Few albums will ever test your endurance like Orthrelm's OV. No vocals, no bass, just intense -- really intense -- repetition from guitarist Mick Barr and drummer Josh Blair. In fact, for much of the single-track 45-minute long album, it seems like Barr and Blair are in a three note rut that they simply cannot break out of. But then we hit the 23:39 mark, and the percussion finally changes, and by 19:35, we are 'treated' to an unaccompanied guitar break. The average listener probably won't be able to sit through the whole shebang, but if you do, you should be awarded a prize of some sort. That said, you can bet that most of the '80s-era guitar shredders couldn't keep pace with Barr for this long, without their overpriced, pointy, and signature series instruments falling to pieces -- or spraining their fingers. OV is the perfect soundtrack to blast when you want to get revenge on your next-door neighbors. ~ Greg Prato
Professional Reviews
The Wire (p.62) - "The piece shifts again and again, sometimes almost imperceptibly, other times like a sharp left turn on a dark road with the lights out....Impressive..."
