Catacombz

Milwaukee’s Catacombz have always been uncompromising, often pushing the limits of a song solely for their own pleasure, so it’s unsurprising that one of the most striking things about the group’s self-titled album (its third overall, and the first to be pressed on vinyl) is the ambitious scope of the tunes contained therein. Only one—album opener “Russia”—is curt enough to dip below the six-minute mark, but that’s not to say the others can be accused of being long-winded or noodling. Ceaselessly propelled by an irrepressible motorik rhythm, even the 10-minute-plus “Anhinga Tundra” seems to pass in the blink of an eye, which makes repeat listens a necessary (and enjoyable) venture.

Updated 04/03/2012