''The Machinations of Dementia'' is the sole studio album by the instrumental

progressive metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...

band

Blotted Science Blotted Science is an instrumental progressive metal supergroup headed by Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower, Spastic Ink), bassist Alex Webster ( Cannibal Corpse) and drummer Hannes Grossmann (ex- Obscura, ex-Necrophagist). They formed under the name Mac ...

, released September 18, 2007, on guitarist Ron Jarzombek's EclecticElectric label. It was issued in Japan on June 22, 2011, via Marquee/Avalon. The album had been in the making since 2005, but progress stalled when original drummer

Chris Adler Christopher James Adler (born November 23, 1972) is an American musician, best known as the founder and longtime drummer of heavy metal band Lamb of God from 1994 to 2019, and of Megadeth from 2015 to 2016. Adler played drums on Megadeth's f ...

had to bow out due to commitments with his band

Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...

; his successor,

Derek Roddy Derek Roddy (born August 28, 1972) is an American drummer and snake breeder, originally from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His ability to record entire drum tracks in one or two takes earned him the nickname "One Take". Derek has gained a reputa ...

(ex-

Nile The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin language, Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered ...

Hate Eternal Hate Eternal is a death metal band from St. Petersburg, Florida. The band currently consists of founding guitarist/vocalist Erik Rutan and bassist J. J. Hrubovcak. To date, Hate Eternal has released seven studio albums: '' Conquering the Throne' ...

), left over "musical differences" after a six-month tenure. According to Ron Jarzombek, "75 percent"Ron Jarzombek - Frequently Asked Questions
, ''RonJarzombek.com''. "Q. What is the story behind the songs 'Adenosine BuildUp' and 'Adenosine Breakdown'?" of ''The Machinations of Dementia'' was written utilizing the "Circle of 12 Tones", derived from the

twelve-tone technique The twelve-tone technique—also known as dodecaphony, twelve-tone serialism, and (in British usage) twelve-note composition—is a method of musical composition first devised by Austrian composer Josef Matthias Hauer, who published his "law o ...

pioneered by Austrian-born composer

Arnold Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (, ; ; 13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian-American composer, music theorist, teacher, writer, and painter. He is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was as ...

in the 1920s.

Track listing

Music theory Music theory is the study of the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory". The first is the "rudiments", that are needed to understand music notation (ke ...

"Oscillation Cycles" is composed around a

tone row In music, a tone row or note row (german: Reihe or '), also series or set, is a non-repetitive ordering of a set of pitch-classes, typically of the twelve notes in musical set theory of the chromatic scale, though both larger and smaller sets ar ...

of 12 notes played forward, and then backwards. The song only consists of these two note patterns, which then undergo temporal modulation and rhythmic changes. "Adenosine Buildup" is "Adenosine Breakdown" played backwards.

Personnel

Ron Jarzombek Ron Jarzombek is an American guitarist best known for his work with WatchTower, Spastic Ink, and Blotted Science, featuring Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse. His most recent project is Terrestrial Exiled. He released a brand new song, "Beyon ...

- guitars *

Alex Webster Alex Webster (born 1969) is an American bass player who is best known as a member of the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He is one of two remaining members of the original lineup of the band, along with drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz. He is al ...

- bass *

Charlie Zeleny Charlie Zeleny, also known as Charlie Z, is an American session drummer, music director and solo artist. He was also a member of the progressive metal bands Blotted Science and Behold the Arctopus, has played in a duo with keyboardist Jordan Ru ...

- drums

Production

*Arranged by Blotted Science *Produced and mixed by Ron Jarzombek *Guitars recorded by Ron Jarzombek at Live Oak Studios *Bass recorded by Alex Webster at Hell Whole Studios (editing by Ron Jarzombek) *Drums recorded and edited by Charlie Zeleny (at Doc Z Studios), with assistance from Ron Jarzombek *Mastered by Jacob Hansen *Copyright Spastic Music Publishing

References

External links

The Machinations of Dementia reviews archive @ RonJarzombek.comThe Machinations of Dementia @ Encyclopaedia Metallum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Machinations of Dementia, The Blotted Science albums 2007 debut albums Instrumental albums