21. A graphic screwauger is how I would describe this cd. Dysrythmia’s third although the first I have heard. Certainly no saveloy this band but jam scholastics that do not require a guy with pharyngitis. Mirthful rythms, impressionist soundscapes and bulletproof drumming. It’s not a fair comparison but Dysrythmia are everything that Godsmack [!?] are not but I’ll leave it op to the listeners to fill in the missing links. There is absolutely no fuddy-duddy on this record but instead it is a self-portrait of musical proximity. - Concrete Web

22. Dysrhythmia don't make for easy listening, with a name like that you wouldn't expect otherwise anyway. After their second release No Interference, which was one of the most astonishing self-produced I have ever heard , they deservedly received an offer to release their third CD on Relapse Records with recording engineer Steve Albini.
The austere CD booklet already puts us in the right mood for the 53 upcoming minutes of instrumental post prog math indie metal or whatever you feel inclined to call this music. Although all artists involved are perfect at their instruments, there is no showing off coming from a certain direction, rather the band plays together as a tight unit and always play for the benefit of the song. That Dysrhythmia take you on a musical journey can already be deducted from the fact that instead of informing about who plays what instrument, the three musicians describe themselves as pilot, navigator and liaison.
So has there been much change from the last self-produced album to this new one on a bigger label? Not really, due to the near-perfection of the predecessor, but the overall sound impression has improved a lot. Not only are all three instruments (guitar, bass and drums) equally involved, but you get the immediate impression that Dysrhythmia are a band that's playing very tightly together, which makes for a sheer listening pleasure. The featured songs may not be as "straight-forward" as on the last album, but therefore you get a much more atmospheric piece of music. Especially the two-part song Annihilation shows the two faces of Dysrhythmia: where the first part has a more ambient approach, the second part math-rocks as if there were no tomorrow. It's this juxtaposition of ambient atmospherics and heady math games that makes Pretest one of the really interesting instrumental albums of the year. - DisAgreement

23. Rarely has a name described a band so well as in the case of Philadelphia-based instrumental trio Dysrythmia. Produced, or more appropriately ‘refereed' by maverick Steve Albini, the band's 2003 debut Pretest is not for the faint of heart, forging a head-spinning mélange not heard since the early days of Kong, with plenty of King Crimson's fearless curiosity thrown in as well. These hardly provide the only inspirational touchstones here, however, as seemingly spontaneous guitar gymnastics, unpredictable rhythms and hyperactive, ringing bass-work joust for attention across labyrinthine tracks like "Bastard," "Running Shoe of Justice" and "Catalog of Personal Faults." In fact, Dysrhythmia's unorthodox approach and daunting technical interplay harkens all the way back to experimental freaks Massacre -- though with an added taste for melody (see the beautifully atmospheric "Annihilation II") and without maintaining as relentless a pacing throughout. One can only hope that the album's release through metal-specialized Relapse Records won't confuse or discourage non-metallic fans with open-minds from discovering Pretest's amazingly inventive sonic adventures. Ed Rivadavia - All Music Guide

