Your ears will hurt

Loud, obnoxious and unforgiving, An Albatross’ music is an eccentric mix of guitars and electronic sounds with a few screams thrown in for an added touch.

The group is any hardcore fan’s dream, playing rigorously and shouting phrases that most people would find migraine-inducing.

Angry metalheads and drunken punk rockers alike will have plenty to get riled up about when the band hits Orpheum tonight.

Bands that attract listeners with gimmicks often take these easy routes to make up for their lack of talent. An Albatross is one of the few bands with the talent to pull it off, getting its kicks by belting out sporadic lyrics on musical compositions less than one minute in duration.

The six members of An Albatross began playing together in 1999 and the band has released only two EPs since it’s formation. We Are The Lazer Viking is the band’s latest album, and is the follow-up to the group’s 2000 release Eat Lightning, S— Thunder.

With 11 tracks that fall under 60 seconds apiece, Lazer Viking is worth listening to at least once. The fast-paced music will get hearts racing but also gets old quickly.

By the third go-round, the disc starts to lose its appeal, unless the listener has an appreciation of experimental tuneage. Fans will appreciate lead singer Eddie Gieda’s screaming efforts, although other, more delicate listeners won’t be able to handle the album’s first 60-second track.

The first song on the album paints a crystal-clear picture of what listeners can expect from the rest of the record. “I am the Lazer Viking” is a brief song that has only three lines: “Baby, this rock and roll/ Baby, will save your soul/ I am the Lazer Viking.”

“Wrggggggggrkyyy” is another superb example of this band’s essence. It is a cry of anger and resentment, sounding as though it is made by a four-year-old child.

The final track on the album, “w7w7w7w7w7w7w7w7w7w7w7,” is another seemingly pointless and erratic tune, but cements this band as indie experimentalist extremists.

The CD has cool computer-accessible interactive features that make up for some of the group’s absurdity.

The disk includes photos of the band, music credits and home movies and features most popular mainstream bands fail to offer on their albums.

An abundance of short songs means the band is guaranteed to play a brief set tonight. Shows generally last about 15 minutes, and the band has been known to play up to four separate shows in a single evening.

Opening for An Albatross is The Everyothers, a New York City band heavily influenced by David Bowie, Mick Ronson and Lou Reed.

The group released its debut album in November and is currently on tour in support of that release.

An Albatross plays tonight with The Everyothers, Shed for You, Auto! Automatic!! and The Typecast at 8. Tickets are $9.