Review Summary: Polish Progressive Metal band serves up a great album chock full of driving guitars and bass but also ambient and melodic violin and effects. Production value is top notch and the layering of instruments is very well done.
I stumbled onto this band when I was perusing an interview page with Mariusz Duda of Riverside. He had said he did some vocals for another polish band named Indukti. I'm rather glad I found this band because they are quite interesting, even if the great Mariusz only loans his vocals for the 1st, 2nd and 4th tracks.
So you are probably wandering what the band sounds like. They blend a mix of odd electric sounds with plenty of loud bass and distortion from guitars but they always have a melody going with either another guitar or ... gasp. A Violin! Now we all know the whole violin thing isn't exactly new to the rock world. It has been in many mellow rock songs including the fantastic 3 Libras by A Perfect Circle. However, as far as I know (and I don't know much so kindly correct me if I'm wrong), the Violin has not often been used in heavy music such as Progressive Metal or Sludge (or whatever you would like to call this stuff). This Violin adds a different kind of melodic quality to the heavy parts that is hardly ever touched on by other artists of the metal genres. Not only that, it does very well to expand on the more ambient and ethereal parts of the songs.
Probably the second most notable thing about the band would be the heavy bass playing, even during the would be quiet parts. Where many bassists would play quiet little dittys higher up on the fret board or simply drop out completely, this bassist uses a big bottom sound throughout the song, maintaining its heaviness through out the song. I am a little torn on weather or not to like or dislike this as it detracts from the build up and dynamics but still sounds good overall.
The album begins and ends in the same way, quiet and gently with a harp. So if you wanted to listen to this on loop you would be hard pressed to find the begining and end to the album unless you knew the album very well. This quiet playing is no indication of the rest of the album however because the pronounced bass playing soon meanders on with a slight liquid effect and then the even stranger sound of the violin. Once the mood is set, the wall of sound comes yet the violin is not hindered by the power chords and maintains the melody. I must say that for a first album the production value is very high. Every effect from each guitar is used spectacularly to add to the mood. Hearing power chords with a wah effect over surging bass and under flying violin is quite interesting.
Anyone who hears Mariusz's vocals should be captivated by them as they are once again perfect for the mood of the music and his range is pretty wide. He adds various oohs and ay ya yooos to the first song but does some real singing in the second. The band does well in incorporating Duda's voice, making the second track about four minutes long. If you have not heard his voice from Riverside up to this point and are a fan of the progressive or metal genres you should really try him out.
Perhaps the biggest problem with this album is the samey - soundingness of each track. Even though the songs are well written and each instrument is at the forefront, the players never seem to find a really good quiet spot to develop and build on and if there is a really quiet part, its usually just harp. Again this sameyness of each song is most likely due to the bass not being quiet as it should be. However it still sounds quite cool and for those of you into the heavier progressive stuff this album will be right up your alley.
Check this band out and play em loud cuz there is plenty of interesting stuff to devour but as a personal recommendation, if your short on time to really enjoy a great album or two, check out Riverside first. You wont be disappointed.
