A musical enigma wrapped in a bizarre mystery shrouded in cryptic anonymity...an a propos description if there ever was one of Montreal’s USA Out Of Vietnam, a hard throbbing quartet who popped onto our radars circa Spring 2010, and possibly the best band from ici you may have never heard in a while.

Led by the inimitable Jonathan Cummins on vox and guitar – you know him from such bands as Bionic, The Doughboys and Besnard Lakes as well being one of this city’s finest music writers – USA Out Of Nam carry the sonic torch he has held on this scene to new heights of creativity and originality. The band set their sights on the stars and damn near-well get there with their metal-tinged odes to the lord and his disciples.

Their sightings on stage are rare, their recorded output even more so, until now. Having seen the light of day only last month as limited release, the unit’s five-song debut – Crashing Diseases and Incurable Airplanes – will take your breath away. The album is bombastic and dangerous voyage to the center of song aboard the wings of a gryphon, through molten layers of punk soul, exorcized female choirs, psychedelic pyrotechnics, experimental benders, piercing minimalism, dogged drones and orchestrated prog.

At its heart, despite the numerous nods to a seemingly endless jar of genres, USA Out Of Vietnam are in search of the perfect pop song. All they ask is you close your eyes, open your ears wide and far and come along for the ride.