I was quite impressed by Frantic Bleep's inventive _Fluctuadmission_
demo when I reviewed it a couple of years ago, but I was nonetheless
surprised to find their debut album released by Earache in Europe and
The End in the rest of the world. First of all, don't let the
name Frantic Bleep mislead you into thinking this is some sort of
lightning paced electronic music or whatever. Frantic Bleep's music is
actually firmly rooted in metal; but it is also a thoroughly eclectic
mix of styles and influences from a vast array of sources, many of
them well outside of metal. The closest comparison can be drawn to a
slower, less blackened version of Arcturus on some occasions. Some of
the vocals bring to mind Ulver, Borknagar or Alice in Chains just as
easily. In truth, all these comparisons are unfair to the spirit of Frantic Bleep:
they reflect only fleeting moments in the album where a passing shadow
briefly reminds you of something else.There is a large variety of approaches on all counts to be found
throughout _The Sense Apparatus_ if you listen closely. Vocals range
from several singing styles to occasional rasps and female backing vox
(courtesy of Madder Mortem's Agnete Kirkevaag, no less; bandmates
Kjetil Fosseid and Daniel Solheim also make appearances). Synths
seamlessly enter and leave the mix in various forms. The guitar work
can just as easily show a markedly progressive slant as revert back to
comparatively straightforward metal riffing. Contrary to other
avantgarde acts however, this isn't done in hyperspeed or focused on
showing everyone just how great the band members' instrumental and
compositional skill really is. These Norwegians take their time with
each set of musical elements, using them in a consistent manner rather
than hastily blazing through them. Furthermore, this isn't a jumble of
ultimately soulless progressive bits and pieces; tracks like "...But a
Memory" and "Mausolos" actually have considerable emotional content,
even if the same does not apply to other parts of the album. The whole
thing is helped by an appropriately clear, strong production.
A common problem with albums that rely heavily on progressive and
avantgarde elements is that after several spins you're left with
little to remember each song by other than some quirky twist or other.
_The Sense Apparatus_ is neither a huge success nor a rotund failure
in this respect. The band clearly has other concerns beyond the sheer
catchiness of their music, which is by no means inherently a bad
thing; but because they actually explore their ideas enough before
moving on, most of the songs become pleasantly recognizable after a
while. While not an intensely gripping album throughout, _The Sense
Apparatus_ does stimulate the listener more than your average metal
album. It also treads an interesting path of its own instead of just
going with the flow, which is always very commendable. I shall be
looking forward to Frantic Bleep's next effort.