siLLy puPPy B U C K E T H E A D PIKE 233 - 22222222 14th album by BUCKETHEAD in 2016 (the second PIKE released on March 27) Clocks in at 30:29 ALL instrumental EVERYTHING performed for you by Buck-buck-buck-buckethead This one has only two long tracks

“22222222” (13:07) starts out with crunchy metal riffs. As feared these PIKEs with two long tracks are usually pretty boring. This one is proving to be just that. It is another one of those where the riff repeats to infinity, alternates with some decent but cliche soloing and the typical canned drum beat. Not much more to say. It repeats to infinity and i’m not impressed. As stuck in a rut sounding as the keeping-the-finger-on-the-keyboard-too-long album title

“11111111” (17:22) sounds better already as it starts with a crunchy guitar riff with a nice sounding effect. It turns into a regular guitar riffs and alternates with solos as usual but there is a better march of the rhythm here. Not really sure what it is but i’m not as irritated with this one as the first track despite it not being too far removed from the same approach. I guess it is because this one has more spunk and changes things up now and again with electronic effects, echoes and a few time sig changes but basically this is a straight forward alternative metal jam with some classic metal riffs added. This one is a lot better than track one but it rambles on far too long and is dreadfully repetitive as well but there are some redeeming moments just not enough to make me want to hear this again.

OK but uninspiring PIKE. 2 stars