If pure musicianship is the guiding criterion, Altered States can arguably match any guitar/bass/drums trio in the history of rock, which may strike some as an overstatement but the evidence is there for anyone willing to seek out the band's Japanese label releases. The trio's music draws from a wide range of influences including progressive rock, jazz-rock, psychedelia, metal, noise rock, electronica, funk, ambient, and even country music. It should also be stated that Altered States are often purely an improvisational group, although they are also known for tightly arranged ...