Obsolete
In this futuristic tale, our world has been taken over by the machines we created, but dissenters are bent on undermining the system that has ascended. It's an oft-told tale, and the quartet's ultrafast staccato guitar assaults are familiar, but there are some surprises in evidence onObsolete. Burton C. Bell no longer just bellows. DJ Zodak scratches up the crunching "Edgecrusher." Drummer Raymond Herrera provides some engaging organic drum & bass mimicry on "Freedom or Fire." And the last two cuts feature a 12-piece string section. Given the aggressive atmosphere of what's come before, it's refreshing that the nihilistic finale consists of simple, mournful vocals; synth noises; and beautifully elegiac strings.--Bryan Reesman