Review Summary: Let the drummer speak for himself.
The enigma of Anup Sastry has never ceased to leave an odd, yet enjoyable taste in my mouth. While most bedroom musicians these days track their latest prog epic into Reaper before installing Superior Drummer, Mr. Sastry takes the reverse approach in his series of solo releases. All drums are played live, and all guitars are programmed. Which is not at all a problem, because the man has both fantastic talent behind the kit, and a brilliant mind for musical composition. While the choice of djenty guitar tone may be off-putting for some, the play style, production, and tone of
Bloom really do benefit from the chunky, metallic, sterile approach.
Bloom really does seal Anup as one of the most consistent musicians in today's progressive scene.
Bloom doesn't do much to differentiate itself from the sound introduced in his previous releases, but the stronger emphasis on dynamics in each track is a clear progression from the
Lion and
Titan EPs, which seldom escaped from the aggressive norm. Not to say his viscous riff and drum work has been abandoned completely; "Villain" is a terrifically heavy track that ends on a massive, punchy crescendo fairly akin to a breakdown. Anup does stretch his writing chops considerably in the second half of
Bloom, with the two, 7-minute closing tracks. While "Memoirs, Part I" might outstay it's welcome just a tad, "Memoirs, Part II" has such a robust structure while retaining some very interesting dynamics that it more than makes up for it, and functions as a brilliant EP closer. It also ends on one of the most disgusting-sounding breakdowns I have heard in progressive metal for a long time.
The drumming work is intensely technical at times, but only when the music calls for it. The guitar riffs, programmed as they may be, are very inventive and stand alone as an individual instrument.
Bloom sounds like it was written by a group of musicians, rather than just a single drummer, and in that regard, is a fantastic accomplishment. There is no denying the EP was written by a drummer, but it sounds less individualistic than the majority of his earlier outings. There aren't any solos to be found like in his previous releases that featured guest guitarists, but the pure punch and addictive nature of the guitar and bass riffs compensate without issues. All instruments sound polished to a tee when it comes to production, but everything is clearly audible, and the overall mix hits harder than a captive bolt pistol. The bass tone is also a delight to the ears and cuts through even the crunchiest breakdowns.
It is quite difficult to really grade anything Anup puts out, because from a musical standpoint, his personal projects are generally more consistent, more musically technical, and hold a stronger sense of personality than the bands he plays in. His sound has proven to not only be cohesive over his entire solo career, but he also progresses with every release; even if only slightly. And while the extremely clean production may not be everyone's cup of tea, there is no denying that Anup can write some incredibly structured, distinct, and technical metal.
Bloom sounds robotic, it sounds stainless, and it doesn't try to hide it. The EP is a product of years of refinement, but it never gives up on the vim and groove that Anup so expertly conveys in every project he presents.
