Although I generally appreciate most releases from the Hyrdahead camp, some of their bands demand a little more from the listener than others. KEELHAUL is definitely one of those challenging entities, as their brand of mostly instrumental math-metal, while superbly executed, runs roughshod across the listener’s portion of the brain that’s supposed to take in and decipher audio signals. “Subject to Change Without Notice” is likely to return a message of “too much going on to compute in a reasonable manner.” That said, KEELHAUL are a band that’s easy to marvel over. Seriously brusing guitars soak up empty space in a swift and decisive fashion while breakneck (and wrist) drum fills seemingly detonate time after time. KEELHAUL also seem firmly aware that interspersing quiet interludes between hulking firestorms of aggression does much to increase the relative intensity at this album’s peaks. “Subject to Change…” doesn’t find much consistency among the twelve songs in terms of structure and length. A few tracks on here barely glance two minutes, while the third song, by far the disc’s most involved piece, “Driver’s Bread,” eclipses the eight minute mark. Thus, it’s best to view “Subject to Change…” as one 44 minute composition, with all the highs and lows that any proper drama would provide. As CAVE IN has recently declared that it’s returning to their harder roots on their upcoming second release for RCA, I tend to think that the sounds of KEELHAUL on here are a fitting middle ground to where CAVE IN might be heading, vocals not included. Regardless, “Subject to Change…” is aurally intoxicating, and worthy of checking out.

Hydrahead

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