El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez Lopez

Upon first listen, Cryptomnesia seems somewhat linear compared to other works conceived, executed and produced by Omar Rodriguez Lopez. The first release in a series of three albums by El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez Lopez quickly sheds all normalcies and gains a firm foothold in the realm of maniacal distortions; it's a chaotic cacophony produced by members of Hella and the Mars Volta. Cryptomnesia is dense, to say the least, approaching something akin to a Mars Volta album on the first two tracks ("Tuberculoids" and "Half Kleptos"), employing a somewhat chaotic structure. Though the tracks are relatively short and the entire album only clocks in at 36 minutes, Cryptomnesia is a deranged, aggressive disc. Zach Hill's drumming is simply unbelievable, his speed and precision bordering on the absurd, while Cedric Bixler Zavala's lyrics, as per usual, are filled with outrageous intensity, the perfect match for such a bruising, warped album. What could possibly follow the likes of Cryptomnesia is an absolute mystery.