Tower of Rome

Whether or not you consider this post-Locust explosion of equally abrasive and artsy noise mongers "grindcore,” there is still something to be said for releases that clock in at 11 minutes and feature more riffs than the average Dream Theater record. Unfortunately, this format has already been superbly utilised by Daughters, and it is ultimately more limiting than it’s worth. Tower Of Rome’s follow-up to their equally irritating All Is Lost, All Is Lost, All Is Yet to Be Found effort bests that nine-minute effort for songwriting and listenability — but only barely. While there are enjoyable moments here and there and couple of downright hilarious transitions, the replay value is slim to nil as anything other than a way to fill 11 minutes of your life before you head to work, or take a shower, or something to that effect. Although it is doubtful that regimented songs with memorable hooks is Tower Of Rome’s ultimate goal — or that it ever will be — the simple fact remains that a reasonably well produced record that fails to sink in after 20 spins is probably not the best way to spend your money. Talented, yes, but enjoyable? Give it a few more releases, and maybe by that point we’ll have a whole 15 minutes of nonsense to absorb.