Review Summary: Just less than eighteen minutes of the talented, calculated, smooth and heavy from our Cold War cousins.
This one's for the tired, for the bored, for the let-down. For those who've been looking for something worth hearing. For those who've been wondering where this new sound's all going. Abstract Deviation offer you a twist on the normal djent tone and style - a chance to re-evaluate the sound and do something new with it.
Whether that's incorporating a minimalistic drum sound at many points, throwing in electronic cut outs, ensuring the presence of crystalline reverb-laden solo lines, or due to the excellent musicianship of the group and their songwriting (that seems bound on doing just what their name implies), it's hard to deny that these guys are good. Not only that, but they have established something fresh feeling in a genre that's quickly stagnating. Part of the reason for this fresh feeling is likely that the band seems to set their goals on creating a dark mood through anticipatory guitar builds, dense tones, and climbing interludes, rather than the fretboard worship, mountains of chugs, and finesse-less technicality so many others rely on. The attitude here is clearly on the final product, rather than the skill required to make it. And it's the right attitude.
The fact that the sound resembles more of a verse/chorus pattern than most other djent also seems to benefit Abstract Deviation. Playing and putting variations on what the listener naturally expects to come next, the group establish a pathway, but not one which they're afraid to venture from. However, during such ventures, that the warm, light tones of the lead guitar weave through the dark, heavy rhythm section, occasionally accompanied by a flurry of acoustic strums and flowing synth, to cast a neon guidelight on this dark piece.
There are a few portions of this EP where the sound drones or a particular theme carries on a bit too long, but those parts are generally few and far between, or are generally the result of some of the lighter-toned guitars being drowned out in the heavy crunch of the mix (such as the midway point in "Estetiq") - something the band will have to work on in future releases. But on the whole, the truth of the matter is that the Russian lads of Abstract Deviation have created a great album. One where each track continues to evolve and spring out from its original branch. Truly
Abstract Deviation is a fantastic EP that catalogs the talents to come from the band of the same name.
