Tomahawk

Much like rust’s endless erosion of metal, Mike Patton continues his corrosion of the musical blasé, a staunch advocate of being prolific and experimental no matter the musical climate. Tomahawk, another one of his super-groups, although purportedly more Duane Denison’s (Jesus Lizard) project, got off to a rough start. Rounded out by John Stanier (Helmet) and Kevin Rutmanis (Melvins), their self-titled debut promised big things but, when compared to the brilliance of Fantômas or the Lizard in their prime, didn’t fully deliver. There was much to like, but it felt rushed, with songs and players needing more time to coalesce. Well, only those involved know how much time was spent on Mit Gas, but they’ve captured the greatness hinted at with their debut. The songs, while expectedly diverse and spanning a range of integrated influences (rock, metal, noise, some twang, much groove, brief drum & bass, fleeting electronics, lots of Patton’s insane range), are more cohesive, catchier and striking. Tomahawk may in fact appeal most to Faith No More fans that find Fantômas too frantic — there are many similarities between Mit Gas and Patton’s most commercially successful endeavours. If the rumoured video for "Rape This Day” gets made, and played, they may even take a crack at the mainstream, but why ruin such a great thing?