Tripper

And, though, theirs is not the only voice of dissent, they continue to provide an argument against convention. And, it's very convincing.

Hella are a band reinvigorated on Tripper, realizing and embracing with all of their arms the sounds that absolutely work best for them while showcasing their growth as songwriters and the experiences they've picked up from their myriad side projects.

This frantic release gives them a kind of spastic, jagged sound that puts them somewhere between Lightning Bolt and an actual bolt of lightning, and makes Tripper an album that's more likely to wear listeners out physically than mentally.

It's business as usual: spastic pounding, warp-speed scalar runs, and various math-rock feats of strength.

The fact that Hella are able to deliver the same thrills, same complexity, and same unopenable exploding package with two members that they do with five is both musically impressive and cognitively relevant to the experience of the music.

There are enough flashes of brilliance on Tripper to make it a great album, but unfortunately enough little moments like that electronic groove on "Kid Life Crisis" to show that there's plenty more for them to reach for.

How Hella can have the energy to keep cranking out their spastic, ludicrous-composition noise rock, let alone the brainpower required for memorizing all the parts, is anyone’s guess. But sure enough, the duo—just the original two-piece for this one—is at it again.

I like a good chunk of the tracks on here. I can't say I hated any, but I was left feeling like this was just another Hella record in some spots. However, I wouldn't want to hear anybody make a Hella record but Hella.

If there's one thing that Hella doesn't need to convince anyone after four eclectic studio outings, it's that they can play better than most musicians.

There's a certain threshold for this kind of demanding material before it gets tiring. It's one that Tripper, staunchly dominated by an old-school style of wanky craftsmanship, crosses pretty quickly.