Ever have album art melt your face? Every once and awhile a band will
create or commission artwork which is undeniably awesome, iconic, or
inspiring. Sometimes it compliments the music in the perfect way,
leaving a mark on the listener or maybe even music history itself.
Welcome to the Art Gallery. We're gonna take a look at some really impressive art while listening to some great music in the process.
Have you ever seen artwork that was so damn awesome that you still remember the first time you saw it? I was flattened when Amon Amarth's "Twilight of the Thunder God" came out in 2008. Not only by the music but by the insanely detailed scene depicted on the front cover. THIS IS VIKING METAL \m/
Human Improvement process is an impressive band emerging Italy on
Memorial Records. This year they dropped a great record "Deafening
Dissonant Millenium" bolstering some mind bending artwork. Better yet,
it compliments the title of the album in an unsettling way. Highly
recommended on all counts. We should have a review on this one coming
soon!
Exivious needed to be included because of the way that they experiment with their artwork. For both of their albums, they've allowed the fans to create their own poster based on the official album art. The process for their latest album "Liminal" (read our review here) was intricate to say the least. All in all this band has spawned incredible results (take a look here).
It's been about four years since the release of the damn near flawless
Exivious self-titled debut. What was originally a Cynic / Textures side
project has experienced a few line up changes in that time but has still
emerged strong as a full-time band. With the departure of drummer Stef Broks (Textures) came the installment of the insanely talented Yuma van Eekelen. Tymon Kruidenier (ex-Cynic) and Michel Nienhuis still command the guitar corps as Robin Zielhorst (ex-Cynic) handles the bass. Together, they make awesome things happen.
For example, the band ran a very successful crowd funding campaign earlier in the year which allowed fans to
make custom tweaks to the album artwork through a unique application (representing a constant state
of change, thus "Liminal"). Ever since, the anticipation has mounting and now they're on the loose again with their
sophomore full-length "Liminal"!
If you haven't got to listen yet, it is PHENOMENAL! It is the manifestation of pure creativity and taste. Same as with their self-titled, they bring an excellent mix of hypnotizing instrumental progressive music with a jazzy, experimental flavour. Except this time around it's much more melodically focused and matured in some ways. You can actually stream the entire album through our friends at got-djent.com. I've been letting my mind melt onto this one since last week. It's successfully become the soundtrack of my life, if you will. And with good reason.
The single "Entrust" appropriately opens the experience with a sense of awe and mystery, two things that will ensue throughout the duration of the album. Before you know it, the opener thrusts your ears into a world of beautiful melody and creative force, two more elements that will follow through the record. Because of this, it more or less functions as the perfect opening.
And the fun doesn't stop there. Every single track on "Liminal" has something exciting and original to offer. Right after "Entrust", Yuma lets loose with an awesome drum solo on the track "One's Glow". The second single "Alphaform" brings you to a world of elevated musical sensuality. "Triguna" is the most experimental track on the album. "Deeply Woven" is possibly my favorite track on the record with an awesome Jonas Knutsson sax contribution... but it's very hard to say with the sheer amount of aural pleasures present. Especially when you stack it up to the remaining "Movement", "Open", and "Immanent" which are all beautifully conceived, breathtaking additions.
I have no real criticisms here. But I will criticize you if you've read this much of the review and don't give "Liminal" a try. This album's damn near perfect, if not perfect. It's an easy 10 out of 10 in my book. And strangely enough, the only two 10's I've ever given on this site have been back to back...
To wrap things up, Exivious have truly outdone themselves. Rebounding from the last record and the events since, they've managed to create a truly awe-inspiring and matured experience in "Liminal". Missing this album should be considered a crime for music lovers.
Go ahead and stream the tracks above. And don't forget, got-djent.com has the entire album running online. If you enjoy the music as much as we do, be sure to support Exivious and grab yourself a CD here!
