RuneWalsh2112 It would have been nearly impossible for Tub Ring to top the virtuosity that they achieved on "Zoo Hypothesis" which is probably why they went for an easier route with "The Great Filter".

This album is a huge divination from the direction that was depicted on the band's first three studio albums in terms of songwriting with many tracks lacking the zany approach to music making, but that doesn't necessarily means that it's a total failure of any sort! The songs might have been scaled down in their magnitude but the catchy songwriting is still definitely there. Songs like "When The Crash Happened", "No One Wants To Play" and "Wrong Kind Of Message" are easily some of the definite highlights in the band's discography and make up an excellent bulk for live performances.

I wouldn't recommend "The Great Filter" as a first album experience to anyone who wants to give Tub Ring a serious chance, but if you're just in it for the highlights with memorable hooks then there are plenty of them here. This was unfortunately the end of the classic Tub Ring releases due to many turmoils within the band which lead to an inevitable stylistic shift on the 2010 release "Secret Handshakes". Let's just hope that Tub Ring will be able to return to their zany approach to music making sometime in the future. I'll certainly be waiting!

***** star songs: Friends And Enemies (3:28) Seven Exodus (2:52) When The Crash Happened (2:33) No One Wants To Play (4:24) Wrong Kind Of Message (4:19)

**** star songs: The Charasmatic Smile (3:00) Get Help (Now!) (2:35) Life In Transition (3:26) Glass Companion (3:21) Making No Sound (At All) (3:14) The Truth (2:10) My Job Here Is Done (3:16)

*** star songs: Killers In Love (4:14) Requiem For A Robot (0:39)

RuneWalsh2112 After showing minimal signs of progression on "Fermi Paradox", Tub Ring suddenly decided to shift things up quite a bit by releasing their most challenging album to date!

"Zoo Hypothesis" is concept album of a sorts where almost all songs are connected with each another, meaning that this 36 minute listening experience will almost sound as if you're going through a multi-suite epic with a proper intro, middle section and conclusion. Musically, this record is all over the place with various genres constantly interchanging with one another. Still, the constant factor that always remains is the energetic approach and heavy sounding guitar sound, so metalheads should feel right at home with most of the album's content!

Some of the highlights include "The Promise Keeper" with its unorthodox mix of sounds and sights, the exotic sounding "Raindrops" and the very punk-sounding "We Are The Righteous". There's really not much more that I can say that would either enhance or decrease your listening experience so I'll simply round up by stating that you can't possibly go wrong by giving "Zoo Hypothesis" a spin or three! Hopefully you'll enjoy it just as much as I do. If that's not the case then at least you can walk away knowing that Tub Ring is probably not the right band for you.

***** star songs: Tiny, Little (1:39) The Promise Keepers (4:43) Sharpening The Sticks (1:50) I Could Never Fall In Love With You (1:49) The Night Watch (1:02) Raindrops (3:03) We Are The Righteous (1:55) Return To Me (2:40)

**** star songs: Death Of The Robot (1:30) One With My Surroundings (2:03) Habitat (3:29) Dog Doesn't Bite (3:22) Alexander In Charge (2:27) The Viking Song (1:01) Wealth Of Information (2:38) Vehicle (3:23)

RuneWalsh2112 You would think that a band needed to put some extra effort into their follow up release but that's really not the case with "Fermi Paradox". This is pretty much a continuation of the sound from "Drake Equation", even if there are a few adjustments here and there.

The biggest difference comes due to a slight improvement in the sound department but it's really not as significant as the one that would take place on the next album. I'm actually pretty mixed about my opinion of "Fermi Paradox" which might explain why it's not among my top three favorite Tub Ring releases but that doesn't mean that I don't find it enjoyable! The main issue for me is that I just don't find the songs as memorable as on any of the other first four releases.

The style is still the same but it lacks memorable moments and the album eventually just drags on for way too long. Maybe it's not the overall length but rather the individual length of the tracks that is of actual concern to me, with many compositions beyond the 3-minute mark. Tub Ring would eventually adjust their songwriting style to a much more energetic and short song format which, in my opinion, suited them much better but that's a personal preference that I'm sure some fans would loudly object to.

In conclusion, "Fermi Paradox" is a nice piece of avant-garde metal that shifts its approach rapidly between the different styles all throughout the album while still upholding a melodic approach to the music. If you liked what I mentioned in the previous sentence then don't hesitate to give this one a go!

***** star songs: I Am The Robot (1:09) Invalid (3:54)

**** star songs: Future Was Free (3:20) Psychology Is B.S. (Not Science) (3:09) At The Seams (2:21) Fruit Of Knowledge (3:27) Hands (0:54) Negative One (3:25) Fall Back (2:36) The Subsequent Rating Given To The Life And Times Of Jack Valenti (3:16) The Way To Mars (5:36)

*** star songs: Living With Rene's Head (4:22) Panic The Digital (2:34)

RuneWalsh2112 Even though it took me quite some time to begin exploring Tub Ring's earlier releases, their full-length debut album turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences! Produced by Mr. Bungle guitarist Trey Spruance after noting the great talent of Rob Kleiner, this is easily one of the band's most experimental releases. Still, it's first and foremost a Tub Ring release so fans of their later albums will definitely be able to recognize and enjoy "Drake Equation" just as much, if not more than, as their other output.

It's really difficult to explain what exactly makes a good Tub Ring release since I'm sure that we all have our own criteria. Personally, I always get hooked on creative songwriting and there are enough of these spectacular moments all throughout the album. The band constantly shifts gears and keeps the listener on the edge of the seat from the beginning and all the way until "Numbers", which marks a slightly more traditional approach to music. Come "Downloading Satan" and we fall back into complete madness! This short composition is also notable for sampling the sound of the telephone modem, which brings nostalgia to my ears even though it has been only a bit more than a decade since I used one of them myself.

The albums slowly becomes less chaotic towards its end with compositions like "No More Refills" and especially "God Hates Astronauts", which is a slight disappointment for me after such a magnificent side one. Luckily, it's still more than enough to award this album a solid rating of excellence and a strong recommendation to anyone who has not yet heard a single Tub Ring release!

***** star songs: Bite The Wax Tadpole (5:06) Faster (3:44) Bernard's Three Awakenings (1:59)

**** star songs: Where's the Robot? (1:13) Good Food: Happy Family (4:03) Numbers (4:52) Downloading Satan (1:34) In The Future (3:58) No More Refills (4:24) She's The Pro (3:00)

*** star songs: God Hates Astronauts (5:18) Unknown (5:07)