Review Summary: Overall, “Intrinsic” is a great sophomore album, combining elements of deathcore, ambient and progressive, creating an amazing experience
There’s always been a certain debate in a band’s mind before releasing a sophomore album, especially when their debut album was critically acclaimed. They have to choose between keeping their core sound or evolve into something completely different. Some bands succeed to do both, and The Contortionist are one of them with their recent release Intrinsic, allowing the listener go get into the peaceful – yet heavy world that is “Intrinsic”.
The album clocks in at 45 minutes and offers a lot to the listener: heavy riffs and breakdowns showcased throughout the album, well done clean vocals and ambient-focused tracks like the album closer, Parallel Trance. Time signature changes are something the band has always been known for, and “Intrinsic” is no exception. Guitars are as great as ever; groovy, punchy and melodic, while Joey Baca doesn’t fail at giving the tempo behind his drums. Even xylophones add to the melody and the overall grandiosity of the music itself, like demonstrated in the song “Feedback Loop”. Finally, the production of the album doesn’t deceive, which is always a plus.
Overall, “Intrinsic” is a great sophomore album, combining elements of deathcore, ambient and progressive, creating an amazing experience. Sure, it contains less heavy and core material than the band’s debut album, but it brings original, new and fresh stuff to the table, which gets me excited for their next release.
