A Closer Listen
Terror of Cosmic Monster starts off as the definition of a guilty pleasure, until one flips the tape and discovers a very different, yet complementary version of Chris Marti (Cosmic Monster) on Side B.
Surf metal glides atop these waves, layered with sci-fi dialogue that recalls “Creature Feature,” albeit with a modern lean. It’s hard not to think of “Sharktopus” when one sees the title “Bullheadicus.” What does it want? I don’t know! How can we stop it? We can’t! The lumbering metal is a perfect backdrop to the attack of the 400-foot kaiju. The choirs of “Seventh Impact” provide the requisite drama, which tumbles into an onslaught of drums. The sweatiest floor filler is the instrumental “She Was…a Cyborg,” which takes not a single breather and uses brass as oxygen. But the most timely offering is “Automaton Phenomenon,” with samples about artificial intelligence, referencing a time when A.I. was only a sci-fi plot. The track includes a soundbite debate on the intentions of the self-actualizing beings.
Just when one thinks that the cassette is exuding way too much energy to sustain, the timbre shifts. Side B is filled with “Return to Monolith City,” a single thirteen-minute track, longer than the scene of any movie yet progressing through so many changes that it acts as a suite. A languid beginning leads to a massive surge of guitars and drums, then a series of breakdowns that hint at ambience, metal, prog, and film scores. The funky guitar sequence that surfaces late in the seventh minute is particularly catchy, with a “Sabotage” vibe.
A “Novelization/Audiobook” has been announced for 2025, representing a further expansion of the Cosmic Monster world. Whatever comes next, one thing is for sure; this artist is having a lot of fun, and his exuberance is contagious. (Richard Allen)
Sun Jan 26 00:01:24 GMT 2025