siLLy puPPy BUCKETHEAD is as predictable for releasing albums as much as his musical tastes and stylistic shifts with one year resulting in hundreds of releases and some years zilch. While 2020 hasn’t hatched the most eggs, there have been a few lately and next in the never-ending procession of the PIKE series is PIKE 284 - THROUGH THE LOOKING GARDEN and is a title i have absolutely no friggin idea what it is supposed to represent :D

This PIKE is normal in that it only plays around the 30 minute mark but unusual in that it only showcases a single title track. It also seems after the odd out of order releases of the numbering system that the PIKE series is back on track. This one is the usual instrumental affair with BH playing everything and once again no chickens were harmed in the making of it.

Despite this one sounding like dozens of other PIKEs that start slowly and then build up into alternative metal style with similar sounding riffs and by the book motifs, the PIKEs of the last year or two have gotten better in the production department with crisp clear sound effects bleeding into the overall atmosphere and THROUGH THE LOOKING GARDEN is no exception.

While the riffs and musical flavors are been there done that, this PIKE features more atmospheric counterpoints and a few more guitar slides and other tricks. The tempo ranges from slow to midrange and the album never really gets to fired up with space rock guitar solos being the most feisty moments to occur. The riffs are cyclical with a never-ending repetition of the same chord progressions and although this is long, it’s not exactly progressive.

After reviewing every single BUCKETHEAD album and the other 283 PIKEs, it’s getting harder to get excited when the albums are just variations of each other in many regards. I wish BH would be as unique and creative like in the beginning when every album was explosive and bursting with creative mojo. Like many of these, PIKE 284 just seems to be content with being one more edition in the series rather than standing out. It’s all well done and the music isn’t bad at all. Like many PIKEs this one makes great background music but doesn’t really rise above and beyond the call of duty to make a truly excellent experience although there are some great guitar solos towards the end.