As far as I knew, Genghis Tron was this twisted electronic grindish band that put out a promising first album called Dead Mountain Youth. Some, like me enjoyed it because it was plain drum-machine wacko fun. That was two years ago; they've since been picked up by Relapse for their second one 'Board Up the House'.

Things have considerably changed sonically too. Noticeable upfront are these soft, clean and ambient/electronic keyboard driven spots, as if the trio have recently scored their  Macbooks and have been figuring out Garageband. Throughout the album, you even have some modern metal's typical clean singing. But these things quickly shift to the familiar grinding metal and back. It's all powered by programmed drums and not at all powered by a bass player still. DEP (their vocalist even guests on The Feast) and Mike Patton seem like the key influences, but there are a couple of obvious nods to Meshuggah, like the chuggy closing riff of Things Don't Look Good. All that, and they've gone more melodic. The temperamental Recursion sits bang in the middle of the album and kind of defines this album in a nutshell. Very glum sounding synth/electro parts with the heavies coming in every now and then.

I Won't Come Back Alive begins with a jazzy grinding riff before heading right into the soft bit and then to the mid-paced heavy guitar groove thang. I especially love City On A Hill's ending; a total 70s sci-fi Moog-laden trip. One should be at ease with the band's ambitious sound by now. If not, just sit through this one till the album closer, which sees them do an equally melodic and almost doomy song of all-out 10 minute epicness. Board Up the House, more than its predecessor is a tough listen mainly because of the band's new-found evolution and the various new progressive ingredients they've brought in this time. I say in title case, Give It A Shot.

Year of Release: 2008
Label: Relapse