Tomahawk, the avant-garde rock outfit fronted by Mike Patton of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle, took the stage for the first time since 2013. The supergroup's reunion performance marks a significant moment for a band known for pushing the boundaries of experimental rock through jagged guitar work, polyrhythmic percussion, and Patton's virtuosic vocal contortions.
Tomahawk formed in 1999 as a side project featuring Patton alongside guitarist Duane Denison of The Jesus Lizard, bassist Kevin Weld, and drummer Tomas Haake of Meshuggah. The collaboration produced three studio albums between 2001 and 2011, each one a dense exploration of dissonant instrumentation and unconventional song structures. Their self-titled debut and follow-ups "Anonymous" and "Oddfellows" established them as essential listening for fans of aggressive, cerebral rock music.
The thirteen-year absence represents a considerable gap for a band that helped define 2000s underground rock. Patton's portfolio expanded dramatically in the intervening years, with work spanning from his avant-garde classical compositions to his vocal contributions across multiple bands and projects. His relentless creative output has made him one of contemporary music's most prolific and uncompromising voices.
The reunion arrives amid broader resurgences in experimental rock, with bands like Merzbow and other noise and avant-garde acts finding renewed audiences. Tomahawk's return to live performance, even if initially as a one-off, taps into nostalgia for the late 1990s and 2000s underground rock scene while acknowledging these musicians' enduring relevance.
Whether the reunion extends beyond this initial show remains unclear. For devoted listeners and collectors of challenging rock music, however, the performance alone represents a rare opportunity to witness one of the era's most uncompromising experimental ensembles in action.