We're honored to have Exivious as our Artist of the Week! It's been about four years since the release of the damn near flawless
Exivious self-titled debut. What was originally a Cynic / Textures side
project has experienced a few line up changes in that time but has still
emerged strong. Now they're on the loose again with their
sophomore full-length "Liminal"! And if you haven't got to listen yet, it is PHENOMENAL!
We had the chance to interview the lead guitarist Tymon Kruidenier (ex-Cynic). Read up below and jam the tracks!
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TK = Tymon Kruidenier
MT = Mike Thall
MT - How did the band get started up?
TK - As a lot of bands get started I guess. I was a young metal head with an electric guitar and wanted to start my own band. But that was all the way back in 1997, when I just started playing actually. It wasn't until 2005 that the modern day Exivious was born. At that point, I knew pretty well where I wanted to go with Exivious, I spent years trying to figure out what it was that I wanted to do. So when I finally found the right musicians to work with in 2005, we took some years to gel and pinpoint the exact direction we wanted to go in. And that's where it really started.
MT - How did you come up with the name Exivious?
TK - It's a little embarrassing to explain, but my excuse is that I came up with it when I was 17 years old. Exivious doesn't mean anything, it just popped into my head during an English lesson at school. We debated changing the name, back when we released our first album. But we figured we already build up a bit of a name in the underground scene, so we decided to stick with it. An added bonus though, is that it's very easy to look us up on the internet. Literally all hits on a Google search for Exivious are related to the band haha.
MT - You guys have a new album dropping THIS WEEK! Can you tell us about it?
TK - Yes, finally! I held the CD in my hands for the first time 3 days ago. It's an awesome feeling to finish such a long process. We pretty much spent the last 2 to 3 years putting this thing together. But yeah, what can I tell you about it? It's a more balanced album, it's heavier, it's softer, it's more dynamic, it's more epic and even though I hate the word, it's a lot more mature than our debut. We are quite happy with it ourselves!
MT - Any songs in particular we should be watching out for?
TK - Each song on Liminal really has its own identity and story to tell. I'm excited about all of them for different reasons. Triguna, composed by Michel, is the most abstract song on the album with a very intense ending. One's Glow is a very energetic and rhythmic song with an awesome drum solo by Yuma. Immanent is a very groovy song with some really big and epic parts in it. I hope there's something for everyone on Liminal!
MT - What was it like transitioning from your debut to the new album?
TK - Very natural and easy actually. The first album took a long time because we were still searching for an identity. With Liminal, we already knew very well what we liked about our sound, what we didn't like so much, what new influences we wanted to add to our sound, etc. So it really was a matter of sitting down and letting the ideas flow. There were the occasional struggles of course, but that comes with the territory of being a perfectionist.
MT - You're among the select bands to run a successful crowdfunding campaign. How does it feel to have that kind of support?
TK - Amazing! We might not have millions of followers, being in this niche type of music, but the followers we do have are really dedicated and loyal. And we're very grateful for that! We worked our asses off to try and create something special with Liminal. It's very exciting to send it out to our backers next week, I really hope they'll like it!
MT - Who or what inspires your music?
TK - Who or what doesn't? We love to get inspired by abstract things like emotions, dreams, situations, nature or just life in general. It's quite challenging to try and capture these concepts in instrumental music, but very rewarding. Other than that, we inspire each other in the band. And then there's all the great music out there to get inspired by.
MT - What was it like transitioning from Cynic to Exivious?
TK - Freedom! To do exactly what I want to do, music wise and business wise. And to do all of this with 3 great and likeminded friends who happen to be great musicians. Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for my time with Cynic. I gained tons of experience and had so much fun. But having said that; I'm a bad follower. I always have a clear idea on how to do things and on how to improve things. That wasn't my place in Cynic. With Exivious we're all on the same page, we share similar goals, similar tastes in music and we're just great friends. I'm very happy with where Exivious is at right now.
MT - Rumor has it Exivious may be going full-time. Any light you can shed on this?
