal Bird successfully pairs violins with heavy guitar riffs (and a "Dance, you motherfuckers!" refrain). The three late-album Kollapz/Collapse/Kollaps tracks highlight SMZ's strength at creating long-building sonic smoulder that finally ignites in fuzzy electric-guitar instability.
Top track: Kollaps Tradicional (Bury 3 Dynamos)