The new Fantomas, pronounced FantÃ’mas, CD is once again beyond my expectations, and my expectations for this project are becoming astronomical. ‘Suspended Animation’, released April 4th, is perhaps the most creatively packaged and cohesive work of audio art since the reign of the mighty LP, another Patton/Ipecac recordings landmark.

The cover art comes in the form of a spiral calendar detailing the month of April 2005, that's this current year for the chronologically challenged. This makes getting your hands on the album right now a great way to enjoy it to its full potential. The structure is much like, well nothing else I have heard or seen. Each track/page corresponds to one day respectively. The usual cast of behemoth performers fit the bill. These are Mike "General" Patton, Buzz Osborne, Trevor Dunn, and Dave Lombardo.

Patton wrote, arranged, and produced this Hollywood recording that seems to capture the spirit of animation in illustrating the present spiritus mundi. The arrangements are lush and focused, yes I said focused and I mean that in the most chaotic way possible. Each track ebbs and flows in pleasantly schizophrenic meter.

It stops and starts, explodes and implodes all at once in much the same way Fantomas fans have come to expect. This recent effort is just a bit darker, perhaps tighter, and more dynamic than its ancestors. Don't believe the hype. This one must be experienced. New vocal sounds abound from possibly the most innovative vocalist of our time. As a new opera, or meditative hypnotism, this recording shows both the tormented and gentle side of Patton, who performs a great deal throughout ‘Suspended Animation.’

From voice effects, Mel Blank, and good old-fashioned singing to synth texture, and Pavlovian samples, the General leaves every last drop of his manic depressive condition in this interpretation of "national humor and anxiety month." No mere effort of aloof perfectionism, Patton seems to convey the Japanese and early American cartoon experience with an uberhuman knack for expression. I don't have a single complaint. The packaging alone was worth the money spent, calendars at local bookstores average between $7.95 and $14.95.

The performances are stellar from all involved. Fantomas is now touring the U.S. and is sure to enhance the listening experience with their typically seamless performance. Run; hurry, before they sell out.

Rev Lani Milbus