Scientist – Scientist

A review I wrote from one of my favorite fucking bands, and one of my fucking favorite albums of all time.  Released in 2013.

Every once in a great while, an album is released that just attaches itself to you and shatters you to your very core.  To me, Scientist’s self-titled release is one of those rare occurrences.  I have been following Erik Plonka’s project since it was an egg, and listened to it incubate into an unstoppable, aural chicken-like thing that destroys your freaking face.  

Sure this album was released back on June 28th, 2013; It has taken this long for me to recover from this badass album.  First and foremost, here is Scientist’s insane lineup.

Eric Plonka – Guitars, Piano

Justin Cape – Drums and Percussion

Patrick Auclair – Bass

Stavros Giannopolous from THE ATLAS MOTH – Vocals on Au

Bruce Lamont from YAKUZA – Saxophone 

Jeff Lyman from DEAD SHERIFF – Lap Steel Guitar

Here is Doc Metal’s play by play on each of these tracks.

1. Ti.  Heavy as hell.  Excellent track to start with and gets your head banging early.  Sets the pace for the tracks to come.
2. Kr.  Another track straight from hell that shakes you as if you were a baby left in daycare.  Ultra climactic part towards the end of the song that will make you want to punch a pillow repeatedly.
3. Au.  Stavros from The Atlas Moth lends his pipes to this track, and its the only song on the album with vocals…minus a couple other tracks with a growl here and there.  If I had to pick a favorite track on this album, it would be this one.  I have gotten goosebumps on certain parts of my body plenty of times listening to this track.
4. O.  The only thing wrong with this track, is that it is too short, coming in at a mere 2:17.  Very ethereal sounding….I wish there was more to this track.  
5. Pb.  Heavy heavy heavy track that slows down and DOOOMS you right in the mouth.  Bruce Lamont from Yakuza lends his sexaphone to this song.  (sexaphone not a type-o.  the sound is amazingly sexy in a brutal, eye gouging kind of way.)
6. H2O.  Long, heavy, and doomy track.  When I hear this,  a screenplay plays out in my head of the story of a rubber band with multiple sclerosis who is down and out, and ends up snapping.  (Get it?)
7. CO2.  More sexophone from Bruce Lamont.  Very moving track.  Not heavy at all, but really emotional in a good way.
8. Os.  Beautiful track…Starts serene, gets brutal, ends gorgeous.  Perfect end to this album.

There you have it folks.  Check out Scienist’s bandcamp page to hear more at

http://scientistchicago.bandcamp.com/