24. Dysrhythmia marked a creative expansion for the Relapse Records roster, Pretest consisting entirely of instrumentals, with no death-grind buzzsaw guitar tones or blastbeats -- or anything too “metal" at all, actually -- in sight. Instead, Dysrhythmia explores vaguely prog avenues lined with jagged, angular Jesus Lizard-esque riffs, odd time signatures and Sonic Youth-style dissonance and lyrical guitar doodles, the latter smartly used to draw the listener into a fracas that would otherwise be a cold, detached listening experience. Arrangements usually start off sparse and build to climaxes that are more cerebral than emotional, but engaging nonetheless. The (sort of) Rush-like “Running Shoe of Justice" utilizes jazz-chord voicings and the occasional blast of feedback to reach a logically heavy, but not obvious, conclusion -- in fact, most songs on Pretest could be described in such a manner, but thankfully, the group's compositions often lie on a solid, complex rhythmic foundation and a subtle, yet bold sense of dynamics (see the sparse harmonic meandering backed by spastic-jazz drum workouts during “Annihilation II"). Producer/engineer Steve Albini -- who has publicly expressed his distaste for anything stereotypically heavy metal -- downplays any indulgent prog tendencies the band may possess, lending Dysrhythmia a grit and clarity not found on the group's previous self-released albums. Praise the band for falling into the cracks between any genre slabs, but ultimately, Dysrhythmia will appeal to a select audience; musician-types and indie-rockers weaned on Mogwai and June of 44 may find something of value here - or possibly fans of Neurosis' later work or the herky-jerky fundamentals of the Dillinger Escape Plan, assuming they're patient enough to sift through a handful of off-kilter instrumentals. It's a bit of a challenge, but spending a fair amount of time with Pretest isn't without its rewards. John Serba - All Music Guide

25. As I stood tightly squeezed between the club's plywood bar and some bouncers, the maelstrom unfolded before me, nearly becoming quaint. It was my first and last heavy metal concert, a Relapse Records showcase on the outskirts of Brooklyn. I don't remember what I'd expected my curiosity to yield that evening, but mere seconds after the house lights dimmed, amidst a pit of writhing bodies dancing violently to Cephalic Carnage's blistering rendition of "Jesus Saves"-- a setting in which leather is preferred to denim, and quiet introspection will get your teeth kicked in-- I was privy to a blaring personal revelation: I did not belong there.
Being acclimated to a more passive absorption of the music that was now being presented on stage in deafening megadecibels, I was ill-prepared for the engaging and brutal nature of metal-- this unreadiness stemming not only from my being a coward (which I am), but also from my unfamiliarity with a parallel, yet decidedly foreign, subculture.
Philadelphia's Dysrhythmia is a band unplagued by any similar fear of genre-crossing, as they seek to prove that the door is capable of swinging at least one way with their recent album, Pretest. Outfitting elements of Relapse's signature metal and grind-core sound with post-rock's jazz-influenced complexity, Dysrhythmia have created a collection of instrumental tracks with contemporaneous comparisons drawn to Don Caballero, early Mogwai, and The Fucking Champs. Overseen by Steve Albini, who has previously engineered projects by both Don Cab and Mogwai, the group nearly pulls off their fusion, forming a viable indie-by-way-of-metal hybrid that slumps only when it underestimates the range of the former through debased pride in the latter.
"Running Shoe of Justice" appropriately delivers a racing march upon which a borrowed Explosions in the Sky melody is layered before dissipating into a dissonant wall of feedback. Similarly building off of a strongly percussive skeleton is "Heat Sink", a track that delivers on the band's roots with buzzsaw guitars accented by a fuzzy and dominating bass. This heart of metal is deceptive, though, as a distinct pop-tune arises, bouncy in comparison to the dark and rapidly pulsing percussion that nearly buries it.
"Annihilation", the two-part centerpiece of the album, concurrently represents the musical peak, beginning with a beautiful upper-register guitar line that chills as it echoes against the bass drum that is itself inevitably immersed within the sparse background. As the percussion increases with fits of Robert Wyatt-inspired furor, an approachable rhythm emerges that ultimately cascades into a more reliable beat. Rapid bursts of energy alternately led by guitar and bass punctuate the remainder of the suite, with interjections finally giving way to the peaceful finale of light reverb followed by silence.
Merely having the moxie to attempt to build a bridge between the raw aggression of metal and the brooding intricacy of post-rock does not necessitate success, though, as evidenced by the tracks "Catalog of Personal Faults", "And Just Go", and "My Relationship". Treading on shaky ground, the songs all manage to combine either the least interesting elements of both musical approaches or the most clichéd, resulting in frivolous exercises in one style or the other. Proving the unhealthiness of excess, "Touch Benediction" sounds like a band falsely assuming an easy acceptance into the folds of instrumental indie rock, pushing a simple motif well past its welcome and ending the album on an extremely weak note.
A similar overconfidence could hypothetically compel a hardened New York metalhead to assume dominance in say, a Tortoise concert, or for that matter, Bright Eyes. While the individual probably wouldn't experience any mortal fear, as one might at a Relapse Records showcase, he or she would feel the same level of discomfort and antipathy that the opposite situation prompted in me. There are definitely bands that are capable of moving back and forth between the two poles, but, although Dysrhythmia rise to the challenge for a few wonderful moments, they don't show any real consistency at it here. Instead, they often return to the safe-ground of one of the two genres throughout Pretest, and wind up alienating both of the scenes they were seeking to unite. Andrew Bryant - Pitchfork (US)

