Review Summary: An outstanding and original debut combining two elements that just weren't meant to be.
Timeless cartoons of our childhoods had a few things in common. One of those things was the fun and cordial music that was commonplace in the various scenes of the shows, creating the perfect atmosphere to laugh and appreciate the cat and mouse chases of, well, Tom and Jerry. Combining the two completely dissimilar elements of metal and cartoons sounds like a recipe for disaster, but “Electric Cartoon Music From Hell” shows that this recipe yields an intriguing stew capable of captivating audiences of all ages and tastes.
The album opens with a soft and melodic keyboard intro designed to lull the listener into a false sense of comfort for just a moment. The blustery and heavily distorted main riff then jumps in, creating a brutal wall of noise that could satisfy even a hardcore death-head. With momentary breaks in the riff to show the more technical side of the group, Fletcher the Mouse delves straight into a tutorial on guitar soloing, followed by an excellent keyboard solo. The song continues to oscillate between soft and heavy passages, before finally settling into a relaxed keyboard segment that segways excellently into the upbeat opening riffs of “Funky Lizard”.
The next standout track on the album, “Brainscraper” plays just like the heaviest sections of a Dream Theater song. With fast, heavy drumming and catchy and incisive riffing, as well as a softer bridge and solo, “Brainscraper” is an excellent example of the group’s ability to complect their technical prowess and the more jovial side of their music. With fast and unrelenting guitar, “Ridiculosous” is still a fun tune, demonstrating the speed of the guitar and keyboard, while still maintaining a melodic chorus that could fit right into the opening theme song of any classic cartoon.
In addition to the seven original tracks, the album boasts a solo by each of the band’s members, spread throughout the album, with two tracks in between each. The guitar solo is exactly what it claims to be - without dilly-dallying with mini riffs, “Gee-Wiz” gets straight to business and is a minute of shredding and all out madness on the high strings. “Looney Tune” starts with a familiar piano segment before improvising a bit, but keeping the track mellow throughout, it is the most memorable of the solos.
With excellent instrumentation and a fresh take on metal, Electrocution 250 gives a cogent argument to the fact that so much uncharted territory has yet to be discovered in the music world. An ebullient album with members equally competent at their own instrument as the others, and in the upper echelons of ability in their respective instruments, “Electric Cartoon Music From Hell” is a fantastic debut from a group who, should they choose to release another album, will have high expectations.
Recommended Tracks
Brainscraper
Ridiculosous
Fletcher the Mouse
