The Dead Science Villainaire by: Ed Butler Fri:25-Jul-08 Label: Constellation Year: 2008 WB rating 62 out of 100

No self-respecting music writer would dare tell you this, dear reader, so it falls to this writer: music criticism is inextricably tied to pigeonholing and categorizing bands. That almost every band in the world defies easy classification has been no obstacle in the past, and will surely not hinder the best of them in the future.

They will weave a web of words – and bad alliteration – and lull the reader into believing that they are actually reading a description of the sounds. In actuality, it is a series of easy comparisons bundled together to stroke the ego of the writer that he/she does, in fact, possess the encyclopaedic knowledge of musical history that he/she purports to have.

In the spirit of rebellion against such constraints, then, bear witness as your humble correspondent endeavours to paint a verbal picture for you of the listening experience that is Villainaire, Seattle trio The Dead Science's third album. What's more, this will be done without referencing a single other band or genre of music.

It is appropriate to attempt this now as The Dead Science, in this instance at least, are resistant to lazy labels. Hyperactively bouncy rhythms, cracked time signatures, distorted guitars, androgynous, über-dramatic vocals all coalesce in an obscenely busy culture clash, occasionally glued together with the trill of strings seemingly lifted from an 80s Spanish TV melodrama theme song. Oh, and a harp.

Yes, in an effort to perhaps make every subsequent note on the album appear decidedly stylish, The Dead Science unleash a brief barrage of medieval kitsch onto the listener, before launching into 'Throne of Blood (The Jump Off)', employing the kitchen sink approach to its logical extent. Bass drums thud heavily, Sam Mickens' vocals vibrate in a furious almost-falsetto and half an army of assorted others seem to whack various percussive instruments with vigour. Before the plucked violins start. And when they cease to be plucked, they are bowed with a great deal of mournful showiness.

And when it works, it sure does work. 'Make Mine Marvel', while presumably not referring to a battle between comic book creators, is stunningly cathartic; staccato strings suddenly descend during a single, quivering measure. Mickens' yelpy vocals help the rhythm section build to an enormous climax with all the payoff one could imagine from a band that creates such disparate noise.

However, the very next song embodies what goes wrong on Villainaire. 'Monster Island Czars' opens with another vicious, sawing string section (the judicious use of cellos and violins is the album's undoubted highlight), before everything dissolves into a bizarre free-jazz breakdown. That it makes no sense is not the problem; that it single-handedly destroys the melody and breaks the momentum, however, is. When the breakdown morphs into a twisted guitar solo replete with horns played by sleepy children, the questions that mount override any interest in where the song might go. Looking forward to a left turn is a good thing when the expectation is that there are good places to go in that direction.

And this is a microcosm for the album at large: building momentum with a series of good songs before the band's overarching ambition to use as many disparate sounds as possible leads to a staggering misstep. The thudding guitars on 'Death Duel Productions' are merely jarring, before the prettiness of 'Black Lane' demonstrates what the band would be capable of with some more cohesion and self editing.

Villainaire, with its truly indescribable sound, is not one for those looking for easy listening. Even paying close attention, the band have the ability to leave the listener behind. Not referencing a single comparable genre hasn't really impacted on describing the sound, thank goodness, as any attempt would frankly fall short of the mark. Rest easy in the knowledge that if you're looking for something to freak out your friends with your love of obscurely difficult music, short of busting out Swedish hardcore electronica, this is the album for you.