The Contortionist

Intrinsic

Written by: PP on 13/01/2013 17:41:19

Ever wondered what sci-fi metal might sound like? Look no further than The Contortionist and their sophomore album "Intrinsic", where they explore the outer space areas of the progressive metal universe, probing out even further than its predecessor "Exoplanet" did two years ago. "Intrinsic" is a weird journey of progressive musicianship that effectively combines together the genius insanity of a Between The Buried And Me song together with the pioneering progressive metal soundscapes of Cynic. To make things even more interesting, the band often ventures towards Rush style prog on occasion.

It's somewhat of a departure from their debut album given that nearly all deathcore references have been removed from the mix, replaced by a desire to experiment with truly forward-thinking, futuristic metal. You can expect an intensely technical backdrop, where guitars zig-zag in one passage and deliver some back-chillingly beautiful prog metal scales in the next, usually in a relatively slow tempo to add for effect and a feeling of class all-around. The vocals range from soothing clean vocals to brutal growls, but the focus is on the former given the many atmospheric, spacious sections on record. Robotic vocoder is also used on numerous occasions, but never in the way that scene bands use it to pitch-correct rather than as an additional dimension in their soundscape.

It's yet another detail on an album that seems to be full of intricacies that make up parts of an ambitious and impressive soundscape. Thinking man's metal, sci-fi metal, call it what you will. It's hauntingly beautiful, yet fierce and aggressive elsewhere, and always delivered from a majestic progressive platform. Needs concentrated listening before it can be fully appreciated.

Download: Holomovement, Causality
For the fans of: Between The Buried And Me, Cynic, Rush
Listen: Facebook

Release date 17.07.2012
E1 / Good Fight Music

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