Chingalera
Dose
Rating
Style: Experimental, progressive-whatever Rock/metal
Release date: June 23rd 2008
 

I’ll begin with a confession: this album really puzzles me! With a total playing time around one hour, and just five numbers to fill it with, you know you’re in for something special before the CD starts spinning in the drive – but I hadn’t expected this.

Normally I like experimental music, as it often has something new and surprising to offer, and sometimes even inspires me in my own playing even though it might be a completely different genre than I play myself. But this album by American Chingalera just doesn’t make any sense to me, although I gave it several tries what is their goal of expression?

There are pieces that remind me of a thrashy and early version of Prong or Helmet, and most of those are ok…some of it is more like old Pink Floyd on acid: VERY long pieces with just guitar sounds (not really playing) and occasional drum- or cymbal sounds, or repetition of the same guitar-“theme” – I wait for some development or idea to move on or emerge, but it just goes on for sometimes several minutes like that, and in the end it gets quite annoying!!

The recording doesn’t sound good or bad – early Helmet (Meantime)-sound comes to mind.

Listen yourself at their MySpace, and please drop me a line if you get the point in this, because it’s beyond my grasping ability…in the promo-material this album is said to be destined to make waves in the metal underground, well I must  be hardheaded or deaf, ‘cause I really don’t feel any…

For the overall impression I’m tempted to rate it about 10/100 or even lower, ‘cause I think they’ve been wasting my time with just meaningless noises most of the time, and then again: when they DO play it’s quite alright 70/100, maybe. Judge for yourself…
Tracklist

01.

The Endless Bummer

02.

You Were Happy When You Came In Here

03.

Eveler

04.

Fake Maria

05.

Twenty Three

Label: Pacific Recordings
Distribution: See website
Reviewed by: Claus Melsen
Date: July 26th 2009
Website: www.chingalera.org