Kayo Dot – Every Rock, Every Half-Truth under Reason

Metalcatto

It’s been a long time since I felt genuinely excited about a promo. Kayo Dot needs no introduction. Ever since the release of the landmark Choirs of the Eye, the band has made a career out of defying what Metal—and music itself—can be. Even when its ideas go over most of our heads, the promise of uncertainty has always been part of its DNA. Every Rock, Every Half-Truth under Reason continues that legacy. As always, we have no idea where the band is heading next, and for better or worse, my expectations were sky-high. What could possibly go wrong when you’re biased toward weird music, right?

Well, turns out quite a bit. I tried—really tried—to go along for the ride. But Every Rock doesn’t even flirt with what most people would call a “riff.” Maybe that’s the whole point: to deconstruct the idea of a riff into oblivion. The album opens intriguingly enough, reminding us how sterile and safe most extreme Metal has become. It throws you into a nocturnal landscape of discomfort and abstract dread, occasionally juxtaposed with what feels like lounge bar interludes. The contrast is bizarre, but that’s not the hard part to process. If anything, those changes are among the few highlights.

There’s no doubt that Kayo Dot is composed of profoundly talented musicians, and the ambition here is immense. Rather than drawing from genre tropes, it feels like the band is attempting a modernist symphony through the lens of experimental Rock—imagine Pierre Boulez filtered through the smoke of urban anxiety and esoteric philosophy. That should be right up my alley. Harsh textures, unpredictable structures, sonic experimentation… these are usually the exact elements I champion. But as you’ve probably picked up from the tone of this review, that’s not where I’m landing this time.

The issue with Every Rock isn’t the lack of distortion, blast beats, or even song structure. It’s that the experience is, unfortunately, mind-numbingly dull. The record is drenched in atmosphere, but nothing ever really happens. The 20-minute tracks don’t build, shift, or evolve in a satisfying way—they just linger. At times, it feels more like a sonic art installation in a gallery corner than an album meant to be engaged with. I kept waiting for a payoff, a jolt, anything to justify the long, brooding passages. I hate to admit it, but the fast-forward button started calling my name, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt more guilty for even considering it.

Let me be clear: Kayo Dot is still one of the most unique and visionary forces in Avant-Garde music. No one else could—or would—make a record like this. Every Rock is absolutely intentional and coherent in its bleak aesthetic, and that in itself is an artistic achievement. But while I respect the vision, I found the actual listening experience to be a slog. It’s haunted background music at best, and that’s not what I show up for, even as someone who normally thrives on the strange and abstract. Maybe I’m missing something. Maybe I need to let it simmer longer. Or maybe I just need to cleanse my palate with a few spins of Coffins on Io and call it a day.

Label: Prophecy Productions

Release date: August 1, 2025

Website: https://kayodot.bandcamp.com/

Country: USA

Score: 2.5/5.0 and I’m being generous!