Hemophiliac Album Reviews

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AMG Review

This double CD set may be a little difficult to come by, as it is a limited-edition set available exclusively from the Tzadik and Ipecac websites -- the respective labels of John Zorn and Mike Patton. And what a pity this monstrous work was not made more widely available, as it contains some of the more ferocious performances of free improvisation that the members of this trio have put to record throughout their disparate and eclectic careers. In fact, Zorn's saxophone harks back to his very early days as the noisy improvisation maniac of his circa late-'70s youth -- all splutters, screeches, and willful abstraction. Electronics virtuoso Ikue Mori's performances are triumphant manipulations of drum machines and computer noise that are complex and elaborate, providing plenty of spiky edges for Zorn's sax and Patton's vocals to spar with. With a total playing time of over 100 minutes over two CDs, this collection contains highlights of the trio's intense live performances. The disc comes packaged in a handmade cardboard sleeve, each of the 2,500 copies of the limited-edition package signed and numbered by the artists, making this a cherished collector's item. ~ Skip Jansen, All Music Guide