A very unique band and I love them dearly. File under experimental rock as that’s about as close I can summarize the musical space that they occupy. Mix Frank Zappa with heavy metal and an amazing sense of humour, and you are on the right path. Formed back in 1982 in Sweden, this is the 10th studio album and it carries on where they left off with more thought provoking awesome music. We are actually lucky they are still around as after the release of Dead Soul Men, Matthias was really disillusioned with the whole scene in general and he fired the rest of the band. Then he came back with a new bass player Christer Hysen, and drummer Bjorn Fryklund, and this has been the line up ever since.
Morons is the opening track and with a brutal honesty and humour that only Matthias could pull off – mixed with a killer riff and driving rhythm make this an amazing opening track. Alone With My Phone is another ironic look at life and is a great tune. The next track is sung in Swedish and is a monster track, Sa Kan Det Ga Nar Inte Haspen Ar Pa – I’m not sure what it means but it has a killer riff and grooves along nicely. Troll is a beautiful track and takes the pace down a notch. The title track, Confusion To The Enemy, is next and it’s the stand out track on the album. A great off groove time signature mixed with a fast staccato riff make this one of the most inventive metal songs I have heard.
Matthias is up there as one of the most original and amazing guitar players around today. Some of the things he plays is just incredible. Push Through sees bass player, Christer, singing and is a more commercial sounding tune with a great melody and chorus. Only A Dream follows and is not a track you would expect to hear on a metal album – it’s a very laid back tune and Matthias plays a beautiful solo. The crazy instrumental, Auto, is next and as well as it being one of the most weird solos on the album, it sounds as though lots of kitchen implements are used for percussion. Great groove and rhythm. By The Weeping Willow follows and is a ballad and another Christer sung song. Next up, The Era Of Anxiety, is a semi-funk heavy metal groove machine. They are so good at the rhythmic feel to each tune, and this is what makes them unique as no one else does this. Album close out track, We Will Not Stand Down, is another look at the insecurities and paranoia in the world today.
Another great album by Freak Kitchen to add to the many they have done. A great band and long may they continue their quirky journey though life.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
