With a mission statement that loosely implies that they are out to do something different with their music, Radiation 4 would seem to be a band intent on breaking boundaries. However, upon the first few listens to their latest offering "Wonderland", it's not hard to see that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree of inspiration; As the various works of Mike Patton, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch and a few more serve as the proverbial forefathers of this release.

From top to bottom this album treads vaguely familiar water as eclectic metalcore, operatic vocals, spastic screams, mathy metal concoctions and experiments with ambient noise all bubble to the surface at a fevered pitch. Energetic and alarmingly claustrophobic, the band pack a wealth of ideas into each song, even going so far as to incorporate haunting textured ambiance and what sounds to be a an xylophone to bolster their unchained metallic demeanor. By fervently expressing themselves through psychotic riffing and schizophrenic vocals, the band generally hit their mark and manage to lay down some fairly inspired music, which more than likely will appeal to the ears of Patton/D.E.P. fans.

But while the band are creative and are unquestionably able to do an accomplished take on this eccentric style of metal, it's hard to really be impressed with this effort as a whole. All too often it seems to lack any of the unique moments or dynamics that really catch the listener off-guard. In fact, for the most part it could almost be mistaken as leftovers from the collaborative Patton/D.E.P. effort, "Irony Is A Dead Scene", or perhaps even b-sides from a Fantômas record. There's no doubting the bands ability to play their instruments as the type of skill it takes to play this type of music and make it work is phenomenal. In that regard,"Wonderland" delivers in spades. But in terms of being a trailblazer that could be viewed right alongside the genre's pioneers, the group still have quite a way to go yet.