While Cky fans may not need to be informed of such things, there is a storied history that follows this collective release from Foreign Objects. The band were actually a project that preceded Cky for band members Jess Margera and Deron Miller, and while the "Undiscovered Numbers & Colors" effort did see a limited independent release in the mid-90's; the bulk of material featured on "Universal Culture Shock" had been relegated to the back burner since 1998 as a result of the duo's duties with Cky.

So now, around 6 years later Margera and Miller were finally able to find the time to head back into the studio and put the finishing touches on their own brand of "neo-technical death metal". If that weren't enough, they also managed to recruit legendary death metal guitarist James Murphy (Death, Obituary) to come along for the ride. As Cky has proven, Miller's guitar work has always had an innovative crunch to it, utilizing complex rhythms and patterns with a knack for hooks, making them instantly memorable. That quality does illuminate some of the spacey metal present here, but Murphy's fleet-fingered work on nearly every included lead guitar track gives it a fluidity and stunning prowess that elevates it to the next level.

If searching for a modern comparison, Miller's vocal work could be compared to the likes of Zao, but it's not hard to see that his inspirations actually harken back to the style's true early pioneers like Carcass, Gorguts and of course, Death. Miller also played triple duty for this release by taking on the bass duties, a role which he injects a crisp, pliable sensibility into. Meanwhile, Margera's drumming, albeit a tad washed out recording wise, keeps a rigid schedule for the rest of the material to follow and contributes a necessary stiffness that helps it pull off its rather upbeat tempos and curious pacing.

Ultimately, as the band themselves have hinted at, this outing does feature a rather prog-rock tinge, combining sci-fi themes with explorative rock and technically proficient hues and influences of proper death metal. The conflicting nature by which they implement these cornerstones together is both energetic and intriguing, while simultaneously keeping a fearsome edge. Even so, it does still suffer from a live for the moment frame of focus and a slightly dated feel. The "Undiscovered Numbers & Colors" EP on the other hand shows the band in its infancy and comes complete with bonus footage from their first ever live performance. All in all, this is a must-have release for Cky aficionados and one that should silence any doubters of Miller and Margera's credentials to take part in the Death tribute. And for those who don't fall into either of the aforementioned parties, well they can just sit back and enjoy a metal release that takes its old-school values straight from the original production line, a concept that now seems foriegn indeed.