Saturation Point - Three

When any band announces its intention to release four albums in a year, one must immediately hope that, for their sake, they have amassed a considerable backlog of quality material. Three is, unsurprisingly, the penultimate record in just such an undertaking but sadly it's swimming with filler. Opener Three Point One makes for a dated and quite turgid crescendo. The synths recall an early nineties news programme and the track wanders aimlessly in the musical wilderness for all of seven minutes. Three Point Two is a more effective composition. Ominous and rumbling with an Eastern lilt, it suggests a less adventurous Tool. The next notable highlight isn't until Three Point Six, where skittish drums and slide guitar brighten a gentle string background, gradually layering itself into an optimistic fanfare. All in all, unless Three is the exception, Saturation Point would perhaps have been better advised to condense their quadrilogy into one strong album. [Chris Cusack]