Dublin alternative rockers, Val Normal, have recently released a debut album that is far from normal indeed. Originality at the forefront, the band even admits: “it’s like a concept album.” Released in January, through label Chew Your Own Fat, ‘Plans? What Plans?’ is an unapologetic introduction to a world without thinking ahead.

The album opens with Hailstone(rs), blending a melee of spoken voices; confusing the listener, before ripping into some slick guitar riffage and hard-hitting drums. There are immediate elements of Rage Against The Machine and Dillinger Escape Plan jumping out from the music, ready to attack the listener. It quickly becomes clear this is no soft record and judging by their live shows, you may need to pad up. Complex time signatures are sporadically laid out and yet tied into a general theme of clever arrangement, creating an eclectic, original sound which will not suit the ears of those conformed. Here we have musicians with an idea, an idea they are hell-bent on sticking to. The prog-rock guitar progressions by Dara Walsh are something to behold, and re-enact the early, heavier days of Matt Bellamy of Muse. It’s difficult to tell whether vocals would help or hinder the track; sometimes instrumental pieces are adequate and the need for a chorus is too obvious. In this case, the music is so engaging, the lack of lyrics is little noticed.

Without any respite, Solidify The Idiocy follows with the potential to shred your speakers. The way in which they blend what would normally seem immiscible sounds, is quite fantastic. Shifting from heavy to soft is mastered in moments with these guys. The Val Normal boys have written an album of truly organised chaos. If you zone out for the slightest moment, it’s as if falling asleep at the wheel, only to wake up when the song has inevitably veered off-road, causing confusion, yet an overwhelming thrill from the bedlam.

You can feel the musical freedom on this record, three men playing how they wish to play. Originality is scarce these days and usually winds up in unusual forms, hence, Val Normal. The musicianship is crafty, and all three members bring their ability to a testing level. Peter Lodge on drums is like the engine room for the band, displaying many gears.

While applauding the originality and obscurity of the album, there are some negative aspects to the music. The vocals, when present, are not as engaging as the music and are definitely a let-down in parts. The threesome is liable to write tenfold; the album is a ten-track, seventy-minute monster and the band is undeniably guilty of not ending songs.

The ferocious Metal Gear Salad is the real highlight of the album with no end of creative changes, and some of the guitar lines border on genius. The wacky sounds achieved by Walsh are a certain tilt of the head to RATM’s Tom Morello. Be warned, some of the language on this track may offend.

While the second half of the album is more melodic as opposed to sporadic, and has moments similar to Biffy Clyro, the initial five tracks are without doubt the more imaginative and wildly brilliant. The theme of the album stems from the years following school, how everyone is expected to have a plan and how the band simply did not want one. If you were to ask them, “what plans do you have now?,” they would duly respond, “Plans? What Plans?”