Illogistical Resource Dept.

If you regularly read this site, the name Dan Menapace may be familiar: I previously reviewed his solo electronica effort (here), Suboculis. Today I am checking out his band, the San Francisco based Illogistical Resource Dept. (aka the IRD), and their album CATHARSIS. From the first seconds of the first track, “When Frogs Attack,” I was pretty sure I was going to enjoy this. First off, the track opens with sampled dialogue from the 1972 “eco-horror” film FROGS, and that is subsequently followed by what sound like it could be a Les Claypool side project. Campy B movies and heavy Primus influence? You’ve got my attention. While the first track is very “instrumental Primus” sounding, and there is a heavy Primus feel to the whole album, CATHARSIS does not come off as just a Les Claypool tribute band. While Claypool is a weird guy, I hear something that sounds more akin to Mike Patton’s sensibilities mixed in, along with the electronica that Menapace obviously loves (Aphex Twin, µ-Ziq, and Squarepusher come to mind), and then some straight up psychedelia along the lines of older Floyd. It is very obvious that all of the members of the IRD are very talented musicians, and even though the focus is on Menapace’s bass, his work is not let down at all by the rest of his band.

The fact that the album is mostly instrumental with some dialogue snippets from various sources appeals to me, though I know that will turn some people off. It’s hard to write an instrumental – or at least, mostly instrumental – song that can keep people’s attention. With regular music, the focus is almost inevitably on the singer, on the lyrics, with the music usually being a backdrop. With CATHARSIS, the music is the focus, so extra work has to be put in to keep the songs interesting and moving along without having that lead singer guy to stare at. Overall I think CATHARSIS is mostly successful at this; there are a few tracks that drag a bit long with little movement, there are a few riffs that repeat too many times, but as a whole the IRD does a fine job of making songs that don’t have to have eye candy at the front of the stage to keep your interest. There were no tracks on CATHARSIS that were bad, though some were not as great as others. “Adverse Side Effects” was a bit long-winded, though a nice slow jam, and I also got a bit tired of “The Road to Giza” before it was over. Not to say these tracks were bad – they’re not – they’re just not as good as the rest. Many of the tracks I liked enough, but there were a few that really stood out. First, the aforementioned “When Frogs Attack,” this was really an awesome track that would not feel out of place on Frizzle Fry or Antipop. “Speak” is a really nice blend of the Primus aesthetic with a very Pink Floyd feel (two of my personal favorites), “Vedic Soma” takes that Mike Patton sound and blends it in with some Squarepusher realm, and “The Midshipman” may be the most Primus like of all of the tracks, but in a really good way, not in a we’re-trying-to-rip-off-their-sound way. While the IRD reminds me of a lot of other bands, they bring these disparate influences together in a way that is very originally them; I think anyone who likes Primus will immediately gravitate to that part of their sound, but they have many layers beyond that one.
Overall, I really enjoyed CATHARSIS. It was a really fun album, peppered with a ton of movie and musical references that spoke to me. It had a few bits here and there that dragged, but it’s tough to make something that is 100% on; CATHARSIS is close. Their music, like that of Mike Patton or Les Claypool, is a bit too odd for über-mass appeal, and that will keep them right in the hearts of the fans that really like what they bring to the musical table; I look forward to hearing what the I.R.D. come up with next.
Overall 8 / 10 - Ryan's Reviews

The apocalypse comes from San Francisco. Or just the catharsis. The nature try to get back at us? Eventually. God knows…. :lol: But wont save us from ourselves.
Dan Menapace – Bass and Synths, Jim Harris – Guitar, and Noa Appleton – Drums are explorers, soundonauts. “Speak” it’s a modern, reiterated “Astronomy Domine”, a tasty and gloomy evoking of past values, but also a brave step into the unknown and the future.
This is a groovy, sometimes blowing in your face, but mainly gloomy and atmospheric Rock machinery build to explore the universe of sounds and find new paths for creativity and expression.
It’s not a perfect album, but one with some brilliant moments, one which dare to surf into the unknown and explore the outer limits of the (Post) Rock genre without denying the influences and values of the Rock genre’s past and present. A balanced and tasty mixture of styles and moods, a bridge over time and genres, Illogistical Resource Dept. it’s one of the few names which worth to keep in mind. And “Catharsis” it’s an album worth to buy.
- Brushvox

Catharsis is the debut disc of the Illogistical Resource Dept. IRD—as they are sometimes known—is an indie band founded by two musicians whose paths crossed frequently in the past—bassist and keyboardist Dan Menapace (Agent Orange, Death Angel) and drummer Noa Appleton (Agent Orange, Death Angel). The pair of players recruited guitarist Jim Harris and The Illogistical Resource Dept. became the tuneful trio they are today.

The band is based in the San Francisco Bay area and is becoming known for their “bass-heavy approach to songwriting”. Beyond that, the band’s bio is unbelievably brief. The only information available simply states: “ear infections are not uncommon”.

This not only indicates that the group has a sense of humor but also that they may very well believe the main focus should be on their music. Indeed, IRD takes your crusty chronicler back to his college days when he wrote about little more than underground, avant garde groups that only the hippest, coolest people recognized and that only the hardcore alternative and college radio DJs would ever play on air.
You’d be surprised how many cute college co-eds were drawn to the dude who wrote about those weird, new bands. Not that your polite penman ever took advantage! Your reclusive writer has been a shy, innocent white boy for decades and even twice turned down offers to discuss individualistic artists on a major radio program.)

