A minor chord is strummed slowly. The reverb echoes in what may be a nod to the guitar refrain that sets the tone of Twin Peaks, but it's also the opening of Acid Mothers Temple's quintessential song, "Blue Velvet Blues." Stomping on this chord, Makoto Kawabata descends, heavy as shit, with a moody wall of guitar-noise. His distortion is turned up so loud that only a shadow of melody is left.

Acid Mothers Temple and the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. (Underground Freak Out)--that's the band's full name--is the Japanese noise band of the moment, up there with the Boredoms, Melt Banana, and the Ruins. Moreover, the members are rock gods of the highest order. Dripping in the long-hair rock and roll of Blue Cheer, Jimi Hendrix, late Doors, and even Kiss-influenced anthem rock, AMT's tunes each last an average of 20 minutes on CD, and even longer live.

The center of attention is definitely Kawabata, who flails his mass of hair as he wails on his guitar. Cotton Casino is the only girl in the band, and her ethereal vocals wash in and out with her synthesizer. Bassist Atsushi Tsuyama is a trained Tuvan throat singer who incorporates Troubadour and Occitan music into the moody mix. Hiroshi Higashi on synthesizer and Ichiraku Yoshimitsu on drums round out the five-piece.

Since the band's CDs have no distribution, Acid Mothers Temple has built its reputation on live shows, which kick unremitting ass. The players are comic-book maximalists whose sublime psychedelic noise pours from the stage and pools around your shoes. The band's first appearance at Graceland ended past closing time with the houselights already on, the stage lights off, and the sound guy pleading with the band to stop. My head had melted. The melodic noise had congealed around my feet. I just stood there, gently swaying, as these five freaks rocked on, their hair flailing around their heads, their pulpy notes flailing about the cosmos, until we were all kicked out.

Daniel Comiskey contributed to this article.