Kultur Shock - Integration (2009)

Kultur Shock forged their early career mixing Balkan music with the fire of punk, often being quite politically abrasive about their American home. Over time they've moved more to something that might be called Balkan metal, and like all bands, their sound has changed, and having Jack Endino back as producer gives a deeper clarification. This is a big leap for them, taking in music with a country influence ("Country Mohammed" and "King"), and even trying something slow on "Rose." The core of their sound is still intact, however; there's no mistaking the Balkan roots of all this, nor the superb musicianship of everyone in the band. Their members are truly multicultural, everyone bringing something different to have an effect on the sound -- the exacting "Gore Gore," for instance, veers close to a prog-metal fusion. Anyone expecting more of the same from Kultur Shock is going to be surprised, but that's a good thing. Growth is always beneficial.