TK - We'll always have our side projects, because that's just fun to do. And me and Yuma are both working as producers and engineers as well, work that we love to do. But Exivious has priority over everything else at this point, so we're hoping to treat Exivious pretty much as a full-time commitment.
MT - Have you toured much?
TK - Not yet! After we released our debut, Robin and I were touring all the time with Cynic, so we didn't have the chance to gig with Exivious. When we quit Cynic, we did 1 European tour with Exivious, supporting Obscura and Gorod and then got to work for Liminal. So now that Liminal is done and almost out, we're hoping to finally do some proper touring with this band!
MT - Any favorite shows?
TK - I loved playing at Brutal Assault in 2011, an open air festival in Czech Republic. Such a great atmosphere! And there were some awesome shows on our last tour as well. I remember the show in London (Underworld), the show in Haarlem (Patronaat) and the one in Prague (Black Pes) as some of my favorites. I usually prefer smaller, more intimate venues, for the type of music we play.
MT - What's the craziest thing that has happened to you at a show or on the road?
TK - Traveling all the way to India with Robin, for a gig with Cynic at a festival, only to find out Paul & Sean couldn't make it due to visa problems. We got put up in this ridiculously big villa that was part of a resort with a swimming pool and an awesome buffet (3 times a day). So we then agreed on playing some kind of ambient set, just Robin and me. We prepared some interesting ambient versions of Cynic and Exivious songs, only to find out the entire festival got cancelled the next day! So all we did was eat ridiculous amounts of food, 3 times a day, and then fly back home hahaha.
MT - If you could tour with any bands in the world, who would you take the stage with?
TK - I'd love to tour with bands like Devin Townsend Project or Opeth. It would be awesome to share our music with a bigger crowd. But it would also be fun to see what would happen if we would support a post-rock band like God Is An Astronaut. Touring is fun anyways and what's most important to me, is that the guys in the bands you're touring with are cool. So as long as that's in order, it's all good!
MT - What do you guys do for fun?
TK - Play the guitar, compose new songs, play gigs... but I'm guessing that's pretty obvious. Other than that, I love to tinker with computers and other geeky things. I love to think, to travel, to read interesting articles and to watch good movies. I also love spending time with friends and my parents and siblings. Nothing out of the ordinary really. And the other dudes are just as boring as I am.
MT - Favorite alcoholic beverage?
TK - Belgian special beers. Dubbel, tripel, quadrupel... they're all awesome!
MT - Is there anything you want to say to the fans out there?
TK - Thanks for taking the time to read this and I'm hoping you'll dig our new album! And if you're one of the people who supported us by backing our crowd-funding campaign: thank you once again!
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There are plenty of incredible solo artists in the world, but Plini may have taken the cake for 2013. This is why we had him featured as our Artist of the Week not too long ago. His latest EP "Sweet Nothings" (review here) and it's predecessor "Other Things" (review here) both came out this year in absolute triumph. They bring a number of elements in an awe-inspiring instrumental package including bits of Fusion, Prog Rock / Metal, healthy experimentation, etc.
We recently conducted an interview with the one and only Plini. Be sure to read up and learn below!
MT - You just dropped an excellent new EP "Sweet Nothings" to follow up "Other Things". What all went into creating those?
P - A fair bit of time and a lot of sitting around! The writing and recording of the first 80% of both releases only took a day or two per song, but I get scared when something is almost “finished” and hesitate to call it done. The stuff on Sweet Nothings was actually close to finished a few months before I recorded Other Things - I was just more confident to put out the stuff on Other Things (most of the orchestral parts on Sweet Nothings didn’t exist until a couple weeks before I released it) so it got to come out first!
MT - What was is like transitioning between the two releases?
P - I had a lot better of an idea of what to do/how to do it with “Sweet Nothings”, because for whatever reason, the reception of the music and art of “Other Things” far exceeded my expectations, so it was kinda like “oh yeah I’ll do it like that again, that worked last time...” And then the reception of Sweet Nothings exceed my expectations yet again!
