pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news

As reported by stubbadub/Rockarolla, 2009 may shape up to be a Mike Patton banner year…

Mike Patton’s avant-garde, noise-metal quartet FANTÔMAS is set to record their fifth album.  Fantômas is Mike Patton on voice and electronics, Trevor Dunn (from Mr Bungle, Trio Convulsant, etc) on bass, Buzz Osbourne (from the Melvins) on guitars, and Dave Lombardo (from Slayer) on drums.  In live settings, I’ve even heard that Mike’s enlisted Terry Bozzio (from Frank Zappa’s band, etc) on drums when Dave Lombardo isn’t available.

Their albums have all had themes so far: the self-titled debut (aka Amenaza al Mundo) was based on a 30 page/picture graphic novel; their second, “most-accessible” album (The Director’s Cut) was reinterpretations of horror/ suspense/ gangster movie music; their third album (Delìrivm Còrdia) was a 74-minute, one-track meandering about anesthetic-free surgery (yes, you read that correctly); and their fourth album (Suspended Animation) was 30 tracks dedicated to the month of April 2005.

The rumors are that the 5th record will be an “all electronic” record.  I’m hoping that Mike will still utilize Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo despite this slant on the music.  I’ve also heard rumors (years ago) that Mike also wanted to do an all-acoustic Fantômas record – – which, IMO, would pwn.  Anyway, the Fantômas record is expected by June 2009.  We shall see…

For a feel for what Fantômas can be all about, here’s a “cute” 52-second animated video for “Page 25” from their debut:

http://ipecac.com/archives/extras/page25.php

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In other news, Mike Patton’s Italian ’60s pop project (a la Ennio Morricone) called MONDO CANE is due out in March 2009.  I posted about the Mondo Cane concert in Amsterdam (which is available as streaming video) over HERE.

~Dan – np: Goddamn Electric Bill – Topics for Gossip