I think this DVD was released on a ‘need-to-know’ basis; I for one, had totally forgotten it was available! So, imagine my surprise when this arrived in the Sitting Now mailbag!
This was well timed by Ipecac, it’s been a while since the last Fantomas record, Suspended Animation and I think fans of Mike Patton‘s crazy cut-up metal supremos, used to a pretty much annual release, are starting to get a bit itchy for new material.
Ipecac released a CD of a similar show a few years back and for some reason, I think shoddy sound levels, I couldn’t get into it. That mistake has been rectified in this release, however, and what you see is pretty much what happened on the day both audibly, and visually (I was at the show).
I wasn’t too sure about the animations added into the mix at first, but you soon realise that they compliment, rather than hinder your enjoyment of the show. One of the truly weird elements of this release has to be in the DVD commentary. Buzz and Dale of the Melvins, the promoter of the show, the (I think) filmmaker and Danny Devito (what the hell?) deliever a rather random conversation that includes a quite amusing skit on ‘how to rip off a band’.
All in all, I would recomend this DVD to anyone looking for a good live Fantomas show, but Patton’s additions to some of the Melvins songs may annoy hardcore fans of Buzz Osbourne’s doom-army! Now, give us a new album!
4/5
Ken Eakins
