Mike Patton's Week – Tomahawk

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Another Patton supergroup. Good god, this man is relentless, not to mention a complete and utter musical visionary and a mind-blowing and standard-warping genius. No review of Tomahawk can go without mentioning the personnel behind this project, which mostly speaks for itself: Mike Patton of uncountable amazing projects, Duane Denison of the Jesus Lizard, John Stanier of Helmet, Kevin Rutmanis of the Melvins. – All Music Guide

Tomahawk is a rock supergroup which features members of Helmet, Melvins, Faith No More and Jesus Lizard. Since their formation in 2001, the band toured extensively throughout US, Australia, Europe and Japan, served as a supporting act for Tool and participated in Geek Tour along with Fantomas and Melvins.
The band (initially a quartet consisting of Mike Patton, Duane Denison, John Stanier and Kevin Rutmanis) issued their self-titled debut in 2001. “Mit Gas” followed two years later and in 2007 the band recorded “Anonymous”  (during that period, Kevin Rutmanis left the band).
All Music Guide described their debut as “a sadistic, scatological birthing of shapeshifting, Jesus Lizardian/King for a Day-era Faith No More textures and assaults, exquisitely layered with Patton’s ridiculously amazing heaving, moaning, screeching, crooning, seething, muttering.” “Tomahawk” follow-up – “Mit Gas” – was described by AMG as a record on which “Patton et al. expand the borders of guitar rock with intelligence and humor more absurd and egalitarian than the band’s obvious predecessor — Frank Zappa.”
The band’s latest record (as of 2010) – “Anonymous” – was described by AMG as “Patton and company’s most ambitious masterpiece.” Pitchfork gave the album a rating of 5.9 out of 10 and concluded that “Anonymous does show more potential for Tomahawk and justifies their existence beyond the mere gimmick of a supergroup, but how many listeners this odd, headstrong little record will reach is difficult to picture.”
Current Line-Up:
Duane Denison (Cargo Cult, Denison Kimball Trio, Firewater, Jesus Lizard, The, Legendary Shack*Shakers, Th’, Pigface, Silver Jews , USSA)
John Stanier (Battles, Crawlpappy, Helmet, Mark Of Cain, The)
Mike Patton (Faith No More, Fantômas, Fantômas Melvins Big Band, The, Hemophiliac, House Of Discipline, Lovage, Maldoror, Mr. Bungle, Weird Little Boy)
Former Member:
Kevin Rutmanis (Cows, Fantômas Melvins Big Band, The, Melvins, Teenage Larvae)
Discography:
Tomahawk CD (Ipecac, 2001)
Mit Gas CD (Ipecac, 2003)
Anonymous CD (Ipecac, 2007 / Daymare, 2007)
Selected Compilation Tracks:
“Flashback” on All Areas Volume 21 (Visions Magazine, 2001)
“Rape This Day” on All Areas Volume 41 (Emaglc Entertainment, 2003)
“Sun Dance” on Getting To Know You…An Introduction To Ipecac Recordings (Ipecac, 2007)