Robot band delivers authentic heavy metal

How about this for meta: a metal band made of metal men? Well, look no further than Compressorhead, a trio of robots that play hard rock – and do so pretty well.

The oldest member of the band is Stickboy, the four-armed drummer, who also has two feet, the better to hit his double kick drum. He was built in 2007, and is sometimes aided by the dinky Stickboy Junior, who taps the hihat shuffle.

Two years later guitarist Fingers was drafted in. Why “Fingers”? Well, he has 78 of them, each powered by hydraulics.

And last year saw the appearance of Bones the bassist, who strikes us as the most “human-like” member of the band. Because he has actual arms, hands and articulated fingers.

Compressorhead weigh a combined six tons, all of which recently took to the main stage at Australia’s Big Day Out festival. But the question remains: don’t these pre-programmed players by definition make music that is “too perfect”, devoid of humanity and lacking in soul? Yes, we say – but then so do plenty of humans. Well, come on: have you ever listened to “technical metal”?

[Compressorhead via Reddit]

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