Fantomas pushes the limits of music

Between the screams, growls and distortion it may be hard for many listeners to hear the music on Fantomas' latest album "Suspended Animation." But for fans of extreme artists like Frank Zappa, John Zorn and Dillinger Escape Plan the disk may be a great treat in a genre with few albums as realized as they are challenging.

The albums packaging is as unique as the music it encloses. The CD case is in the form of a calendar, each page of which represents a day in the month of April. The calendar is provocatively illustrated by Japanese cartoonist Yoshitomo Nara, and each day is labeled with obscure holidays that occur on that date; April 6 is Plan Your Epitaph Day, for example. The album's 30 tracks correspond to the days of the month.

"Suspended Animation" is a return to the style of their first album; a series of disconnected one or two minute musical snippets, punctuated by violent noises. Sparse section of chimes and sound-clips of operas and cartoons give way suddenly to the fuzz guitar of Buzz Osborne (the Melvins), the rattling bass of Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle), the merciless percussion of Dave Lombardo (Slayer), and the unmistakable vocals of Mike Patton (faith No More, Mr. Bungle).

If anyone fits the description of a musical mad genius, it's Patton. He may be the most virtuosic vocalist in modern rock. His range includes a creepily feminine falsetto, a bestial growl and an arsenal of squeaks, wails and indescribable sounds. On this album he sings no words but is extremely evocative and powerful as a result of the absolute confidence and power in his voice.

Lombardo's furious drumming holds all the orchestrated chaos together. His grindcore beats and thunderous double bass technique add overwhelming energy to the odd time signatures and stop-time rhythms of Osborne's grating axe. The groups complete conviction make otherwise unlistenable noise an intense thrill-ride.

Although "Suspended Animation" is extremely abrasive, it keeps the listener's interest by never giving quite enough of any musical idea. After a while you stop hearing the noise and start absorbing the pure energy of the music. It isn't upbeat or dark and it doesn't have a message, but taken as a whole it is extremely cathartic. In the words of Bugs Bunny, which close the album, "What did you expect in an opera, a happy ending?"