A third installment in the series of Secret Chiefs 3 records, known by many as Mr. Bungle minus Mike Patton. Once again, the band proves that they command an amazing grip on their musical reigns, executing flawlessly tight arrangements, even if they are extremely peculiar. Book M is mostly the brainchild of masterful guitarist Trey Spruance, as bassist Trevor Dunn was absent for a great deal of the project, probably having something to do with his involvement in the wickedly genius Fantomas. Book M is mostly made up of Indian/Asian-sounding melodies overlayed with wildly cavorting techno rhythms and a tiny bit of metal, infused with a sense of mystery and paranoia from the thematic artwork based on number theory and assumedly Hindu belief systems. The production and musicianship here is top-notch; the question is: Just how many people are interested in listening to a skewed version of Indo-Pak music? – Blake Butler
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