Watchtower

Combining previously released singles with a new song, Concepts of Math: Book One frames the unexpected return of Austin 1982-born prog metal pioneers Watchtower. Fielding the Alan Tecchio/Ron Jarzombek version from 1989's Control and Resistance, the mini LP works best as a time capsule. Fleet-fingered pyrotechnics by Jarzombek and bassist Doug Keyser haven't lost a step, while Tecchio's high rasp comes thawed from a cryogenic chamber. The band's complex thrash wails as if grunge and metalcore never happened; the tracks' dry production emphasizes the sense of timelessness. Sneaking hooks into brain twisters, "The Size of Matter" and epic "Mathematica Calculis" serve notice that Watchtower still slays.