siLLy puPPy PIKE 114 - GLOW IN THE DARK is the 13th album from BUCKETHEAD in 2015. This release has three tracks and clocks in at 29:13. Once again BUCKETHEAD plays every part in its creation as with all the PIKES and all three tracks are instrumentals.

The title track is a downtuned dirty grungy rocker that clocks in at 13:18. This is boring. It is basic riffing that goes on and on and on. Nice sound but no emphasis on development in song structure. Quite lame in fact.

“Vacant Space” is another downtuned grungy rocker but this one has a more vacuous and detached feel to it. Kinda alternative sludge metal in a post-metal atmosphere. More effective than track one which makes me realize that there is a fine line between what makes this kind of music boring and exciting. This one works more effectively. but at 10:41 is a wee bit too long.

“Underworld Maze” is yet another grungy downtuned instrumental rocker. It has a nice groove an is not bad and mercifully lasts only 5:14 which is about the right time for this kind of instrumental that has a kind of jam vibe with only so many chord progressions.

This is a different sound for BUCKETHEAD. There are no virtuosic solos to be found, just gloomy doomy sounding grungy riffs, bass and accompanying drums. I like the overall sound going on but the songs themselves are rather boring and average. Sounds rushed and with over 100 albums this year alone it’s no surprise that most of these are well… stale.