Calligram
Position | Momentum


3.8
excellent

Review

by Sunnyvale STAFF
July 19th, 2023 | 13 replies


Release Date: 07/14/2023 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Very | Solid

Multi-national collective Calligram (their membership hails from four different countries) made a mild splash in the metal scene with their 2020 debut LP The Eye is the First Circle. Its feral, concise batch of hardcore-tinged black metal tunes wasn’t exactly innovative, but satisfying nonetheless. Now, sophomore effort Position | Momentum sees the crew back for more.

This new album isn’t exactly a different beast than its predecessor, even if there are some shifts. Things are still kept fairly short and to the point, with Position | Momentum’s eight songs barely passing the forty minute mark in full, a sense of aggression and violence continues to rule the day, and the previous reference to hardcore-tinged black metal is still an adequate description of the music on tap. With all that said, though, Calligram here seem to be much more inclined towards gratuitously dipping into a broader range of musical styles for influence. By way of example, there are traces of post-rock all over (and post-metal in the sprawling “Ostranenie”), numerous moments inspired by the plodding heaviness of doom metal, and marked signs of post-rock-infused screamo in the unsettlingly beautiful first half of closer “Seminario Dieci”. Most of the time, the group is still content with pummeling the listener through fast-paced and unvarnished ferocity, but there’s a renewed focus on gentler sonic elements, whether it’s the mellower guitar parts which pop up now and again, or just moments of quieter dynamics. These variations go a long way to making the album maximally engaging.

There are some frustrations - for example, the stasis in the middle of “Frantumi In Itinere” goes on a bit too long before the track plunges once more headlong into heaviness, and fourth track “Tebe” feels largely forgettable, but as a whole Position | Momentum is a strong release which builds upon Calligram’s noteworthy debut. There’s little here which feels wholly fresh, but the music is undeniably well-crafted and competently delivered. Most of all, this is a fairly short album which feels even shorter than it is: perhaps an odd compliment, but serving as the mark of a reliably engaging listen which doesn’t get bogged-down in “saminess”. A broad swath of music fans in the mood for something heavy should find something to like here.



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user ratings (36)
3.6
great
related reviews

The Eye Is the First Circ


Comments:Add a Comment 
Sunnyvale
Staff Reviewer
July 19th 2023


6180 Comments

Album Rating: 3.8

Don't think this band has cracked the code on a fully excellent release yet, but they're quite good, with a lot of promise. Take a listen!

TheNotrap
Staff Reviewer
July 19th 2023


19009 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Good stuff indeed

Azazzel
July 19th 2023


937 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

the track Ex-Sistre has hyper-montage video art that's pretty nutty

MASSIVE epilepsy warning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqctkQL9cRw



I'm not super crazy about the Hardcore influenced vox trend creeping towards center spotlight, often lazy and one dimensional. Here it's married to great effect with the songwriting, neither above or below it

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
July 20th 2023


32185 Comments


Have this lined up for a first listen. Pretty sure I'm gonna enjoy it and then I'll forget about it forever.

Great conscise rev Sunnyboy.

MunsuLight
July 20th 2023


726 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

My biggest gripe with the album is definitively the vox. They are so one dimensional and I personally dont like how they sound. Outside of that, I do like the musical influence they added here

Wildcardbitchesss
July 20th 2023


13761 Comments


Damn, dug this band’s EPs a while ago, didn’t even know they dropped a full length and this

bludngorevidal
July 20th 2023


421 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

great stuff sunny. their first LP is one of the only reviews I've let surface on this site and I still treasure it deeply for that reason, so I was excited to check out their sophomore.



>> Most of all, this is a fairly short album which feels even shorter than it is: perhaps an odd compliment, but serving as the mark of a reliably engaging listen which doesn’t get bogged-down in “saminess”.



This is the crux of the record to me. It's so mercilessly ferocious that even the light touches of genre experimentation you touched on don't add enough depth to elevate the record to excellence.

Hawks
July 20th 2023


93728 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Will jam this tomorrow.

CugnoBrasso
July 20th 2023


3069 Comments


The name of this band is kilogram with a Scottish accent

Hawks
July 26th 2023


93728 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This is good stuff.

calmrose
July 27th 2023


7004 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

this rules

Hawks
July 27th 2023


93728 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

[2]

Hawks
July 27th 2023


93728 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

[2]



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