26. Philadelphia’s Dysrhythmia has been pounding away at their eclectic ‘Aural Armageddon’ since forming in 1999. After signing to Relapse Records late last year, they’re now ready to unleash their third venture (Following 2000’s ‘Contradiction’ and 2001’s ‘No Interference’) into the studio. With the aid of noted engineer Steve Albini (Shellac, Jesus Lizard, Nirvana, Helmet, Neurosis) at the controls, there leaves little doubt that ‘Pretest’ is an album that is anything but instant, but rather something you slowly sink into.
Dysrhythmia (Who are made up of drummer Jeff Eber, guitarist Kevin Hufnagel and bassist Clayton Ingerson) rely upon dynamics rarely used in music these days to come up with a sound that is equal parts progressive, indie-rock, punk, jazz-fusion and sonic sound scapes of tortured guitars.
As confusing as the amalgamation of sounds read, Dysrhythmia find that illusive middle ground between experimentation and melody, without losing any of the bands often unique and uncompromising approach to song structure and experimentation. The opening number ‘Bastard’ and ‘My Relationship’ are perhaps a couple of the albums faster paced rockers with some memorable riff led moments, while ‘And Just Go’ has some subtle jazz moments. ‘Heat Sink’ is a mid paced rocker, while ‘Running Shoe Of Justice’ incorporates the above noted genres, and reinterprets them into something that shun traditional labelling.
The two-part ‘Annihilation’ epic starts of with the second part (A slow building bass effect piece), before moving into the first chapter of an opposite extreme. The twisted straggle effects on Hufnagel’s guitar adds to the manic craziness on ‘Catalog Of Personal Effects’, while the dirge like, slow moving, doom laden eleven minute epic ‘Touch Benediction’ draws the album to its inevitable conclusion. Dysrhythmia’s ‘Pretest’ goes beyond the progressive tag that it’s so commonly labelled as. And as much as I would like to be able to truly define the bands sound, words simply fail. Needless to say, the album does rock, and in a way that many have yet to understand. Justin Donnelly - Primal Agony Webzine

27. Relapse seems to extend its musical offer more and more with the latest releases. Just remember the releases from Vidnaobmana or 27. Here we have another great release not fitting in the narrow boundaries of metal or grind. Dysrhythmia is the name, instrumental postrock the game. Recorded by Steve Albini (this guy seems to be really busy at the moment...), Dysrhythmia perform nine exciting songs. Complexly arranged with lots of changes in tempo and mood, while remaining rhythmic and groovy, these songs stay away from getting boring or unimportant as some other instrumental bands are. So if you like bands like Don Caballero or Oxes, I bet you´ll like Dysrhythmia, too. - Enough Fanzine

