C-187

Man oh man, the ATHEIST/PESTILENCE/CYNIC contingent is going to flip its collective lid upon hearing about new super group C-187 (and have most likely done so already). Debut album "Collision" marks the reappearance of PESTILENCE legend and C-187 guitarist Patrick Mameli, who is joined by bassist Tony Choy (CYNIC, PESTILENCE, ATHEIST),drummer Sean Reinert (DEATH, CYNIC),and vocalist Tony Jelencovich (B-THONG, TRANSPORT LEAGUE, MNEMIC, M.A.N.). As such, most will not be completely surprised at what is heard on the album. However, that is not an indication of "Collision" simply being a release that mimics the style heard on albums like "Focus" or "Testimony of the Ancients".

While the music is definitely heavy and metallic (kind of like how one would define the heaviness of an act like MESHUGGAH),it is by no means a tech-death album. The riffs and rhythms are angular with plenty of stop-start time signature trickery and Jelencovich's harsh (yet not death metal) barking cadences (once again, in both cases, like the Swedish kings mentioned earlier). Tossed into the mix are periodic jazz segments with Choy and Mameli jamming off of one another (right, no big surprise either),and the occasional tripped out fusion section. "Homicide", "Sidewalk Chalk", and "Knee Deep In" all contain examples of the blend, but then again, so do several other tracks.

The twist comes in with Mameli's incorporation of gangsta-rap-inspired lyrics (there is a bit of it in some of the rhythms and vocal cadences too, though rather subtly integrated),as the guy has "…become a fan of reality programs like 'Cops'" and "…got intrigued by the music I heard: loud and aggressive gangsta rap." And you already know about the 187 reference to homicide.

The purists should not freak out though, as you will not hear N.W.A. raps or anything of the sort. But it is a little difficult not to laugh at the some of the song titles (e.g. "Murda" and "P.C.P. [Murda in my Head]"),and lyrics from songs like "Roadblock (D.O.A.)", including: "Dressed all in black / straight down from da jack / I'm shot, but I can't feel da bleedin' / mothafukkin 5-0 got me under heavy attack." Fortunately, said tune (as well as several others) is fairly memorable and the rhythmic textures are tough and groovy. Sure, it gets a little old toward the latter part of the album, but "Collision" still ends up being an interesting and generally fun endeavor.