siLLy puPPy PIKE 213 - CRUMPLE is the 112th album released by BUCKETHEAD in 2015. You guessed it, all instrumental with BUCKETHEAD performing all instrumental duties pumping this stuff out like there’s no tomorrow on a near half hour album that contains two tracks titled “Crumple” clocking in at 29:11. The strange thing about this one is that “Crumple Part 1” is only 2:38 while “Crumple Part 2” is 26:33. At this point i have come to expect the unexpected from the PIKEs except for anything close to conventional.

“Crumple Part 1” begins things quite aggressively with a heavy alternative metal riff with that by now familiar alternating effect of a hard crunchy riff trading off with a little lick in the treble range. This constant tempo with the boring drum machine sounding percussion is getting old on these PIKES though and this has a major feeling of familiarity that just oozes complacency.

“Crumple Part 2” is really just a continuation and is simply where the previous track erupts into a guitar solo with the same riff, same tempo and same everything else. The bass and drums play together a bit more while the soloing erupts into more virtuosic wankery. Only four minutes into this album and i’m wondering if i have to subject myself to 22 more minutes of this sameness. Please let it become interesting! Well, the soloing actually becomes more interesting while the riff chugs on repetitively.

Just as i feared. This goes on and on and on and on with the same riff, bass and drums with only the soloing changing things up and it’s not the most interesting soloing either. I’m thoroughly bored by this PIKE despite the usual awesome playing occurring. Yawn.