Think about this: how many bands out there today about whom you can say there has never been anything like them before, and never will be anything like them again? I can think of one: Tornado Rider.

This insanely unique band is the brainchild of prodigal cellist Rushad Eggleston, a Berklee graduate who's credits include an album with Fiddlers 4 (with former David Grisman Quintet member Darol Anger, Beausoleil's Michael Doucet, and old-time fiddle champion Bruce Molsky), an album with Darol Anger's Republic of Strings, which also featured an all-star cast of newgrass musicians, and two albums with Crooked Still, a band which he co-founded.

Eggleston left Crooked Still in 2007, after releasing a couple of albums with short-lived bands that were predecessors to Tornado Rider. Enter Graham Terry on bass and Scott Manke on drums, and a whole new concept was born. I first saw the band at Magnolia Festival in 2008, and was instantly stunned. All three members were dressed in costume, Rushad in a spandex elf costume complete with hat, Graham in a bizarre fuzzy thing that one couldn't quite define, and Scott in a bunny outfit. Rushad straps on his cello, and proceeds to run, strut, jump and climb all over the stage as he cranks out distorted metal-like rhythm and lead cello with a solid punk-metal rhythm section backing him, all while providing all the lead vocals.

In the band's performance I witnessed last month, Rushad climbed the scaffolding on stage to perform a solo during one song and at one point lifted Graham up onto his shoulders while never interrupting the music. The fact is, you never know WHAT this guy will do at any given performance, but you can bet he'll entertain you like nobody else ever has.

Tornado Rider's new album “Jark Matter” manages to capture the energy and insanity of their live performance in many ways, with songs like “The Goat God,” “Sawed-Off Heads,” “Giant Tree Man” and the classics “Dinosaur” and “I'm A Falcon.” In addition, the packaging is quite simply the coolest packaging I've seen in decades, with mailable postcards, buttons you can pin on your clothes and a detailed fable, complete with map, of their fantasy world Sneth. The music is part punk, part metal, and all fun, with many nuances that reveal Eggleston's education and mastery of his instrument.

Tornado Rider is, without a doubt, the most creative, unique and insane band on the planet, and even if you find the band's music is not your cup of tea, you will want to see them live over and over again.