CALHOUN CONQUER

Only album from 1989 by Swiss outfit CALHOUN CONQUER, one of the strangest, most original and difficult-to-classify bands to emerge from the late-1980s European underground. “Lost in Oneself” takes Technical and Progressive Thrash Metal as its foundation but expands it into experimental, psychedelic and avant-garde territory, resulting in a release that was clearly ahead of its time.

Far removed from the usual Thrash Metal formulas of the era, the album combines angular riffs, unconventional song structures, unsettling atmospheres and a strong experimental spirit. Its innovative character has often been compared to the visionary approach of VOIVOD, while some of its compositional ideas seem to anticipate paths later explored by bands such as CORONER, ATHEIST and CYNIC. At the same time, its determination to break stylistic boundaries within extreme Metal echoes the artistic philosophy of CELTIC FROST. A true hidden gem of Progressive Thrash Metal that remains remarkably fresh and unique decades after its release. Interestingly, Spanish band ABSORBED later paid tribute to CALHOUN CONQUER by recording a cover version of one of its songs on the album “Reverie”.

Recommended for fans of CORONER, VOIVOD, JESTER BEAST and CELTIC FROST.