Perhaps the very simplest way of introducing the album to you, is to say that the opening minutes remind the ear of The Dead C - albeit The Dead C recorded without any murk, cloud or dirt. There’s a similar, rigorous exploration of the ‘noises’ that can issue from an electric guitar, but with a similar residue/trace of the guitar’s more ‘traditional’ role remaining. Equally, Grizzly Imploded lurch somewhere between a shambolic stumble and a more studied, obtuse, free improv approach - so that hopefully gives you a reasonable sense of what they’re up to. ‘Anabasi’ amounts to six tracks and nearly thirty minutes - though, unless the individual pieces have been superbly edited and sequenced, I think the album is actually one long improvisation, divided into separate sections after the fact. The guitars are both distorted, though not ludicrously; for the most part, they sound overdriven through amps - although there is use of a crackling, synth-like sound (often associated with the Zvex Fuzz Factory pedal). So the trio have quite a restricted sound and palette, which ultimately works to their advantage: clicks and feedback, scrapes and drones; a few sections of ‘prepared strings’ and rhythmic stabs.

Its noticeable that I haven’t mentioned the drums much yet. ‘Anabasi’ is undoubtedly guitar-dominated, but this makes the role of the percussion more interesting. Gregoretti, the drummer, plays a quite superbly understated hand - never threatening to usurp the guitars or even really breaking much of a sweat. The drums (which are truly beautifully recorded) thus become the glue of the trio, and oddly occupy two roles which should be contrary: on the one hand, they ‘ride’ over the top of the guitars, on the other, they provide a stabilising anchor. They are both the icing on the Grizzly Imploded cake, and its foundation.

‘Anabasi’ is very solid, very measured, but - you can see where this is going - it doesn’t truly excite me. I think persons interested in that area of improv which maintains connections with ‘rock music’ (The Dead C remain the obvious example) would find much joy here, though. Its often a very ‘linear’ sound-world, with no deployment of cheap dynamics or trick; just a ‘heads down’ session of intelligent improvisation.

(Please note: your tired reviewer has just spotted that the sounds were recorded ‘between January 2011 and April 2012’ − meaning that the album is indeed superbly edited and sequenced individual tracks…)