Catharsis is a ten-track release on the Aphagia Recordings label. The album opener is “When Frogs Attack”. This is but a brief sample of the band’s abilities due in small part to the fact that this is the shortest cut on the project.

“The Secret Box” is next. This continues in the same vein in that their work is generally basic but serious instrumentals with occasional sound bites and spoken voice samples. The plucky guitar work here is reminiscent of material by the late, great Snakefinger.

“Speak” is an example of why some critics claim the band’s signature sound is often ominous. This one is vaguely like music found on some earlier releases by The Residents. It is contrasted quite competently by the well-placed piece “Adverse Side Effects” which has more of a Tuxedomoon-like tinge to it.

The lengthiest track is “Vedic Soma”. This has a running time of just less than 5 minutes although the composition of the cut is such that the length is not an issue. This, too, sounds somehow like 1980s Snakefinger guitar work here.

The next number is “The Midshipman”. This is another trippy track albeit a more ambitious one in terms of pace and composition. It certainly has something that makes it stand out even among this eclectic collection of cuts.

The seventh selection is “The Road To Giza”. This is another example of their otherworldly audios. At this point the careful listener should notice the band is obviously influenced by such acts as Pink Floyd, Primus and Tool.

“Sine Language” and “Augmented Banality” are also included here. They not only further demonstrate the trio’s talents but also somehow manage to provide a significant lead to the closing cut “Caveat Emptor”. The album end-note is one final tuneful taste of a sound that was once ahead of its time enough to be unaccepted by a mainstream audience.

While some critics claim IRD is akin to the likes of Rush and Faith No More, the composition of the cuts are perhaps more the result of the inspiration of acts like Black Sabbath, Devo and King Crimson. Essentially, the Illogistical Resource Dept.’s Catharsis is an unusual musical mix of multiple musicians and genres including but not limited to ambient, electronic, psychadelia, rock and underground. It’s an original blend that provides an interesting aural experience with no “Adverse Side Effects”.

My name is Phoenix and . . . that's the bottom line.
- Examiner.com

The apocalypse comes from San Francisco. Or just the catharsis. The nature try to get back at us? Eventually. God knows…. :lol: But wont save us from ourselves.
Dan Menapace – Bass and Synths, Jim Harris – Guitar, and Noa Appleton – Drums are explorers, soundonauts. “Speak” it’s a modern, reiterated “Astronomy Domine”, a tasty and gloomy evoking of past values, but also a brave step into the unknown and the future.
This is a groovy, sometimes blowing in your face, but mainly gloomy and atmospheric Rock machinery build to explore the universe of sounds and find new paths for creativity and expression.
Released on 14 November 2012, the 8 tracks of “Catharsis” lead us into the dark world of our worst fears and subconscious.
“When Frogs Attack” starts menacing, the Primus taste is definitively there, but Illogistical Resource Dept. add their own flavor as well. Wicked riffs and spicy grooves are blending into a powerful, catchy song, an excellent “door opener” for an album full of different blends and flavors.
“The Secret Box” it’s a more Psychedelic flavored trip with a charming, mysterious aroma. Speak” it’s not a path back to Pink Floyd, but rather sounds like Pink Floyd covered the classic Black Sabbath self-titled song. Psychedelic and dark, build upon shadows and slow cutting heaviness, “Speak” it’s a real pearl. Syd Barrett would feel quite comfortable in this tension and obscurity.
“Adverse Side Effects” gets further Psychedelic, spacy and abstract. The bass leads us into large and shady spaces while the broken rhythm stays throughout in the background.
“Vedic Soma” have a kind of vivid 80's experimental/Post-Punk/New Wave taste, reminds me of their pioneering homies Tuxedomoon and eventually of Morphine. A saxophone would be awesome here and there. As sometimes I feel that a singer with the qualities and creativity of Devin Townsend would fits right in here. Still, this is very good as it is. “The Midshipman” bring to the surface some Funky grooves merged into a cool and genuine Heavy Metal vibe. The parallel with Primus it’s obvious, still I.R.D. have a different feel and taste.
“The Road To Giza” it’s flavored with some Oriental mysticism and perfume, nice shift of flavors, but it’s still a pretty gloomy journey with unknown dangers hidden in the dark.
“Sine Language” it’s more about the vibe and it’s build upon the contrast of the catchy, simple them and the dark, menacing verses. This one reminds me somehow of Rush and not only because the guitar riffs.
“Augmented Banality” adds some Industrial noise layers to the Primus and Rush fueled build-up, slow breakdowns and speeding up moments are flowing smoothly to a pretty Heavy Metal closure.
“Caveat Emptor” keeps that Primus groove and gets even nastier. This is a quite dark and ultimately scary closure, there is no release, no cure, probably not even hope. But hopes are for presidents and dreams are for sleepers. This is the real world. Gloomy, unforgiving and uneven.
“Catharsis” it’s not a perfect album, but one with some brilliant moments, one which dare to surf into the unknown and explore the outer limits of the (Post) Rock genre without denying the influences and values of the Rock genre’s past and present. A balanced and tasty mixture of styles and moods, a bridge over time and genres, Illogistical Resource Dept. it’s one of the few names which worth to keep in mind. And “Catharsis” it’s an album worth to buy. - brushvox