Dälek

Opening with ten seconds of soft piano before kicking into an abrasive, punk-infused, Bomb Squad-style noisefest on album opener "Spiritual Healing," Dälek grabs you by the throat and just starts choking. While the rest of the album isn't quite so jarring, From Filthy Tongue of Gods and Griots is filled with heavy drums, screeching guitar noise and political rants that should please fans of Public Enemy, the Coup and Dead Prez. While it's rare for the tracks to test your tolerance for noise, the lengthy "Black Smoke Rises" barely remains on this side of sane, while a live drum solo dominates the last half of the "Heads" interlude. But the trio of Oktopus, turntable terror Still and front-man/MC Dalek - all contributing producers - brings forth lots of sweeping strings and cinematic moments. Plus, there's a strong b-boy aesthetic. The result is a hybrid cross of Rage Against the Machine, El-P and New Kingdom. From Filthy Tongue of Gods and Griots probably won't please everyone, and will likely alienate many, but it should entice pleasure from the "advanced listener," to appropriate a phrase from Anticon.