The music of Reza Askari’s xAYb v8v dYAx is obviously inspired by his background in avant-garde jazz, but it also carries
the physical intensity and structural aggression of some less apparent influences: metal and punk. Despite these genres
tending towards abrasiveness and being hard-sounding in nature, the instrumentation on this most recent LP is fully
acoustic, and comparatively soft. For this reason, it might be a challenge for listeners to pick up on his nostalgic cues so
immediately.
In Reza’s own words: “Imagine an improvising ensemble haunted by the logic of extreme metal: asymmetrical or
symmetrical cycles, collapsing forms, obsessive repetition, abrupt ruptures, and overwhelming physical force, all
rendered acoustically with no amplification wall to hide behind. The music draws equally from modern creative jazz,
reductionism, noise, chamber music, and the psychophysical impact of bands like Meshuggah, Car Bomb, the Melvins,
the Dillinger Escape Plan, etc. The result is not a crossover, but a transformation of metal’s architectural and emotional
language into a highly detailed improvisational context.”
For this fifth round, ROAR sees the return of Reza’s “long-time superheroes” Stefan Karl Schmid on clarinets and tenor
saxophone, as well as Fabian Arends on drums. The outstanding Christopher Dell is also back for his third album with
the group on vibraphone, and the band expands even further into a quintet with the addition of the amazing Lina
Allemano on trumpet. Reza talks about the powerful essence of this constellation: “For me, this release feels not like
presenting polished compositions, but more like documenting a group of my favourite musicians pushing against their
own limits together. That energy is what makes me excited about it.”
This is the first record Reza has made since becoming a father and a professor, which has left him with little time or
mental space to compose. He credits his wife and her family for being so supportive, and creating the space he needed
to keep working on the music whenever possible. Fusing rebellious influences of the past with the present day, the
album’s scribbly cover art is drawn by the greatest little punk in Reza’s life, his two year-old daughter. “She teaches me
so much about myself, how to never grow up and stay independent and free - definitely some of the greatest aspects
about being punk.”
When asked to describe the sound of the music to someone who had never heard it before, Reza reflects; “It’s a form of
communicative weirdness where glimpses of order constantly emerge and collapse, shaped by dynamic contrasts and
structural chaos.” Perhaps this chaos can be echoed in the albums cryptic title “xAYb v8v dYAx,” and the strange and
occasionally palindromic song names: “404”, “0 YxY 0” and “xAxDx."
The only way to decipher the code?
By listening to the music, of course…