It seems from the outset that Child Abuse is out to scrape nerve endings. They've got a tongue-in-cheek band name that is sure to raise some

people's hackles. And their debut release, which was released by Lovepump United, the label run by Mookie from Genghis Tron, has cover art that

causes a severe physical reaction in me every time I pick this up. The cover? A bizarre image of a jet-black skinned Chucky doll racing through

space and time. The interior of the booket has even more fucked up images that are most likely the cause of determined pill consumption. And

then there's the music itself, an equally freaked vicious psycho-death-skronk, formed from a three piece lineup of drums, keyboards, and bass

emitting twisted, convoluted prog-death metal-no wave spasms that at times sounds like French progsters Magma fused with brutal death metal and

art-damaged powerviolence, and caught under fire by an onslaught of retarded Nintendo consoles firing off laser rifles uncontrollably. I've had

the pleasure of seeing these guys play live before when they've played in the DC/Baltimore area with Genghis Tron, The Mass, and Octis, and

they killed live, unleashing lines of chaotic synthesizer vomit and pummeling double-bass drumming. On disc, though, Child Abuse's attack

sounds laser-guided, leading their warped song arrangements along a carefully plotted course marked by jazzy percussion, tasty vintage 8-bit

electronics ripped out of the guts of some forgotten 80's Nintendo game, hypnotic bass guitar riffs, and deranged, geeked-out screams. Stick

around at the end for the wandering xylophone jam that shows up after 15 minutes of digital silence. I think this disc rips. Check out the

audio samples though, as this is hard-edged blast weirdness that will probably grate on alot of people. But if yer into the damaged freak waves

of bands like Fantomas, Genghis Tron, Microwaves, newer Daughters, and Phantomsmasher, definitely check these guys out.