It's kind of crazy that there're aren't more metallic fusion bands around, but then again how many people play like this?If you’re one of those people that’s into the kind of jazz metal that makes most progressive music seem like a Miley Cyrus song, you might be looking for a band like Bangladeafy. Their latest EP, The Briefcase, is collection of short (all but one clock in under three minutes), frenetic tunes that sound a bit like Les Claypool after an 8-ball with a drum machine synched up to him.
But don’t let that pithy description give you the impression that the NYC duo of Atif Haq (drums) and Jon Ehlers (bass/keyboards/vocals) are without finesse and a whole lot of talent. Haq’s blazing staccato snare work is incredible in a kind of “this-isn’t-a-drum-machine?” way. And Ehlers’ bass work is quite simply jaw-dropping when you see it.
The Briefcase may be short, but the music is intense and shows a variety of melodic moods; Show Me The Gold evokes the European flair of spaghetti western soundtracks even at its breakneck pace. And tunes like Tubes can veer off into an almost metal vibe where things get a little brutal while maintaining a sense of melodicism.
The Bottom Line: Like Metal Blade’s Trioscapes, Bangladeafy is another band comprised of talented musicians melding the fury of heavy metal with the sophistication and melody of jazz fusion into something amazing and different. Check them out.
Tracks to Make You Headbang Your Pork Pie Hat Off: Tubes, Show Me The Gold, Fruit Flies
- Genghis was awestuck by Bangladeafy's Show Me The Gold video...