Karaboudjan

Karaboudjan is another loopy idea from the maniacal metallic mind of Dan Swanö, of Edge Of Sanity/Nightingale fame, and Sbrodj is a three-song EP of material recorded back in 1996 and '97 after Swanö retired his equally odd Pan-Thy-Monium project. "Den Svarta Ön" is a mixture of prog and Mr. Bungle with bizarre Kraftwerk-like voice samples (plus some garble that sounds like the probe droid transmissions in The Empire Strikes Back). The doom clouds begin rolling in with the opener "Plan 714 Till Sydney," then return to brood over the carnival during "Den Mystika Stjärnan," the most structured tune of the three, with lots of noodly soloing and keyboard gymnastics until the end crumbles due to an overbearing sax and demented mic effects. As brilliant as he is, Swanö will never tour in support of this record, and that's where the Bungle comparisons cease - at least Mike Patton puts his music where his mouth is.