Take THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, fill them up with an excessive amount of Sunny Delight and DESTRAGE would be the result. "A Means To No End" is their fourth album and it's a deliriously wild ride through the mind of an insane Prog musician. It's bouncing off the walls with enthusiasm, all the standard rules of song writing have gone out the window and its masses of fun to listen to. Pick it up at the same time as the likeminded "Low Teens" record by EVERY TIME I DIE and you'd have one hell of a madcap double bill. Starting off with the Eastern-tinged title track, DESTRAGE begin this album sounding like none other than psychedelic Britpop veterans KULA SHAKER. For the next twelve songs they career wildly through half a dozen genres, going from bruising Metalcore one minute to tripped out Prog the next. The vocals switch from straight up clean singing to larynx destroying Hardcore barks and the occasional death growl, all while bizarre riffs and off-kilter drums flail in the background in a chaotic burst of head-spinning noise. It's completely deranged and at first listen, can feel like all five guys are playing different songs at the same time.

On subsequent plays however it becomes clear just how much thought DESTRAGE have put into this record. "A Means To No End" is as carefully thought out and well-produced as MESHUGGAH's back catalogue, albeit far more upbeat. Every member of the band is proficient in their chosen instrument, but rather than show off with extended solos, they work together to create cohesive pieces of music where every sudden time-shift and dramatic mood shift is planned well in advance. They're a band that's constantly thinking five steps ahead and having a party while doing it. While it is completely bizarre though, DESTRAGE still manage to flirt with the mainstream. "Dreamers" for instance has a huge chorus, "Blah Blah" is packed with hooks and "A Promise, A Debt" recalls SYSTEM OF A DOWN at their ballady best. They're not obvious singles in the making but let's face it, who'd have thought "Chop Suey" would be a massive hit until it was one?

With all that in consideration though, "A Means To No End" isn't perfect and it does have a few flaws that'll put some listeners off. "Symphony Of The Ego" especially is a bit weak and it's early placing on the track list leaves a worrying impression that they might be trying to out-SIKTH SIKTH. Singer Paolo Colavolpe meanwhile is going to divide opinion and is either a unique selling point or nails-on-chalk irritation depending on your point of view. For the most part though this album is a huge success and if nothing else, you have to applaud DESTRAGE for thinking outside an entire warehouse full of boxes. "A Means To No End" is ambitious, eclectic and bursting with vigour, plus it's got loads of great songs on it. That should be a win in anyone's book.