28. Basically I don't like virtuosity. At all. This being said, there are few artists out there still able to retain some inspiration in the midst of the technical fury. It is no surprise such people are to be found in the post rock area rather than progressive metal; all the more so when the band's moniker reads Dysrhythmia and Relapse Records are involved, you are in for a massive dose of original musicianship. 'Pretest' is a full-on instrumental record in which the trio spans a wide range of moods yet retaining a tight and precise delivery. Though far less aggro than labelmates Dillinger Escape Plan (with wich they shared stage with), the record is also more human friendly; you can actually HEAR what's going on. The standout track is 'Heat Sink', which builds up on an interwoven frame suddenly breaking into a frantic ride. On the other side of the scope, ambient heads will relish on 'Touch Benediction', the record's neverending conclusion offering lulling drums and ironic chords. A definite must have for connoisseurs into the aesthetics of destructuration. - Beyond Webzine

29. Anyone who plays a musical instrument knows how hard it is to invent a new sound or style. Sure, you can play every Ramones riff ever written, but try to make something truly fresh with the same chords everyone from Mississippi Fred McDowell to the White Stripes have been using all these years. It's not easy.
Every musician worth their salt strives to create a sound that is uniquely their own. Most fail, especially these days. That's why we're plagued with 70,000 pop-punk bands who have that same whiny singer who always seems to be bitching how they ripped their heart out over something, someone or some other meaningless crap.
It's not impossible to find a band that actually creates unique music; you just have to dig a little bit. Take Philadelphia's Dysrhythmia. The moment you pop their new album Pretest into the CD player, you've no choice but to pay attention. It sounds like nothing you've ever heard from a rock band before. For these guys, time signatures and rhythms are not static laws of composition, but fluid structures that can be shaped to the trio's own musical ideas.
"Bastard" weaves all over the place in this manner, sounding as if the song's structure will collapse into a complete mess of guitar scales and beats at any point. But that's the genius of their sound. It is a chaotic blending of divergent rhythms that comes close to the brink of self-destructing without actually doing it. By retaining this sense of impending collapse, the music develops a nice edge, especially on "Heat Sink" and "Catalog of Personal Faults."
I would be selling the band short if I left you with the impression that they are simply prog-rock heads showing off their adeptness at running jazz scales. Ninety-nine percent of the solo albums made by guys featured on the cover of Guitar magazine are wretched for this reason-all chops, no songwriting. But Dysrhythmia melds their superb abilities with a knack for harmony and dynamics. As "My Relationship," "Running Shoe of Justice" or "And Just Go" prove, they know how to balance "going-off" with playing what is right for a song. There is a human feel to these songs-emotional builds and passages can be found throughout-that proves they are capable of rising above robotic tests of dexterity. The only modern bands I can suggest as a close comparison would be Primus or Rollins Band, circa 1992.
Despite being an all-instrumental band, there isn't a moment on the album where they lose your attention. Their playing is spontaneous, driving and outside the boundaries of any label you could possibly pin on them. It is completely unique rock music, and that's a rare bird these days. Ken Wohlrob  -  NY Press

30. So, wow, I was reading an issue of Resound a few months back and was intrigued by the hype for Philly's Dysrhythmia. I almost choked down and ordered up a copy. Almost. A kid I know got a free copy, hated it, and gave it to the Record Exchange before I could snatch it up. As fate would have it, though, Relapse had the sense to send FuBARM a copy! Awesome!
As you've probably already heard, this band is an instrumental three piece who just so happen to sound huge when they want to. Imagine the Melvins colliding with the Jesus Lizard and Shellac with all of the vocal mics cutting out and you get the idea. Speaking of Shellac, Steve Albini handled the boards on this record and I think he did a great job. The band sounds awesome.
Incorporating jazzy elements with garage-punk attitude, Dysrhythmia kicks out the jams. The bassist strangles every note from his axe with panic-adled zest whilst the guitar chugs out leads, rhythms, and breakdowns. It is all powered by a fill-happy drummer that bangs everything on his kit as often as he can without sounding like absolute garbage. The usual result is fiery rock that harkens back to the old AmRep roster, the Euclid Tavern, and skinny music nerds flailing about the dance hall.
I like the closing seconds of track 8, where you hear the members of the band talking after a take, for it's human value. After this epic tune that stretches past the five minute mark (at least), the band comments on how many mistakes they know they made...like you could even tell. The title of this song makes me wonder if it is a gimmick, or if the title was changed to this after this "messy" performance. Catalog of Personal Faults? Hmph.
Most of these songs are long actually. All in all, this 9 track disc spans 53 minutes of your life, and sometimes it feels like it. I think they could've shortened up some of these numbers and made a longer-lasting impact.
The simplistic packaging downplays the complex structures found within, and I think it works well. This disc doesn't look or sound like it should be out on Relapse. Kudos! Jsin - Fubarm

