Obscure Knowledge is a near-perfect album for the discerning progressive rock fan. Not only do the four members of Guapo worship at the altars of King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Univers Zero, but Obscure Knowledge also consists of only one track that runs for 43 minutes. Plus, the title comes from an Aldous Huxley reference. Guapo, a British instrumental-only experimental group, indulges in fusion, psychedelia, minimalism, funk, avant-metal, noise and more on Obscure Knowledge. In the beginning, it wallops listeners with massive percussion and intricate rock guitar, then engages with groovy keys and synths before perturbing with four-and-a-half minutes of incessant droning and, ultimately, celebrating the chaos of unencumbered musical exploration. This thing sounds downright dangerous at times. Obscure Knowledge is divided into three sections, but it demands to be heard as a continuous piece of music in the order the band originally intended.
