by Greg Prato
Nothing could prepare anyone for the full-on noise attack of Mike Patton's Adult Themes for Voices, not even Mr. Bungle fans. There isn't a note of music on the album; it's essentially noise. Recorded in hotel rooms during a Faith No More tour, all of the sounds are created from Patton's voice, which is pretty darn amazing. The album doesn't contain traditional songs as such; it plays as a continuous piece, and hence there are no obvious highlights. For instance, the track "Wuxipian Fantastique" could be described as sounding like a dying person taking his last breath, accentuated by harsh scraping noises, squeaks, and underwater sounds. And since there are a total of 33 pieces, it seems to be never-ending. Most may find this album hard to take, but fans of original, hard-hitting experimental music will eat it up. If you're sick of melody and musical instruments, your savior may be Mike Patton.