Review Summary: As another name is added to the growing tally of solo instrumental albums, Gruszka’s Cosmogenesis possesses enough brilliance to trounce some of the biggest names on the list.
Having your name well established in any musical circle is a pretty daunting task. And when that name has as many consonants as “Piotrek Gruszka” the odds don’t look so good. So, in order to go about making himself unforgettable in the metal circles, Gruszka took on the more easily pronounceable moniker “Gru” and quietly released the fantastic “Cosmogenesis” in 2010.
While the moniker is in itself pretty ordinary, the album most certainly isn’t. Cosmogenesis’ thirty four minute playtime contains some of the most incredible guitar playing ever put into recording. While nothing done here is groundbreaking in anyway, the composition and execution of the material is exemplary. While Gruszka does incorporate djent elements into his songwriting, the album is mainly based in the progressive vein of instrumental metal.
The precise use of synths contributes heavily to the catchy nature of the sound and this enhances the playback value of the album. This is of considerable importance in an instrumental album which by its very homogenous nature can tend to get stale very quickly. Songs also tend to slow down and evolve with a sense of purpose rather than dissolve into random passages of senseless shredding. Of course, the blazing sections of Cosmogenesis are also extant and amply portray Gruszka’a technical prowess in an apt manner.
Cosmogenesis seeks to impart the spacey dynamics of the cosmos much in the way The Contortionist did with “Exoplanet”. The riff that restarts the tiny interlude in the middle of the album opener “Nebula” is very much reminiscent of The Contortionist. Influences from “Animals As Leaders” are also evident in the intro to “Stellar” and one can also pick up Ben Sharp’s sound at certain points in “Zeta Reticuli”. Gruszka’s strength lies in infusing this collage of influences with his own signature and producing a sound that is enjoyably unique.
Gruszka also manages to harness his songs with an excellent guitar tone and backs it all up with an incredible production that describes clear drum beats and coherent background synth. All in all, “Cosmogenesis” ticks enough boxes to make it deemed worthy to be named alongside some of the biggest names in the instrumental metal genre today.
Rating:4.0/5.0
