Album Rating: 4.5

Man, this is probably album of the year so far.



Def. lot of cynic in this album, and maybe a little bit of the Faceless too. Awesome through and through though

the levitated is mesmerising

Album Rating: 2.5

You could just say you find this band unoriginal and boring without letting your false sense of

superiority leak through. So far you have eluded only to the guitar work being reminiscent to Chuck,

and them consequently throwing in "barely-jazz" (is this some sort of insult?) parts to mislead

their listeners into thinking they're something special. I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of

instrumental metal, most of the instrumental music I listen to comes from post-rock, but I don't see

how you can totally write these guys off. I think you would be hard pressed to find what band they

ripped off while writing The Levitated. When I hear clean jazz-influenced two handed tapping in such

beautiful chord progressions, I think Scale the Summit. Once again, I'm no expert in instrumental

metal, so if you could educate me on what metal band successfully incorporated that technique into

their sound before, please do.





I just give my two cents like the rest of this site. I haven't heard any of these previous stuff and I'm simply critiquing this album as a whole, not the band. Tapping, noddling, off-time rhythm sections does not equate jazz by any means and that's what I'm pointing out when I hear people go off on a sound they themselves have never particularly been exposed before; more so by what they read. There isn't much in the way of instrumental metal that does great with incorporating jazz but I can lead you to some way better instrumental metal in general.

Album Rating: 4.0

This is really really good. I don't usually dig this type of music but this is astoundingly beautiful

Album Rating: 4.5

Nobody claimed that the "tapping, noddling, off-time rhythm sections" on this album were jazzy. The free-form explorative bass lines, and the implementation of actual jazz chords on the other hand, ARE jazzy.



As for the Cynic comparison, check 1:08 into the track "Whales." Sounds like a melding of both Cynic and Intronaut. While the album as a whole isn't akin to Cynic's style of tech-death prog, I'd say most of the comparisons derive from that track. Though, I do also see where you're coming from with the Death comparison (not in the lead work, however, mostly in the chordal structures). By and by, I'd have to say that both comparisons aren't warranted.

Fantastic review dude. Totally disagree with your comment about the "disjointedness" of the transition between Secret Earth and Gallows though. I personally find that transition to be incredibly necessary at that point in the album and is very well placed. The prior songs really lull you into a sense of security with the sound of the album, which a lot of times can make an album become monotonous if expectations are matched from that point on. Gallows, however, immediately shocks the listener out of that sense of knowing what is going to come next and continues that feeling of discovery where you are constantly listening to hear what will happen next. Definitely a really well placed moment in my opinion and integral to the overall flow of the album. Plus it doesn't hurt that the riff is fucking awesome haha.

Album Rating: 4.5

Really liking this... 'Secret Earth' is one of my fav songs to come out in a while...

Album Rating: 4.5

CDC bored me, however i am hooked on this.

Album Rating: 4.5

Just took a nap with this on and had some crazy awesome dreams and the album even worked its way into the dream sooooooooooooooooooooo



Bumpin to a 4.5

i really love Black Hills.

Just listened to "The Levitated," great stuff. I'll have to get this one.

Album Rating: 5.0

This album is amazing!... so relaxing and mellow

Album Rating: 4.5

I think I could listen to a whole albums worth of that riff 1:20 into 'alpenglow' on repeat

Album Rating: 4.5

love this

Album Rating: 4.5

It's a lot more mellow is the only reason i can think of

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

More mellow and a lot less shreddy.

There are so many amazing moments on this album... It would be a grave injustice on my behalf to give it anything lower than a 4.5. It isn't perfect, but is coming pretty dang close...

Also, does anybody feel that the lush transition/interlude about a 1 1/2 minutes into Black Hills is the greatest moment of the album?

Album Rating: 5.0

Seriously the solo's on this sound so fucking clean it's scary.

Album Rating: 4.0

I love their music, this just kind of blends together with their old stuff for me though.

Album Rating: 4.5

Definitely an AOTY contender.