Map, Monitor, Surge

One of the most challenging and rewarding underground acts of the ‘90s, Cleveland’s craw were essentially a progressive rock outfit disguised as a mathy and volatile post-hardcore band. Their third album may be their most unhinged statement, setting themes of government conspiracy, religious fanaticism and human parasites to an appropriately nightmarish soundtrack. The material ranges from breakneck prog-punk miniatures to masterfully dynamic art-metal epics, topped by the whisper-to-a-scream ravings of vocalist Joe McTighe. Unrelentingly bizarre yet fiercely coherent, Map, Monitor, Surge is an unsung classic of its era and a must for fans of rock extremity beyond tidy subgenre.