After an extended leave of absence from the recording world, The Mercury Program are back in full effect with their latest release, Chez Viking. With an intriguing blend of atmosphere-filling sounds, these experimentalists by nature bring forth something of a fondue pot of boiling and bizarre collaborations between vibraphones and a taunting rhythm section. Their style would almost seem simple by nature if it didn’t leave you with an out-of-this-world, hand job from an alien-like euphoria after one listen.

When experimental, non lyrical, music is made, there doesn’t seem to be enough credit given to those behind the scenes. In the case of Chez Viking, that would be the unofficial 5th, 6th, and 7th members of the Program for Chez Viking: Engineer Andy Baker and Mixers Jeremy Scott (Civil Defense, Brookyln) and Bob Weston (Chicago Mastering Service, guess where?). The success to come from this album is comparable to the latest craze film, Avatar. Obviously James Cameron can’t take all the credit for the incredible visuals that rape your eyes for three hours. Yes The Mercury Program are the founders of the sound they portray, but in their musical realm a back up team can make or break the deal. And the deal is signed, sealed, and delivered that this is a warranted success. Unlike that 3-D bullshit folks are flocking to. But, that’s a different story.

Chez Viking is one of those albums that will make you want to take a hot bath in the middle of a hot summer day. The “chill” aspect of this almost jazzy collection of tracks will have you searching for warmth as The Mercury Program infect your bloodstream with the sounds of a thousand milligrams of tantalizing musical heroin, sending you into a transparent bliss you will never want to leave.

The Mercury Program: Arrived Departed [mp3]

Lovitt Records [CD, 2009]

1. Chez Viking
2. Arrived/Departed
3. Backseat Blackout
4. Katos
5. Stand & Sing
6. The Church of Cause and Effect
7. Fluorescent Laces

These days, say post rock to anyone and you’ll likely get references to Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky, if they know it at all. But with Fin Fang Foom‘s new LP (their forth overall and first in six years), you get something a bit more classic when it comes to the sub-genre: a clashing of post-rock and shoegaze, the drone of guitars and massive, echoing notes. It’s hard, it’s heavy, and it rocks full-force.

It’s not until the third track, “Lonely Waves”, that Fin Fang Foom takes it down a notch to your more typical soft dreamy opening. The song maintains its pleasant melody, which leads into yet another soft beginning in “Deathless”. But from there things once again increase in volume. The wind howls through guitars, a hurricane force; the percussion mimics storm-blown metalics, clanging into one another incessantly. And then it explodes into ferocity.

From there it just continues. “Exploding Coast” explodes. “Monomyth” is a legendary instrumental. This really is post-rock meets shoegaze meets bleeding ears, and despite the pain there’s an insatiable beauty.

Here I thought I lost my faith in truly loud rock. Here I thought I was doomed forever to the realm of indie pop, and its folk cousins. Even the HEALTHs of the world weren’t enough to really curb my growing discomfort with voluminously, ineffably loud rock. Fin Fang Foom proves that even with amps cranked to eleven, loud rock can be a beautiful thing.

Fin Fang Foom: Magnetic North [mp3]

Lovitt Records [CD, 2009]

1. Magnetic North
2. Regret
3. Lonely Waves
4. Deathless
5. Exploding Coast
6. Monomyth
7. Beating The War Drum
8. Nome, Alaska
9. The Great Race Of Mercy