The third album from Tomahawk Рthe super-group featuring vocalist Mike Patton (Fant̫mas, Mr. Bungle, Faith No More), guitarist Duane Denison (U.S.S.A., The Jesus Lizard), and drummer John Stanier (Battles, Helmet) Рgives apt reference to its name and its creators.
And as a thirteen-track work almost entirely comprised of unaccredited Native American songs, it’s also strikingly novel. The semi-functional outfit gave the tunes its own touch; Patton, who does the indigenous moments great justice, often uses completely original vocals.
But regardless of alterations to the initial material, Tomahawk‘s selections, many of which are melancholy, fit its tone. The songs are more rhythmically complex than much of the band’s back catalog, and though the theme affords Stanier fewer opportunities for incorporating massive beats, the end result is a firm balance between homage and innovation.
“Mescal Rite 1,” the second track on Anonymous, combines samples and huge, reverberated drums with a dance-inducing guitar line that Patton follows with his voice. The following tune, “Ghost Dance,” is a chant-based number that adds a marching snare over a polyrhythmic interlude.
Portions of other offerings, such as “Cradle Song,” “Sun Dance,” and “Totem,” are entirely sung in English and could double as standard Tomahawk fare if listeners had no prior knowledge to the contrary.
Bassist Kevin Rutmanis (Melvins, The Cows) is no longer with the group, and it’s hard to tell whether this album is a new beginning or a closing chapter. Either way, Anonymous is accessible to fans of Native American music as well as those into rock experimentalism.