I have to admit I was less than enthusiastic to listen to the debut full length offering of Winnipeg-based instrumental metallers Electro Quarterstaff. The first thought that ran through my head was "Jesus Christ, Tipton, what the fuck abomination are you sending me this time?" I didn’t think it would be possible to sit through over 50 minutes of music that didn’t contain a bass guitar or any vocals. Taking the advice my dad gave me as a snot-nosed kid "How do you know you don’t like it if you’ve never tried it?" I finally decided to toss their Gretzky full length into my stereo and give it a listen nearly a full 6 months since I received it.

I should have known better than to doubt not only the musical tastes of Willowtip owner Jason Tipton, as his track record proves he knows his shit, but also the talents of musicians from my home province. To say I was taken aback after listening to this disc would be an understatement. Musically, Electro Quarterstaff prove themselves to be not just technically talented musicians, but also very solid songwriters.

The music is fronted by three guitarists; Joshua Bedry, Andrew Dickens and Drew Johnston, who play a solid mix of technical death metal, melodic thrash and prog. The riffing on this release is top-notch as all three guitarists show off their vast musical talents, while drummer Dan Ryckman lays down a steady stream of beats.

There’s no sense in trying to compare Electro Quarterstaff to any other bands, because there simply aren’t any bands around like them. Who else but drunken Canucks would think to start a four-piece metal band without a bassist or vocalist? The great thing about this odd line-up is that the lack of a vocalist does nothing to detract from the overall sound, it actually helps the band reach a much broader audience. Do you love technical death metal but hate the grunts and growls? You won’t find them here. Do you love the riffing in progressive metal, but hate the often high pitched and pitiful vocals? Not here either. Do you love the sound of new thrash but can’t handle listening to a vocalist who isn’t named Tom Araya, Max Cavalera, James Hetfield, Snake or Dave Mustaine? No problems here, because there aren’t any poor vocalists around to fuck things up.

I think this may be one of the first metal albums that could actually appeal to all metalheads, regardless of musical preference. If you’re looking for something catchy, technical and riff-filled, be sure to check out Electro Quarterstaff. Try it, you never know, you may just like it!

Review byTeufel