31. I think the first two tracks are actually one long song separated into two. I think this because they sound so much alike at times. Thankfully, the band changes direction for track three and manages to keep shuffling about for the remainder of the disc. Even the supposed two-part song (tracks six & seven) sound less alike than the one & two do. ...and yes, track six is part two while seven is part one. It is complex, I guess.
Parts of this record sound like Joe Satriani jamming with The Hellworms. The odd thing is that the record isn't even a guitar album. The bass overwhelms with its syncopated rhythms and tends to dominate most of the record. Still, you half-expect Surfing with the Alien to start up sometime. Odd. Tone-wise, the band keeps it simple with only the occasional effect to make things sound fancy. The opening tremolo is cool, and then there is a neat delay-thing going on later in the album. It works.
This is a really good, instrumental disc to jam to, but it isn't a really good instrumental record to totally focus on (if that makes sense). although I enjoyed this, I found that i liked it better if i was taking in some visuals (looking at magazines, old photos, etc). Pelican got me bobbing as the sole stimulus. Dysrhythmia got me bobbing while i thumbed through issues of National Geographic from 1958.
This is a cool record to listen to as a soundtrack for life. We couldn't hum many of the melodies for you, even after repeated listenings mind you, but it is still very solid rock & roll that moves and breathes, unlike 99% of whatever's out right now. We say it is Hail the Mighy Goat good. Jeighsohn - Fubarm

32. If anyone promised you something that would best be described as ‘Sonic Youth meets Slayer’, would you be interested? I know I was when they offered me this album. But of course, a promise is one thing; making it work is something quite different. So can they cut it? I can’t give a conclusive answer, really. The album starts off very promisingly, exactly how you would expect Sonic Youth to sound if they’d turn up their amps and switched from Jaguars to Dean guitars. But what happens next is a bit worrying. After a few minutes you start to realise that you’re not listening to a grand intro, but an instrumental song. (I tend to never read the info sheet before listening to the album at least once, hence my surprise) In fact, the entire album is instrumental, and that usually pushes some bad buttons with me. The thing is, and I’ve said it before, that when you play only instrumental you tend to emphasize it too much. I know you’re thinking: what the fuck do you mean; if you leave out the lyrics there is nothing left but the music, is there? And you’re right. However, I’ve noticed that fully instrumental bands – not others playing an occasional instrumental song - very often grow to keep themselves busy with ‘instrumental lyrics’, meaning endless solos.
And double solos of course, because you’re a unit and you can interact, so why not play the solo together? Once they’re at that level, I quit. However things are not all that bad in this case. They just slip into that habit every now and then, and those are the less good bits. The majority is good though, making up the promise. Once you get used to the somewhat original sound – the guitar is usually the most normal sounding, the bass has a really metal-like hollow slapping sound and the drums are the opposite (not metal-tight but with some kind small-room reverb) to top things off – you can start to discover the good points, such as the original compositions, real Sonic type stuff. And to show that genres are only labels (these guys can easily be put into a new genre for that matter) the music seamlessly blends from one sound into the other, which is the cause of some more surprises. Don’t be surprised when you think you’re listening to one of these songs and then after awhile you realise that you’re suddenly listening to stoner music, but not really in such a way that you can put your finger on the exact moment that it happens. Interesting stuff to say the least. Vincent - Rockezine

