Beehover

Formed by bassist/vocalist Ingmar Petersen and drummer/vocalist Claus-Peter Hamisch, German experimental doom rock extremists Beehover have always been a taste so specific that calling them "acquired" is a touch too general. From odd time structures to melodic, bellowing vocals and grinding rhythms delivered with a staccato attack, they're the culmination of days spent dissecting the Melvins, NoMeansNo and the inevitable progressive rock most Kraut acts adore behind closed doors. Taking that to its absolute breaking point, Concrete Catalyst initially comes across like a long-lost piece of System of a Down's early years, so readily does it follow that band's falsetto vibrato and harmonic fury. But with its ruggedness, instrumental prowess and austerity, there's something far more baneful going on in their music. Rumbling along with stunning syncopation, steely precision, an appreciation for calculated intensity over accessible grooves and an almost jazz-influenced dexterity, Concrete Catalyst is so severe it demands placement as Beehover's Houdini or Wrong. It may be odd and angular, but when it comes to adventurous doom, Concrete Catalyst is also quite thrilling.