MT - Is there anything you can tell us about the third EP in the "Other Things" trilogy?
P - Right now it only exists in my memory and a couple of very short clip. But I feel like overall it will be bigger and more dense, but also smaller and frail. The heaviest, but also the softest, and definitely the best. You will buy it.
MT - How did the EPs get their names?
P - It was going to be an album - “Things” - and “Other Things” (as a sorta bonus EP) but I decided to arrange it into a story/trilogy and not emphasise one or the other. So yeah.
MT - Any favorite songs from the new EP?
P - I like how Tarred & Feathered came out, it was purely acoustic guitars and drums until a week or so before releasing it I decided to go all out. I also love the solos Gru and Stevo did, and Luke’s playing (especially the ending) on Sweet Nothings. But I basically have a love/hate relationship with everything I write, so it’s hard to pick a fave.
MT - How has the response been?
P - Stupidly good, very surreal. Having a box of CDs that I made in my room and sending them to addresses all over the world to make people happy is one of the strangest and most awesome things I’ve ever done. Also discovering that some of the musicians I really admire have somehow found my music and enjoy it/share it with their fans is CRAZY.
MT - How did you get your name, Plini?
P - It was from a book (The Glass Bead Game) my mum was reading when I was a baby.
MT - How did your solo career get started up?
P - I wouldn’t call it a career just yet... but I started recording stuff a few years ago and eventually felt optimistic enough to put it online (back in the days of myspace and soundclick, good times). People seemed to enjoy it, shit happens!
MT - How do you typically go about writing music?
P - I fuck around a lot until something worthwhile happens and then I see where I can go with it! Normally it’s a guitar riff with a drum feel. Then I just keep building it up until it feels like anymore would be too much. After the first half a minute or so is written I tend to get a picture in my head of the overall form of the song, which I then arrange it to.
MT - Who or what inspires ya?
P - People, music, art, nature, science, feelings. The main musical ones at the moment are Steven Wilson, Ulf Wakenius, Justin Timberlake and CHON.
MT - Do you play live at all?
P - I played at my high school once.
MT - Did anything crazy happen at that show?
P - People clapped, I was surprised.
MT - I'm not! If you could collab with any artists in the world, who would they be?
P - The ones that (I hope) will happen soon are Sithu Aye, Mario from CHON, Aaron from Intervals... and many more. A couple of dream collabs would be like Steven Wilson or Kimbra or something.
MT - What are your plans for the rest of 2013 / early 2014?
P - Got a little side project I’ve been working on for a while that will be coming out at the end of November and then I’m having a lil holiday. After that I’m gonna get stuck into figuring out how the trilogy ends!
MT - Here's the fun round... Plini plise take my moni?
P - With pleasure!
MT - Anything you want to say to the fans out there?
P - You all rule and I am extremely grateful and can’t wait to release more music and hopefully start touring and meeting you lovely people soon! <3
MT - Thanks for your time! Seriously... take my money
Hey y'all experimental lovers! I've got some more weird stuff for you coming straight out of that wicked town called Hollywood. Rejectionary Art is a duo made up of two wired individuals (Paula Stefanini & Lee Wanner) united by the mutual reluctance to pursue a single genre and the desire to continuously expand their musical horizons and borders.
The result is a lovely mindfuck, triggered for the first time in 2012 with their album “Butterfly” (May 2012) and once again this year with the new release “Excoetidae: Flying Fish”, put out this month. This album features pretty much everything: metal, blues, country, jazz, funk, electronic, odd vocal experimentation, and djenty madness.
The whole album can be streamed for free and purchased on Rejectionary Art's Bandcamp page. So if this sounds like a good time, I suggest you to go give it a listen or two and start following this interesting act right now!
