Ixt Adux - Brainstorm. 1982 USA-California

---3/6/11

Long Beach, California based Ixt Adux were yet another late 70s / early 80s American band that had absolutely no chance of commercial success. Their brand of aggressive and complex King Crimson influenced guitar-based rock (no keyboards here) will remind the listener of Midwest prog groups such as St. Elmo's Fire, October, The Inserts, and Ariel - other hopelessly obscure albums. There's even a little Canterbury undercurrent (but brash and entirely American). The vocalist definitely enjoyed listening to Van der Graaf Generator, and he employs many Hammill-like declarations. The album starts off more towards aggressive hard rock but it's a head fake, and they begin to display their complex nature on A2. There's even some nods to the avant prog genre to be found.

---9/13/24

In hearing this album for the first time in 13 years, I find myself at a +1. Challenging and unique, Ixt Adux were seeking a niche audience inside of a niche audience. Great stuff.

Ownership: LP: 1982 Madame X. Single sleeve with lyric insert. Mail order acquisition (1992).

No reissues exist as I enter this post.

2//92 (first listen); 3/6/11 (review); 9/13/24 (update/new entry)