 | Tracklist:
1. Ripple Of A Tear
2. Time And Its Changes
3. Asurim
4. All That Surrounds pt. 1
5. Waves Of Thought
6. The Path
7. All That Surrounds pt. 2
8. Embrace The Unknown
9. An Elusive Need
| Ranking: #59 for 2009 | |
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On 15 Lists
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| Summary: With an excellent lineup including members from Cynic, exivious craft a masterpiece, and a genre defining album. |
5 of 6 thought this review was well written
exivious are:
* Tymon Kruidenier - guitar (Cynic)
* Michel Nienhuis - guitar (Sengaia)
* Stef Broks - drums (Textures)
* Robin Zielhorst - bass (Cynic)
Fusion metal is described as a relatively new genre in the metal world. Encompassing a wide variety of genres, fusion metal utilizes free form jazz and mixes it with a solid metal backbone. Yet this seems to have been done to death, right? However, after the first listen you begin to realize how truly unique and breathtaking the work as a whole really is.
The influence of Cynic is evident from the start. This is in no way a bad thing. There is a very Traced in Air vibe, and the production and guitar work greatly resemble that album. The signature Cynic-esque sound is there, but the album is empty of any vocals, thus placing the spotlight solely on the musicians. And they deliver in every way . Each member is an obvious master of his instrument. The guitarists take center stage however, displaying skill that is nothing short of awe inspiring. "Waves of Thought" is a prime example of how they are able to switch a tempo without the slightest of errors.
There isn't really a bad track on the album. "All that Surrounds" pts. 1 and 2 are the least guitar centered tracks, but offer an ambient break from the constant riffing and tempo changes. "Time and Its Changes" and "Waves of Thought" are the two standouts, filled with everything that makes this album so great. Unbelievable instrumentals, spontaneous time changes, and filled with jazz influences.
The tracks do not really have much of a flow to them, but the album has an overall concept: choices. The art supposedly are lines that make up the choices we make, and are in one way or another connected to each other. Aside from that, it is somewhat difficult to glean such a concept from the music. Yet the greatest part of the album is the fact that it can be heard objectively. It's music in its purest form, a piece of work that can be experienced by anyone, in any way possible.
The only fault that can be found in Exivious is it's appeal. Since the genre is relatively unexplored, many may have a difficult time really getting into it. It takes a few listens to appreciate everything that the album is, but once you do it really is worth it.
exivious have created something truly amazing with this record. Its an extremely varied excursion of true musicianship that will leave all those who hear it breathless.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
Needs a much better review, but hopefully this will get some attention soon, it really is one of 2009's best.
Digging: Oceansize - Frames | | |
This is in know way a bad thing. No
The signature Cynic-esque sound is there, but the album is empty of any vocals, thus placing the spotlight solely on the instrumentalists. Musicians. I don't think instrumentalist is a word. Also you should describe what you mean by Cynic-esque sound because their sound changed from their first album to their second AND if anyone hasn't heard Cynic before they will have no idea what you mean.
Each member is an obvious master of their instrument. his instrument because you're talking about each member individually.
Review is alright but needs some work as pointed out
Digging: All the Empires of the World - Last Rites
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
Thank you very much! Fixed them
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i like. good job
Digging: David Bazan - Curse Your Branches
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Better now. I'll pos
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
this record is so sick. hopefully more ppl will give it a listen.
Digging: Between The Buried And Me - The Great Misdirect | | | Album Rating: 4.5
Good review, I pos'd, but I think certain things should be explained more in-depth, like what scream said about "Cynic-esque sound" because I haven't gotten into Cynic all that much myself so I don't exactly catch your 'drift'. But that's just me.
Album is pretty fantastic I must say.
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Yerp good review. Am getting this.
Digging: Masachist - Death March Fury
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
sounds fun
Digging: Disparaged - The Wrath of God | | | Album Rating: 4
Cynic + Textures. Pretty much all anybody needs to know about this album.
Digging: Gaza - He Is Never Coming Back | | | Album Rating: 4
I wanted to review this, but it's definitely not an easy album to review. Glad someone did though.
Definitely in my top 10, maybe top 5 of the year
| | | Album Rating: 4
Props for stepping up to review this, it's a hard album to digest and I imagine even harder to put into words. Could've gone more indepth, but it's a good introduction for people wondering what the hell exivious are.
Digging: Katatonia - Night Is The New Day | | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
Yes it was incredibly difficult! I appreciate all of the comments, thank you!
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
I really don't understand the lack of attention though. Traced in Air was 2008's number one album, so seeing this without a review for so long was pretty odd
| | | Album Rating: 4
Consider that Cynic already got heaps of praise for Focus, while Exivious is a fairly unknown act. When you find Exivious you find the word Cynic, but not the other way around. The genre is pretty inaccessible and the album hasn't been promoted or pushed so much either. I suppose it's more the lack of people having discovered the band than the music not being of high enough quality for them.
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I've known about the album since before it was released, but I just haven't had the interest to check it out for some reason.
Digging: Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun
| | | Album Rating: 4
Also, after having listened to the album so many times it seems to just sit between a 4 and a 4.5 for me. Part of me likes to think the music deserves more, but another part gets a little lost sometimes.
| | | Album Rating: 4
Props for reviewing this. great album
Digging: The Swell Season - Strict Joy | | | Album Rating: 4
This is a good album, but they definitely bite off of the first Cynic album.
Digging: The Shizit - The Shizit | | |
awesome album
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