Subterranean Masquerade

Even though Subterranean Masquerade’s debut EP leaned toward the avant-garde side of metal, its experimentation is no real preparation for the schizophrenia of Suspended Animation Dreams. The band’s first full-length, the new album opens in a jazzy vein, ranges through spoken word and death metal, light orchestral arrangements and cutting guitar leads, traditional rock, world music, bad choral singing, and touches down in several other places as well without really settling anywhere. Though not jarring, it’s still a disjointed listen, almost more diary or journal, or an eclectic soundtrack for live musical theatre.