Rangda’s third album makes a strong case for giving in to the void. Drummer Chris Corsano (Björk, Vampire Belt) and guitarists Ben Chasny (Six Organs Of Admittance, 200 Years) and Richard Bishop (Sun City Girls) flex some fearsome chops as they navigate post-Dick Dale themes convoluted enough to give a body whiplash.
The trio’s execution is impressive, but the music is so tightly wound that it engenders a yearning for escape. This must be according to a grand design, because when they finally let the music melt down into a bubbling brew of scalding feedback or a diffuse mist of opium dream overtones, the relief is especially satisfying. But also short-lived, for Rangda pitilessly ratchets the pressure up again. What do you expect from a band named after a baby-eating witch? If you can’t handle the evil, stay out of the kitchen.
—Bill Meyer
