Grindstone

After the free-for-all progressive jazz of their previous album "In The Kingdom Of Kitsch You Will Be A Monster", young Norwegian quartet Shining seem to have gone all-out for operatic metal and ridiculously elaborate instrumental flourishes in the vein of someone like Dream Theater. Initially, it all sounds incredibly, preposterously theatrical. Oh lordy. Or should that be Lordi? 'Wintereisse' is what Slayer would sound like if they got Rick Wakeman in for a session. Next up is 'Stalemate Longan Runner' which is clearly inspired by the doomier end of the metal spectrum until its coda sees the piece transformed into a kind of far-out chamber music, which leads nicely into the delicate music box interlude 'To Be Proud Of Crystal Colors Is To Live Again'. Next up is the actually quite brilliant '70s pomp rock of 'Moonchild Mindgames', a piece of baroque nonsense Emmerson, Lake and Palmer might come out with in soundcheck. By the time you get to the end of Grindstone you might be unsure as to what exactly just happened to your ears. Penultimate track, '1:4:9' sums this up perfectly with its weird melding of grindcore abrasion and ponderous fairytale melodies played out on flute, dulcimer and twinkling percussion. Absolutely nuts, and quite brilliant. Rune Grammofon.