Ritual de lo Habitual

Sprawling and volatile, one third punk, one third metal, one third pure art rock chaos that somehow holds together. The two epics, Three Days and Then She Did..., are the real backbone here, twisting through moods for nearly twenty minutes combined without ever losing the thread. Been Caught Stealing is the obvious hit, playful and loose in a way that almost hides how weird the rest of the record actually gets. Classic Girl closes things on a genuinely tender note, proof the band could do restraint just as well as excess. Feels like a band burning as bright as possible right before falling apart, which is exactly what happened. Messy, ambitious, and one of alt rock's defining moments.