After delivering the excellent Void last year, the prolific-as-fuck INTRONAUT return quickly with The Challenger. While not a true album, The Challenger is a generous EP containing three brand new tracks, five live songs and a remix. First things first, the opening title track features the explosive drumming of Danny Walker who unleashes a variety of intricate patterns, before the band settles into a driving groove a vibrant urgency that countless CONVERGE thieves struggle to attain, but won’t soon achieve. “Whittler of Fortune” in contrast, sees the band floating with open spaces and forays into jazz fusion, propelled by the lifting bass of Joe Lester. This continues with the band’s next excursion the mysterious “Deep Architecture” closing a trio of superb tracks. The band is live and loud from “Gleamer” through “They as (in Them)” capturing the band’s energy from a club setting. A remix of “Burning these Days” that closes things out is neither offensive nor outstanding, simply a different variation on solid song. That being said, The Challenger is an fine introduction to the uninitiated as well as tasty morsel, in anticipation of the band’s next feast, which if the first three songs on here indicate, should be a monster. (Translation Loss Records)