Though I’ve followed his work for years, this is the first chance I’ve had to review Arrington Dionyso’s vast body of work, specifically his more rock-based project, Old Time Relijiun.
From the first note, it felt like getting hit by a block of cement (in a quite good way). The first track, Break Through, sounds like a mighty clash between the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Can during its rawer and weirder freak-outs. Bionic Trunk provides thunderous drums that would compare well to mid-60s garage-rock smashers like The Monks and introduces a bit of throat-singing, of all things. The cornerstone of the album, for my tastes, is the final track, is You That Is You. There is a very high-intensity feel in this song, reminding me of art-punk at its finest, yet relevant in 2021. I suppose calling it “shamanic protest rock” is utterly appropriate for this album.
