In its history throughout millennia it is fair to say the Gamelan has never had an encounter quite like this. Marriage of Metals is a devastating extension of the harmonic properties found in the instruments of Indonesia. Daniel Menche was granted access to a remarkable Gamelan studio where he was given full privilege to record any and all of these rare and ancient gongs -- most notably, the gigantic "Gong Ageng," that contains the deepest of deep acoustic bass. Menche took the raw source material from this Gamelan gong session and launched into a heavily-processed yet surprisingly sympathetic 21st century take on this unique instrument. Marriage of Metals comprises two side-long works where the purity of the sound source exists amongst the entire din. Metallic rhythms bounce alongside synthetic pops swaying from reality to fantasy, from pure acoustic tonality to fuzzed-out distorted clatter. A distant feedback squall is teased amongst the foreground, creating a clamorous din. Equal parts curious, engaging, and groundbreaking. Menche, like Philip Corner before him, extends the language of the Gamelan into brave new worlds. Out of the extensive discography of Daniel Menche, Marriage of Metals stands out as his most elegant and graceful recording, yet still staying within the grit and grime of his sonic garden. This recording would not exist without the generosity of The Venerable Showers Of Beauty Gamelan ensemble, located at Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon.