NO USE FOR HUMANS - No Use For Humans

15 songs
49:34 minutes
***** ****
(DIY)

Bandpage

I was thinking late Eighties speed metal when I first saw the amateurishly drawn cover, but a look inside revealed that there was only guitar on one track, as NUFH are a New Jersey three-piece more at home with keyboards, bass and drums.

Band founder and rhythmical backbone Steve Honoshowsky is an incredible drummer but also plays the bass guitars and a couple of keyboards, while additional keyboards are delivered by Sean Wegeler and Alicia Testa, the latter being also in charge of incredible sexy vocals.

So much for the easy part. I have listed now already countless times to this strange piece of music, and it is still impossible to describe. NUFH have the craziness of a Frank Zappa or a Mike Patton, but without the intellectual burden. Instead you get a full dose of sick humour, encased in solid workmanship from all people involved. The opener The Mission is a nervous dance tune with moaned vocals, whereas the following Jihad comes with an oriental feeling and some of the most sensual vocals I have heard in a long time. If those first two tracks still have an appearance of normality, the short Humanoid shows the band from its weird instrumental side. Where many modern synth bands rely on computers, NUFH keep their rhythms played manually, making for a fantastic organic sound. It's especially the crazy drum patterns that put NUFH on such a high level.

NUFH also have a more melodic, accessible side. Awake and especially the radio-compatible Nothing sound like a livelier Björk, while 007 vs Vampiros Lesbos and Heretic liberally quote from movie history. Guest vocalist Adeo adds hip hop vocals on Ms Pac-Man Meets Twiki. And the craziest moments come with instrumentals again. Ass Goblin and Whore Of Babylon are quasi-prog gems that are so angular but never aloof, instead keeping all the time a sense of humour not unlike the Asian BDSM proggers Ars Nova.

NUFH demands a lot of attention. This is at no time an easy album, but it's this confrontational clashing of genres that makes it one of the most refreshing and daring albums of the year.