LIGHTNING BOLT - HYPERMAGIC MOUNTAIN (LOAD 078)

THIS ALBUM IS ONE HOUR OF LIGHTNING BOLT THROWING EVERYTHING AND THE KITCHEN SINK AT THE PROCESS OF WRITING AND RECORDING AN ALBUM. IT IS A MAXIMALIST FURYSMASH OF THE DISTORTO CARTOONISH BASS-HEAVY MEGAROCK THAT THEY HAD, BY THIS TIME, BECOME ACTUALLY FAMOUS FOR. HERE'S THEM PLAYING A SONG FROM IT IN 2014 THAT RULES SO FUCKING HARD I CAN HARDLY SPEAK.

I FIND IT REALLY HARD TO FAULT ANY INDIVIDUAL PIECE HERE. THEY'RE NEARLY ALL OBJECTIVELY GOOD LIGHTNING BOLT TUNES. I GUESS MY ONLY ISSUE IS THAT ONE HOUR OF A MAXIMALIST BAND AT A FAIRLY MAXIMAL RATE IS HARD. I HAVE *NEVER* LISTENED TO THIS ALBUM IN ONE GO AND I BOUGHT IT ON THE DAY IT CAME OUT 15 YEARS AGO.

MAYBE THIS IS WHY I KIND OF CHECKED OUT ON LIGHTNING BOLT AFTER THIS? THEY DID NOT LEAVE ME WANTING MORE. NEARLY EVERY STYLE YOU COULD IMAGINE THEM PURSUING WITH THEIR LINE-UP, FROM AGGRO NOISE ROCK TO HELLISH TECHNOID BELTERS TO WEIRDO REDNECK RAMPAGE TO ACID FRIED CHIPTUNE ON REAL INSTRUMENTS - IT'S ALL HERE. I AM GOING TO CALL THIS CERTIFIED GOOD BECAUSE I GUESS WHENEVER I FINISH AFTER DEAD COWBOY AND THEN COME BACK TO DO THE REST I ALWAYS HAVE *TWO* GOOD TIMES.

CERTIFIED: GOOD.