RuneWalsh2112 "Anonymous" could easily be considered a pretty original recording for most artists but not for Tomahawk!

We know that Mike has done a lot of crazy stuff over the course of his career so this release didn't really surprise me a bit. The music here is good and, on some instances, manages to surpasses material off "Mit Gas" but the overall direction is somewhat unfocused. I remember reading that there was some tension between the band members which might explain why Kevin Rutmanis left the band during the recording sessions. I also recall reading that Duane Denison and John Stanier recorded their instrumental arrangements without Mike Patton, who added his vocals and samples later on. So it's safe to say that the recording of this album was quite problematic.

I actually prefer most Fântomas and Mr. Bungle albums over this one. But don't get me wrong, "Anonymous" is still pretty good and would make a career highlight for most other artists, it's just that we're talking about Tomahawk here!

***** star songs: Red Fox (3:04) Omaha Dance (3:57)

**** star songs: Mescal Rite 1 (2:53) Ghost Dance (3:44) Antelope Ceremony (4:00) Song Of Victory (1:13) Sun Dance (3:02) Totem (3:04) Long, Long Weary Day (1:23)

*** star songs: War Song (3:25) Cradle Song (4:11) Mescal Rite 2 (5:51) Crow Dance (3:45)

RuneWalsh2112 After completely falling in love with Tomahawk's debut album I definitely wanted to hear more from this odd collective of individuals and was truly hyped about the release of "Mit Gas"!

To be fair, the band did a very good job with this release. The style of this release continues the explorations of the debut albums main themes with even more experimentation added into the mix. Unfortunately I still felt a bit underwhelmed by the overall feel of the album since only two of the shortest songs, "Rape This Day" and "When The Stars Begin To Fall", could be considered on par with the excellent material from the previous record.

I blame my tense relationship with the album on my high expectations and the noticeably lacking edge of raw energy from the band members. I did begin to enjoy this album more after a few years and can definitely recommend it to anyone who loves Mike Patton's work.

***** star songs: Rape This Day (3:12) When The Stars Begin To Fall (2:54)

**** star songs: Birdsong (5:10) You Can't Win (4:49) Mayday (3:32) Rotgut (2:51) Capt Midnight (3:10) Desastre Natural (2:58) Harelip (3:30) Harlem Clowns (3:40) Aktion 13F14 (4:55)

RuneWalsh2112 Mike Patton has been a favorite of mine for quite some time now and this debut album from Tomahawk was where I finally began to appreciate his genius!

Starting with the opener "Flashback" I was transported to a world where creativity is at the top and all of the band members chip in to make it so. "101 North" is where the album peaks for the first time with a very memorable riff and the different effects added into the mix are used flawlessly in order to convey the overall mood of the song. The rest of the album keeps a very similar level of quality without once losing touch. "Sweet Smell Of Success" might be considered a ballad of a sort, but even this track never gets a chance to settle down in complete mellowness. Appropriately enough, the album settles down towards the end of the album and we get some odd numbers like "Cul De Sac" and "Narcosis".

The self-titled debut album from Tomahawk is an excellent album that pretty much came out of the blue and kept me entertained for months after its initial release. Even to this day it manages to get a few spins whenever I decide to add it to my playlist. Highly recommended!

***** star songs: 101 North (5:13) God Hates A Coward (2:39) POP 1 (3:25) Sweet Smell Of Success (3:48) Cul De Sac (1:44)

**** star songs: Flashback (2:58) Point And Click (3:09) Sir Yes Sir (2:09) Jockstrap (3:51) Malocchio (2:42) Honeymoon (3:07) Laredo (4:16) Narcosis (2:39)