Australia's 21-year-old musical genius, Plini, is back to pleasantli please us with yet another amazing release entitled "Sweet Nothings". And believe me, it's sweet! "Sweet Nothings" is the second part of a trilogy of EPs Plini's been working on and editing over the past two years. The trilogy is entitled "Other Things" just like it's first release that this EP follows up.
The very first track, simply titled "Opening", immediately leads to a dreamland filled with serenity and lightness of an ethereal nature. This music is literally like a therapy or a brain massage if you will. It's able to make you feel so careless and forget about all of the crap happening around you. Instead, you can simpli enjoy these opening minutes of relaxation and mental levitation. There's an amazing gem included on this track - the last guitar solo of the song was performed by Piotrek "Gru" Gruszka and my god it is brilliant! "Opening" is probably the most "proggy" track of the EP and it works perfectly as an introduction. It not only gives you an idea of what you're getting into, it switches off your brain and lets you float into what comes next.
Now that your mind is prepped for travel, it will find something more catchy and uplifting. The second track entitled "Tarred & Feathered" is somewhat reminiscent of the song "Heart" (featured previousli on Plini's "Other Things") with it's amazing use of rhythmic acoustic guitar with soft and memorable sounds and riffs. Towards the end, the orchestral elements will make it one of the most epic instrumental songs you'll hear in 2013.
Next step is called "Away". Combining thin and refined guitar patchwork and wisely detailed riffage, both layered with intelligent and amazing synths, Plini has made another unquestionably inspiring song. It packs the same "proggy" approach heard in the first track, but with more of a catchy take on the guitar work which makes it less atmospheric and more ear popping in some ways.
Perfectly balanced musical ideas appear in the final song "Sweet Nothings", especially in the beginning and in the epic ending. A simple lead brings you to an ending in which guitar gets heavier but sill not aggressive. Between low end riffage and an amazing solo emerges an epic and surprising finale in which the synths play the same riff of the beloved song "Heart" (the previously mentioned opener of "Other Things"). This definiteli finishes things in the best way possible (or maybe even better!). You should also focus on the brilliant piano details, performed in this track by Luke Martin, pushing the whole song to a higher level.
This is a damn near perfect EP, touching and delighting in it's allure. "Sweet Nothings" is therapy for the mind, body, and soul. You need to listen to this, repeatedly. The world around you will look much better and you will feel much better. It packs memorable guitar work that manages to be progressive and even jazzy without being foolishly complex. Instead it's amazingly simple and catchy despite being original and uncanny. There isn't really much more to say when you're in front of the best instrumental EP of the year. Amazing.
It's been about four years since the release of the damn near flawless
Exivious self-titled debut. What was originally a Cynic / Textures side
project has experienced a few line up changes in that time but has still
emerged strong. Now they've emerged from the studio after creating their
sophomore full-length "Liminal"! And from the
songs / clips that have been made available thus far, it is sounding PHENOMENAL!
After running a successful crowd funding campaign which allowed fans to make custom tweaks to the album artwork (representing a constant state of change, thus "Liminal"), they're currently gearing up for the actual release.
Speaking of which, the band recently sent us (and all their supporters) a detailed press release. Read up for additional info below (including the release dates) and ogle the artwork / jam the single. Your ears can thank me later.
P.S. Our friends at got-djent exclusively released another track. Get on that!
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Hey guys!
OK, this is not really a studio report because the album has been done for quite some time now. But let's just keep the tradition of using the term 'studio report' for any kind of updates on Liminal.
Announcements
In all our excitement from announcing us being signed to Season of Mist and us working with booking agency Factory Music, we actually forgot to update you guys through email. We know, not everyone is following us on Facebook so some of you might have missed these announcements. If you want to read more about these announcements, please visit our new website at www.exivious.net
Release date
So, we finally have a release date for Liminal! November 8th in Europe and November 12th in the US. We wish it could have been faster, but unfortunately, labels need their time to prepare releases and November was the absolute earliest they could do. Our apologies for the long wait!
