Review Summary: Maintaining balance
Invent Animate has always been a band about balance. From the beginning of their days with
Waves, the progcore crew has always emphasized the necessity of balancing their heaviness with their peaceful and tranquil side. Despite various member changes and slight style shifts, the primary goal and purpose has remained the same: maintain that balance. And with
Heavener, Invent Animate continues to do just that.
Building on the foundation of
The Sun Sleeps, As If It Never Was, the atmosphere is flooded with ambient guitar passages heavily contrasted by low-tuned riffage. From breakdown to chorus to verse, the soundscape feels open and airy as well as emotional and crushing as it embraces the beautiful, melodic harmonies in verses like “Without A Whisper” and the onslaught of grooves as in “Immolation of Night.” The band continues to show off their technical prowess in their intense guitar riffs opening “Shade Astray” and “Void Surfacing,” yet focus more on their groove-centric songwriting as they expand on infectious rhythms like the opening of “Emberglow” and “Absence Persistent.” With this shift to a more expansive style,
Heavener features more emphasis on the emotional sound, giving rise to overwhelming chord progressions in choruses like “Elysium” and ambiance washed over with beautiful reverb as in “Reverie.” Whether it’s an emotional chorus or an intense breakdown, Invent Animate embraces their balance and creates an atmosphere that is both peaceful and abrasive.
The most notable way that
Heavener achieves this balance is through the performance of Marcus Vik. His harsh vocals continue to make an impact throughout the record, displaying impressive lows throughout the breakdown of “Labyrinthine” and intense and raw highs throughout “Immolation of Night.” However, what’s new here is how the band leads more into his cleans and melodies, which have taken a step forward in performance. “Emberglow” and “Labyrinthine” feature solemn vocals that are softly sung, showcasing his lower range that floats effortlessly along the choruses. Meanwhile, “Without a Whisper” and “Shade Astray” show Marcus’ higher range with infectious vocal riffs and a strong presence. Even moreso, “Reverie” is a beautiful display of his vocal ability as the band allows his voice to carry the track with its harmonies blending with the atmosphere.
Heavener shows a band continuing to evolve and build upon their strengths. While it doesn’t deviate from the foundation laid by
Greyview and
The Sun Sleeps, As If It Never Was, Invent Animate focuses on what they’re good at and expands it. From the beautiful and infectious melodies of the choruses to the ferociously intense grooves of the breakdowns and riffs,
Heavener is an exceptional display of their talent for balancing the melodic and the aggressive.
