Yakuza

Yakuza are one of those bands that challenge what constitutes "heavy music," but instead of pondering whether the Chicago, IL-based band's fifth album is prog metal or improvisational jazz/tribal fusion, just listen. It doesn't really matter, as it's too narrative, complex and lush to categorize. Of Seismic Consequence is a collection of excellently produced, emotionally harsh, but quietly layered tracks despite the radical ebbs and flows of textures. A bit more crafted than their previous releases, tracks like "Thinning the Herd" begin with a quiet, introspective introduction, lush with tribal rhythms and murmured vocals, which then catapults into a frenzied, riff-laden Mars-Volta freak-fest. Other tracks, such as the bombastic "Testing the Waters" and the dirty, hardcore-influenced "Good Riddance," are preceded by the longish, very intense, Neurosis-influenced epic "Farewell to the Flesh." In Yazuka's case, "heavy" is in their intensity, not necessarily their sound.