33. You could have told me that this album was a bunch of demos from Steve Albini's old band Rapeman, and I would have believed you. It seems that Dysrhythmia have no qualms about their love for Albini, as they got the man himself to produce Pretest. What results is a wonderful look back at late 1980s/ early 1990s math rock.
The Rapeman record Two Nuns and a Pack Mule pretty much set the standard for all math rock bands that would overpopulate the waters of indie rock during the early 1990s, including the much hailed Slint. For whatever reason, Slint's Spiderland is championed as the math rock record; it's just not true, and the guys in Dysrhythmia know it! The guitars are high-pitched and grating, eliciting that "Albini sound" from his Rapeman days (his guitars in Shellac are a bit meatier, while his Big Black guitars were ear-piercingly high-pitched). The drums, as to be expected, are loud and overpowering, and sound like Todd Trainer (also of Shellac fame) is playing them. The bass guitar is completely overdriven, sounding almost distorted, but not quite there. This is an instrumental record, so fans of the much-overlooked Dianogah will eat this up with spoon.
I don't know, there's only so much that can be said about what is, essentially, a Rapeman tribute band. They don't really do anything new, compared to what Albini and company were doing some 15 years ago. To be honest, though, I absolutely love this record because it sounds so much like Rapeman. It may be 2003, but it's good to know that there are people out there who are as committed to aggressive math rock as these guys. It's good to know that the early-'90s live on! Daniel Mitchell - Ink 19

34. Dysrhythmia perform their humanity through their instruments. Jeff Eber plays drums, Kevin Hufnagel guitar and Clayton Ingerson bass. No human vocals are heard on in their (instru)mental rock. I personally need vocals, I do not know why. Many see rock music as it's usually connected with "basic" and "inartistic" and removing vocals would take away anything remotely connected with emotions and personality, humanity. I do not see rock or metal music inartistic or basic, for the biggest part, though.
Let's get back to Dysrhythmia. Formed back in 1999, this Philadelphian band's music is rock. A lot of sounds are close to alternative side of American rock. Steve Albini produced this, by the way. It goes close to metal ('Running Shoe of Justice') and jazz, too. Without any human voices, lead guitar and melodies must create atmospheres and feelings. And in this the band succeeds well enough. The music varies from gentle to hard rocking, with many parts in songs and a lot of odd rhythms. I have nothing bad to say about the band's performance and the sound is suitably real.
Some of the songs are good, I personally lift 'Running Shoe of Justice' above others. It is the heaviest, at least soundwise, so maybe that's why. Some of the songs are lame. I do not like their soundscapes or melodies, whatever. This is the biggest defect in my ears; the different sonics, that annoy me.
If you dare to try rock without vocals, be my guest. This is not my thing, but at least Dysrhythmia are able to build up memorable music and handle their instruments, also as a trio. Lane - Archaic Metallurgy

35. Like Vermont's Cancer Conspiracy, Philly's Dysrhythmia is an East Coast rock trio who, fighting for consideration in a shrinking-attention-span world, makes wordless music. Medical terms are the foundation for both band names, but comparisons stop there. The Cancer Conspiracy's broad watercolor brushstrokes contrast to Dysrhythmia's angular, sometimes steely, flow. On their fifth overall and third full-length, the trio -- six-string bassist Clayton Ingerson, drummer Jeff Eber, and Kevin Hufnagel, alternately-tuned guitar -- sharpen their tight tone. Dysrhythmia often gets tagged as metal-prog, but their original compositions are more meat than math, more emotion than equation. You might hear vague shadows of Iron Maiden, Don Caballero, and Discipline-era King Crimson, but Dysrhythmia's sound is very much their own. And thanks to music mandarin Steve Albini, who recorded Pretest on luscious 16-track analogue tape, Dysrhythmia is finally able to capture their onstage energy and three-piece interplay. The hour of music here displays chops galore and a sense of timekeeping that would stretch a Salvador Dali clock. Unlike the herky-jerky moments on their 2001 self-released No Interference, these nine tunes have a greater fluidity, even grace, as in the two-and-a-half-minute gem "My Relationship." In spite of Dysrhythmia's slot on Alternative Press' list of bands "You Need to Know in 2003," it'll probably be a frigid day in Hades before Dysrhythmia hits radio. Yet another reason to track down Pretest. David Lynch - Austin Chronicle

