****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
On first listening this album is a blur of metal riffs, solos and technical drumming which is a little daunting initially (especially listening to a continuous song for 43 minutes straight). But after several listens I found it really opened up and made sense. The different sections flow fluidly into each other creating a truly unique atmosphere which varies from dark, aggressive metal, to ambient jazzy soloing, and even has some church organ providing a brief rest from the metal onslaught. Fredrik Thordendal is at his best here, with many extended solos, great melodic sense and fantastic rhythmic riffing. I cannot stress enough how amazing the guitar solos are - Thordendal's note choice, phrasing and taste really shine through. Anyone who likes jazz/fusion soloing would appreciate the talent displayed here.You will inevitably compare this to Meshuggah's work. I find this album has a greater variety of moods and a more complex feel than Meshuggah, which is not to say that it's superior, just different (I will say it is a more interesting listen than Catch 33). To me, the main difference is Meshuggah's work really focuses on pure power and groove whereas this album explores more ambient and experimental teritory, though it certainly has plenty of crushingly heavy sections and primal energy. Any Meshuggah fan would love this as it still retains many of the elements that make them great, just with some added spice on top.The production is fantastic, every instrument has a space and nothing over-powers or obscures anything else. The main rasping voice is one of the weirdest yet coolest vocal styles I've heard. It fits in very well with the overall feel of the music and adds to the sense of claustrophobia in certain parts. The drums are phenominal, managing to enhance and add to the rhythms played by the guitars. I love the way the drums play around the riffs and there is a great feel to them throughout the album. This album displays the drums as much as is displays the guitars, which is such a refreshing change from the usual shred album you hear (with a focus only on guitar solos). In fact this album is clearly meant as a piece of music, rather than a demonstration of virtuosity. It is also worth mentioning the saxophone solo, which is fantastic on its own, and also shows where Thordendal gets some of his inspiration from, as his soloing tone and style is sometimes very close to the saxophone's sound here.Despite being a little over-bearing at first, this album really grows and becomes extremely addictive over time. I found myself listening to it repeatedly for days (you can get lost in this album) as nothing else has quite the same energy as this. I love that it's a little indefinable as it shows some amazing creativity and an unbelievable level of talent from all the musicians involved. This album is an awesome showcase of what Fredrik Thordendal can do without any musical contraints.
