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The first project Mike Patton worked on after the April 1998 breakup of Faith No More was the all-star Fantomas. Heavy metal fans everywhere salivated at the lineup of Patton on vocals, the Melvins' Buzz Osborne on guitar, ex-Slayer Dave Lombardo on drums, and Mr. Bungle's Trevor Dunn on bass. But as longtime fans have come to learn long ago, always expect the unexpected with Patton-related projects.
The band's self-titled debut (the first for Patton's record label, Ipecac) is far from your conventional rock; composed and produced entirely by the singer, the songs serve as a soundtrack to a comic book's story line. At nearly 43-minutes in length, Fantomas is comprised of 30 chronologically numbered "pages"' instead of songs. While it's an unconventional album, it's also a completely original one, especially when compared to the blah and predictable alt-rock of the late '90s.
Patton uses his voice as an instrument with often amazing results (singing nonsensical syllables instead of words); few singers have the talent or know-how to pull off such highlights as "Page 1," "Page 19," "Page 21," and "Page 29." If you're expecting an album comparable to either Faith No More or Mr. Bungle, you may be confused and disappointed. But if you're looking for something completely original and cutting edge, Fantomas is highly recommended.
Tracklist
1. Page 1
2. Page 2
3. Page 3
4. Page 4
5. Page 5
6. Page 6
7. Page 7
8. Page 8
9. Page 9
10. Page 10
11. Page 11
12. Page 12
13. Page 13
14. Page 14
15. Page 15
16. Page 16
17. Page 17
18. Page 18
19. Page 19
20. Page 20
21. Page 21
22. Page 22
23. Page 23
24. Page 24
25. Page 25
26. Page 26
27. Page 27
28. Page 28
29. Page 29