36. Unless it's classical music, I really am noticing that I need some sort of vocal presence to have my child like attention span remain honed in on a release. The occasional instrumental on an album is welcomed and often an interesting experiment to see how a band can compensate for the lack of vocals with interesting guitar harmonies, but can a band keep this up for an entire album? In their defense, perhaps Dysrhythmia's noodley playing and songwriting style is so accustomed to filling in all the holes, that a vocalist would have a difficult time finding the groove or best places to add some lyrics, but about half of "Pretest" suffers from musical wanderlust, as riff ideas meander off with little direction or form. This makes a fair share of the album very boring and hard to focus on. When Dysrhythmia concentrate on conveying a mood and sticking to more conventional structures as on the excellent "My Relationship", then the overall presentation finally clicks with the listener. The jazz inspired drum and bass work often hold down an interesting foundation, and even though the guitar work does recognize the occasional hook or repeated musical idea, there is a lot of freeform playing on here. It all sounds in the right key and in the proper place, but the high strung surf guitar tone buzzes off into often annoying note fills that are unrelenting and lack any sort of defined feeling. Tracks like the eleven minute long "Touch Benediction" and "Annihilation II" pull the yawns out of me faster a Little House on the Prairie TV marathon with minimal drums, a plodding/go nowhere bass line and on the latter track, random false harmonics. If you have nothing to say... fine, don't worry about adding vocals. If you have nothing to say from a musical standpoint and you are an instrumental band? You are cutting your last leg out from under you. Somewhere between hard/mathcore and arty noise rock lurks the music of Dysrhythmia and even though I know a lot of highbrow audiophiles will see this album as amazing... I can honestly praise the musicianship and fact that this is a bold statement from a band obviously enchanted by taking risks, but to my discerning ears, "Pretest" gives the world a handful of good songs, surrounded by almost an hours worth of swanky filler.  Marty - Quick Blast Weekly

37. The band Dysrhythmia is one of the latest additions to the Relapse Records lineup, a label well known for some of the most extreme and innovative music on the planet (see Dillinger Escape Plan and Mastodon for examples). And while I wouldn't classify Dysrhythmia's new release "Pretest" as extreme, it is clear why the label paid attention in the first place. The music of the all-instrumental, three-piece band eludes definition. It has been called progressive rock with indie rock sensibilities as well as avant-garde jazz and ambient mesmerism. This is a wide range of musical ground to cover, but Dysrhythmia does it ably.
"My Relationship" is a rollicking, twangy rock workout while "And Just Go" drops the pace some into a softer vibe, relying on a clean guitar and punchy bass for its main theme. On "Heat Sink" the band finally opens up its can of dissonance and adds a few off-kilter beats to go along with the hard-core groove, while on "Running Shoe Of Justice" the band continues on its bass-driven, Primuslike bent. On "Annihilation II," which inexplicably arrives before "Annihilation I," guitarist Kevin Hufnagel begins with a string of open guitar harmonics and though drum and bass guitar flourishes (furnished by Jeff Eber and Clayton Ingerson, respectively) eventually join in, the song barely rises
above the tempo of an at-rest heartbeat, for a sort of hazy, lilting effect. The finale, "Touch Benediction," is along these same lines, only screeching feedback is added for a noisier touch.
Engineered by Steve Albini (Jesus Lizard, Nirvana), "Pretest" is allowed to retain a certain looseness not found on many of today's over-produced rock and punk offerings.This means, however, that the songs found here are not likely to be played the same way twice, which to me is a benefit and one of the main reasons to consider Dysrhythmia's "Pretest" as one of the more original pieces of art metal/jazz-punk to be released in quite some time. Ron Gonzales - Albuquerque Journal