Crowdfunding / label version confusion
There's been some confusion about a crowdfunding version of Liminal verses a label version. To clear things up: there will only be one version. The customers who pre-ordered the digipak will receive the digipak as is. The customers who ordered the Personalized Unique Edition will receive the digipak packaged in a fancy little box together with their own unique poster, some stickers and a flyer. All orders (digipak / Personalized Unique Edition / PUE plus shirt etc.) will be sent out at the same time: as soon as we receive the digipaks from Season of Mist.
Thanks for the patience and the support!
Exivious
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Not to be confused with meth... Maeth is quite the interesting band. I could sit here rambling in an attempt to describe them but this Bandcamp quote pretty much hits the nail on the head.
"proggy, riffy, textured. well thought out music. instrumentation is exacting and brilliant. came across maeth just as random search but have loved every second of this gem"
They mix together a bunch of styles into a truly unique and off-kiltered listening experience which is... well... worth experiencing. Especially for all the progheads out there. And just to sweeten the deal, the band is offering up their recent album "Oceans Into Ashes" along with their debut EP "Horse Funeral" for "name your price" downloads on Bandcamp! That's right. Stream below and support this band if you enjoy!
Australia's sweetest progressive artist Plini is finally returning with a new EP called "Sweet Nothings". This is going to be Plini's second EP working as a follow up to "Other Things" which was released earlier this year.
"Sweet Nothings" will be released independently on October 11th. The release will come together with some amazing artwork. There will be a limited series of physical hard copies that you can already pre-order. Grab yours here!
Plini has uploaded a splendid trailer to his channel showing off some of the material he's been working on. If you're a fan of forward thinking progressive music, fusion, amazing atmospheres and soundscapes you should check this out immediately. Don't miss your chance to get your copy of this amazing work!
Now THIS is a steal. Intervals are an incredible band through and through. Based in Toronto, they've been making quite a buzz around the metal underground. First off with their 2011 EP "The Space Between" then with their 2012 follow up "In Time".
I must say the band has one helluva line-up. This instrumental unit is led by the guitars of Aaron Marshall and Lukas Guyader. Anup Sastry (drummer for Jeff Loomis and Skyharbor) resides behind the kit while Mike Semesky (Raunchy, ex-The HAARP Machine) handles the rumble from down under.
If you must know how incredible their latest EP was, read the review here. But it's highly recommended you just listen below, head over to Bandcamp, and download all their work for the price of your choosing. Show Intervals some love! They deserve it.
This might actually be one of my best finds this week. Coming out of Los Angeles, Aestus provide a rock solid Progressive Metal sound with elements of Groove Metal, Funk, and Psychedelia in the mix. They pull this off in damn near the best way possible, experimenting and twisting the listeners mind throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed this listening experience.
This upcoming and incredibly talented DIY band just put out their debut EP appropriately titled "Psychonaut". It shows off all I was talking about above and some. And just to sweeten the package, Aestus are giving away the EP for a ridiculous price... FREE! It's highly recommended that you stream below and grab "Psychonaut" for a "name your price" download on their official Bandcamp.
Genre - Music; anything more specific is narrowing and only dilutes the substance, making it easier for the mind to categorize.
Of Modern Architecture is a very interesting band coming from Vancouver. Coming into existence late last year, the band has officially released a debut EP "Solis Ocassus". And if the title of this segment hasn't given it away already... It's available for a "name your price" download on Bandcamp, braille included. Get to it!
As their genre above describes, this band is somewhat unpredictable in their approach, drawing together various elements in a cohesive and well planned manner. It's always cool to find a band so matured so early on in their career. The future Of Modern Architecture should be interesting to say the least... But in the mean time listen down below and make a stop by their official Bandcamp.
The man. The myth. The genius. Evan Brewer of The Faceless (ex-Animosity, Reflux) is now officially streaming his latest solo album on Youtube! After a good several listens, I can say this is most definitely a musical experience worth checking out.
