Formed by Watchtower guitarist, this all instrumental outing is a technical freak show. The Metal community wasn’t ready for Watchtower’s complex brand of Metal when they happened upon the scene in the late 80′s, yet they retained a remarkable cult following throughout the 90′s without releasing anything under the Watchtower band name. This recording originally surfaced in 1996 with a limited pressing; however, demand quickly forced a repressing of the recording as fans clamored to hear the latest from one of Progressive Metal’s pioneers. Guitarist, founder Ron Jarzombek is the creative force behind Spastic Ink and continues to push the envelope of technical possibilities. In fact, labeling Spastic Ink’s music as Progressive Metal is too limiting as the band incorporates many styles and influences into their unique brand of music. The frenetic tempos and abundance of notes make for a very demanding listen, even for Progressive Metal die-hards. History has a way of repeating itself and much like Watchtower, Spastic Ink is ahead of their time and therefore under appreciated and unfairly obscure. Highly recommended for those who like a good challenge. – Robert Taylor