38. It's taken me a good 2+ years to get Relapse to put me on their promos list, and finally all my harrassing their PR department has worked! With that aside, this is one of the most recent Relapse releases, an instrumental progressive rock/metal band called Dysrhythmia. These guys have often been described as the meeting ground between Sonic Youth and Slayer, and i'd have to say that's a fairly accurate statement. these guys are pretty fucking amazing!  However, if you're looking for some of that brutal metal stuff that Relapse is known for putting out, you may get disappointed, as this is mainly a progressive rock record. These guys are some of the most talented musicians I've heard in a while, in that instead of looking for some random discordant chord to strum or palm mute, these guys play actual notes, rhythms, and incorporate a lot of melodies in their songs. It's got a nice indie rock feel to it, however remains predominantly a progressive rock record. It's very unpredictable as to where it goes, and you often find yourself second guessing. Dysrhythmia gets extremely complex and intricate w/their songs and you'll be hard pressed to find a band that does this kind of stuff as well as these guys. The mighty Steve Albini is the recording engineer on this record, and it definitely shows, as it has that sort of trademark Albini sound to it as far as production goes. I have to say I'm a big fan of it, and his way of spacing out a band's sound to give it that extra bit of depth and feel to it. in doing that, Dysrhythmia got an extra dimension to their sound on this record.  Bottom line is, there may be a lot of people in the "press" that have given this record a thumbs down due to personal taste or some other reason, but I really enjoyed this record. I've been listening to it for weeks. it keeps you interested and entertained. It's got great musicianship to it, and overall, this is probably one of the best records I got in the mail the whole month of
June. If you have an open mind to music, in that you're not just looking for another brutal metal Relapse release, and into hearing something that could border on being on their Release label, then you'd love this. I sure as hell did. In hearing this, I am now on the lookout for other records by these guys. Great band. Do yourself the favor and pick this up. - Calamity Project

39. When Dysrhythmia founded, the only limit they placed on themselves was that they never have a vocalist. Says guitarist Kevin Hufnagel, "I wanted to just focus on the music and conveying emotions through sound, without words." When your only limitation is being an instrumental band, then you really don't have any limitations.  This instrumental trio is simply amazing. They have not limited themselves to a particular genre, though they mix elements of rock and metal with a bit of a punk attitude. Their music is unpredictable, intense, experimental, and thoroughly progressive. Their music can be energetic, relaxed, abrasive, or even a little bit funky. Boring they are not. Songs like "Annihilation II" are ambient and slow, while songs like "Catalog of Personal Faults" rock with metallic abandon.   Dysrhythmia couldn't have picked a better producer in Steve Albini (Neurosis, Nirvana). His almost live production is perfect for capturing the spontaneous energy of this band. But while the energy is spontaneous, this doesn't feel like a "jam band". Each song seems to have direction and purpose. The songs feel crafted and thought out without resorting to the soulless technical displays of many progressive bands. This is an interesting album, that's for sure. This won't be for everyone. Some of you just won't be able to get into an entire album of music that lacks vocals, but know that you are missing out on something. I would never have guessed that I would have loved this album, but I gave them a chance and I'm glad I did.  Cathedron - Metal Coven

40. These guys are from the States and their music can be described as a mix of progressive metal and fusion, with some modern rock touches. While they certainly are skilled musicians and the musicianship is over the top, this is hardly enough to record a good album. You also need good and interesting songs and this album doesn't feature many of the latest. After a while the album becomes boring and of no interest. One of the things I feel they should improve is the arrangements which sometimes fail to register as full songs. I think that the album is mainly targeted towards musicians who enjoy some complex structures and technical stuff but normal fans will find little to like in the album. The good production doesn't save the day since the most important thing is the music and the music is not what we expected it to be. - Tombstone

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