Moving on from the purely bass approach of his first solo album "Alone", "Your Itinerary" brings a rich variety to every track merging several instruments and styles. There will be moments that melt your brain with pleasure and others that will leave you thinking "what the hell just passed through my ears?" Either way, this one is a winner. Listen to DAT BASS below.
Evan Brewer has been up to some serious kickassery throughout his career. Currently the bassist of The Faceless, he's also slapped in Animosity and Reflux (with Tosin Abasi and Sumerian Records owner Ash Avildsen). They don't call him a bass master for nothing (no fish included).
For those of you who don't know, he also has an incredible bass-based solo project. This first album "Alone" (2011) was written with bass as the only live instrument. Great record.
Now he's following it up with a fusion of sound, throwing in drums, keyboards, guitar, and a few surprises. His new album "Your Itinerary" is slated to do some good damage on July 16th via Sumerian Records. So far he's released a teaser, some updates, and just recently a brand new single called "Microscopic Scale" in support of this. All of the above are awesome. Give a listen below.
Shining is a crazy metal band from Norway. Originally started as a jazz band, they went through a continuous evolution touching on progressive and psychedelic rock as well. They finally came to experimental metal form with their 2010 album “Blackjazz” which surprised everyone and got raving review from the critics.
Their new album “One One One” was released in the US at the end of May and in Europe at the beginning of June via Prosthetic Records. It proves once again the amazing energy this band is able to deliver, especially during their intense live performances. Their free jazz influences make this album an irresistible and original musical attack, especially if you check out crazy tracks like “The One Inside” or “Blackjazz Rebels”. Norway hardly disappoints!
There are some days that you just wake up, get ready go for work, put your earphones on and listen to a band you like, over and over and over again. You like the music so much, you feel it defines you, your day, your life, your job, and then you don’t like it anymore. Period. Hybrid is NOT one of those bands. This is one of those albums that make you break necks in the pit and trash your room in a frenzy. “Angst” is now out on Deepsend Records!
Hailing from Madrid, Spain, Hybrid comprises of Chus Maestro (drums), Iván Durán (guitar), Antonio Sánchez (guitar), and Oscar (vocals and bass). Hybrid must have flown wildly under the metalhead-next-door’s radar. Although, not too surprisingly, they have shared stages with the likes of Tool, Napalm Death and Misery Index.
The first thing about Hybrid that caught my attention was be the band’s name. The fact that it was not a lengthy, seemingly profound phrase that ironically did not end up meaning squat... or another pluralization.
The second thing would be the music itself. Album-opener “Flesh Fusion Threshold” had enough going on to get one to sit up and take notice. The primary Death Metal influence is obvious. But that just paves the way for a horde of aural debauchery as Jazz elements fuse with Grindcore ones. “Enter the Void” is where the actual magic happens. The dapper of an opening verse riff is the numero uno layer to the mutant that is Hybrid. The third track “Collapse to None” starts and ends on a spoken word sample which adds more flavour to the sci-fi vibe that the band has tried to capture on the album. The fourth track “Self Implosion” is my personal favourite on the album. And believe you me, when I say that it sounds like someone mashed up Gojira grooves with Textures' vocal melody.
It goes without saying that the band has obscene magnitudes of technical proficiency on their respective instruments, which provides them with ample real estate to expand their sound onto. The production quality and mixing deserve a mention as well, what with the notes sounding crisp and clear, especially the bass. Sample the fifth track “Cuando el Destino nos Alcance”, an instrumental, if you want a first-hand taste of the dexterity.
For a band that produces such a healthy concoction of Math/Jazz/Grind and everything in between, Hybrid is criminally underrated, given that this is their sophomore full-length effort excluding the “Beyond Undeniable Entropy” demo. I for one would recommend anyone who likes the sound of “Angst” to dig up the debut record, “The 8th Plague” as well. “Angst” is a well-executed effort of some complexly arranged Extreme Metal beauties which is definitely worth your time and dough.
