Amputechture

Like their two previous albums, De-Loused in the Comatorium and Frances the Mute, Amputechture is a dense and mysterious “concept” album that’s often impenetrable but always intriguing. Exactly what the album is about is anyone’s guess (there are multiple references to God, yet that hardly clears it up), but it’s stunning to listen to how many different themes and ideas are packed into this 76-minute epic. Seemingly anything goes—long ambient passages shift abruptly into screaming metal guitar solos and free jazz horns before fading into gorgeous, subdued melodies or soft Latin rhythms. The countless tempo changes and radical dynamic shifts keep the listener on edge, and the intensity is sustained by the counterpoint of Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s high register vocals and impressionistic lyrics, some of which are sung in Spanish. Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriquez-Lopez’s musicianship is as impressive as their imagination, and they’re joined by technically gifted guests, including guitarist John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who possess the chops necessary to execute these challenging compositions. Amputechture is a sprawling thrill ride that’s both unnerving and exhilarating.