Secret Chiefs 3 - 1st Grand Constitution (2000)

Fans of Mr. Bungle, this album is for you -- Secret Chiefs 3 is essentially Mr. Bungle's rhythm section (bassist Trevor Dunn & drummer Danny Heifetz), joined by fellow Mr. Bungle/brief Faith No More guitarist Trey Spruance. What makes Secret Chiefs 3 different from Mr. Bungle is that there is no lead vocalist present (Spruance and Dunn sing on a few of the tracks), and the trio somehow manages to concoct even more mysterious and demented compositions than Bungle. There is also a more prominent Middle Eastern flavor to the music, which Mr. Bungle has only lightly touched upon in the past. What the two groups have in common are abrupt, unbearable noise bursts, tape sound effects, and plenty of inside jokes. Just about every type of music rears its ugly head at some point on First Grand Constitution and Bylaws, and the band has pulled off the damn near impossible by condensing almost all of these musical forms into one single track, "Resurrection Day Soundtrack." Other highlights include the Devo-like closer "White As They Come," the foreign marching sounds of both "Assassin's Blade" and "Zulkifar," and the classic 1960s sound of "Inn of Three Doors." Music for those weary of the mainstream.