I've been meaning to review "The Didact" since it's release early last month. Upcoming Swedish Progressive Metal unit Means End made one helluva
impression when they released their debut EP about a year before that.
Known for being the band of vocalist Robert Luciani (ex-Vildhjarta),
Means End have proven that they're much more than the haven for a talented
name. Rather they are an extremely tight and talented musical unit
bringing creativity and an ever morphing groove to the forefront.
Stockholm Syndrome may ensue as the music pummels you between rhythmic heaviness and off kilter, jazzy melodic work blurring the line of insanity. The chord selection is quite interesting and tasteful and the musical progressions range anywhere from great to awe-inspiring. Might have mentioned, but this is one damn groovy record. Means End are locked into a pulse when they play. Impressive chemistry to say the least. They're also capable of covering a number of musical dynamics. This is not a band you will simply understand after hearing a single song.
The twelve tracks present are aligned to bring you on a metaphysical trip. This is apparent immediately as "Candle In The Dark" illuminates the mind through winding complexity and various musical approaches. Immense creativity and far flung forward thinking are present here. These things are true of just about every track. Stand outs include "Nox Aurumque", "Omega Barrier", "Sun Wukong", and the closer "To Love" among others. The amazing "Ominous Notions", "Lost In Thought", and "Magnaminous" from the original EP also make a return with the titles "Lied Von Leid", "Mourning Star", and well... "Magnaminous". Generally the leaps made from the original versions are positive. And considering the originals were awesome, that's noteworthy.
The track "Nox Aurumque" is a trip of it's own. It's a recreation of the original choral piece composed by Grammy Award winning composer / conductor Eric Whitacre. You can listen to the original here. With his collaboration, Means End re imagined the original. They did a thorough job from the instrumentation to the brilliant vocals of Robert Luciani sung in Latin. Very impressive.
There are a few minor downsides to "The Didact". Certain elements of the production are stronger than others. But it's a strong effort overall, especially when you consider the album was an independent, self-produced release. Means End also have a thing for spoken segments, usually to begin or end a song. These range from being interesting (ambition segment towards the middle of "Omega Barrier") to being campy and taking away from the experience (the beginning and end of "Crimson Interloper"... especially the end. 2:50 is abrupt and awesome until Alice In Wonderland arrives). As far as I'm concerned, Means End can do whatever they want though.
What's so interesting about this band is that you get the impression this is only the beginning for them. "The Didact" is a solid debut full-length. This band has an outrageous amount of potential to cover more grouns. The talent and forward thinking present here are capable of legendary things. One can only wait and listen for the future.
I'd most definitely say this one of the better Progressive Metal releases to drop this year. It packs an impressive amount of content and quality into a 50 minute ride. Plenty of bang for your buck as they say. This means there's plenty of replay value in "The Didact". I've personally been listening to it regularly since the release. Great stuff. Be sure to check the tracks above for some of that Stockholm Syndrome. If it captivates you, stream / support that greatness here!
After the big success of their crowd funding campaign to independently release their new album “Liminal”, Exivious are ready to give us a small taste of the new material.... hell yes! They deserved all the financial support as the results are mind blowing.
The dutch fusion-metal band released an amazing new single called “Entrust” featuring all the renowned characteristics of the band's sound. Expect fusion jazz mixed with amazing progressive rock and metal elements with beautiful, light atmospheres. High-level material.
As we wait for more awesomeness from “Liminal”, remember these guys will be performing at this Summer's edition of UK Tech-Metal Fest and I'm sure their performance will be one to remember! Give “Entrust” a listen below along with some previews from the new album and stay tuned for the release!
Ever have album art melt your face? Every once and awhile a band will
create or commission artwork which is undeniably awesome, iconic, or
inspiring. Sometimes it compliments the music in the perfect way,
leaving a mark on the listener or maybe even music history itself.
