Whorange are a modern day experiment, almost essentially a test for the music lover in all of us. Combining every style you could think of including, lounge, death metal, jazz, opera, funk and many more, the group can bring to mind acts like Dillinger Escape Plan and old Nuclear Rabbit, (a group which actually featured band guitarist Jason Branyan), as well as the classics such as Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. Yet there's a unique catch here, the music is built around solid song structures rather than sonic dissonance, but perhaps the most distinctive factor could of course be the inclusion of female singer Karen Feder.

Vocals are a smooth bassy shrill and are for the most part a cross between opera and Lounge stylings with a touch of jazz. There's some male death metal back up's thrown in and the very rare aggressive outburst, but for the most part her aural range is pushed to the limits with long winded notes that are drawn out to their full potential in a spoken word/jazz styling. Guitar work is extremely impressive and those familiar with Jason's material in the past will not be let down. His work included here is pristine and he indulges a lot more freely within the various techniques and genres he tackles with traditional patterns in which he sounds quite comfortable. His years of training and educated playing shine through and there's even a few solo tracks dedicated to him. From the light distorted crunch of the death metal riffs to the seductively melodic jazz pluckings, there is a wealth of talent to take in from this CD's 9 tracks. Bass wise this album is varied and includes many styles from distorted throbbing riffs to hectic slap and pop, progressive jazz buildups, tranquil low end ambiance and everything in between. Meanwhile, percussion is also skilled and features thick highhat work as tight steady snare hits punctuate the eager kick drums that are cloaked with restrained tom rolls. Some extra percussive elements are also implemented and tend to stay away from the basic route of tribal overtones, although they do manage to add color with their subtle touches.

Musically this album is very technically proficient and well rounded. Each member is an accomplished musician and they all add their own traits and personalities to the mix to create interesting compositions. As far as song writing goes though, things still feel a bit scattered and although the tracks exhibit a surprising amount of cohesivity while switching between parts, the constantly progressing structures will no doubt be too much to take for the majority of listeners. Another thing that can take a bit of adjustment is the opera styled vocals which can almost sound obnoxious with their constant high notes and although there is nothing wrong with this, it's definitely something different than what most people are used to hearing and as such will take some time for most to get used to. Then again, with the combination of new sounds, there are always growing pains to be expected and although this is a step in the right direction, it doesn't feel as though the sound is perfected or that the group have hit their full stride... yet. But what is shown here is an immense amount of musical prowess and the craft of some extremely talented musicians who are expanding their horizons and bucking the trend to follow their hearts. Whorange's music is somewhat peculiar, yet at the same time familiar. A band able to make music that will fearlessly tread through various styles with each song and keep a steady thread of continuity is indeed a treat and although this isn't the most tightly wound collection of tracks, it still serves as an interesting listen if not for the experience alone.
(3.5 / 5)