Review Summary: In defence of the rating: number three.
Djent luminaries TesseracT have always had a penchant for taking a core sound and boxing it in. With a profound sense of marginalism, the band showcases a consistently steady albeit restrained level of creativity leaving their music on the cusp of being that something more, revolutionary and a staple. Instead,
Sonder only picks up the framework found on
Altered State and
Polaris landing somewhere in between. It shows a band failing to do anything other than checking their craft and packing it down again. A ‘going through the motions’ outlook on their music still leaves one hanging question:
Can Tesseract actually use the potential they’ve hinted at with each release and finally present us with something more？
The jury is still out, but one thing is certain as
Sonder falls off shelves into the awaiting hands (and ears) of fans and music enthusiasts; Tesseract continue to make ‘good’ music. Combining the natural low end of thick bass led riffs into melodic rock repose has done a lot for this English based progressive act. Put simply, it’s a whole lot easier to throw
Sonder into the progressive rock umbrella rather than the Meshuggah-esque soundscapes that “djent” suggests. Tesseract have opted for the “pretty” face that djent can often wear and while the staple remains the same, the standard Tesseract has become a dangerously boring default for a ‘talented’ group capable of doing more than throwing glitter at a grey wall.
Sonder starts strongly enough for the usual Tesseract fare. “Luminary” instantly captures the low end essence of a groove led affair, before leading the listener into a twinkled display of soaring verses and stock standard chorus lines. The result: solid enough music made to underwhelm all but die-hard fans. Thankfully the album’s thirty seven minute run time helps prevent the complete nosedive into listener boredom where the moments of brilliance (fleeting as they may be) somehow go unnoticed as everything switches off. If it wasn’t for the likes of “King”, “Smile” and the bombastic “Juno” leading
Sonder’s quality charge, Tesseract’s 2018 effort would be a complete waste of time.
Overall, it’s hard to imagine Tesseract pulling themselves out of this musical slump they’re in. The unwillingness to explore new ground within their little world of contrast has cramped what could actually be. Capitalizing on the band’s utmost consistency has certainly led to a listenable experience where the group’s new music is concerned… but I’d be apprehensive about any Tesseract performance being called memorable.
