Welcome to the hypnotic, techtronic world of Telepathy and their stunning fourth album Transmissions. The Polish/English foursome based in Suffolk have been causing a stir on the festival circuit since 2011 with their sludgy, instrumental, post metal a favourite amongst both Arctangent and Desertfest crowds. They made a name by being loud, avantgarde and packing each song with gargantuan riffs drawing comparisons to Tool and Deftones, their love of film scores and use of samples and field recordings.
However this fourth record is culmination of four years of looking inward, languishing in introspection and nostalgia they ut away some of the crushing heaviness for more use of atmospheric synths and lighter textures that speak to the reflective nature of the song writing. Much of the influence for this record came from brother's Piotr, Albert and Krystian Turek, who form the band alongside Richard Powley, sorting through their family home and uncovering old photographs creating disharmony between then and now.
They also found one of the first radio broadcasts from Józef Piłsudski, arguably the founder of modern Poland, using the speech as part of the record but also having it inspired them to be more creative, more genre pushing than they have before. This is obvious with a track like Augury which has a ticking clock for pace and waves of Vangelis synth into the industrial Knife Edge Effect that shifts into the epic heaviness of Tears In The Fibre.
Transmissions is huge, a cinematic and seismic shift in Telepathy's sound, you need to experience this album rather than just listen to it. 9/10
Sometime In February - Where Mountains Hide (InsideOutMusic/Sony Music) [Matt Bladen]
Beginning as a solo project for guitarist Tristan Auman, Sometime In February is now a fully formed band with Scott Barber on drums and Morgan Johnson on bass. Where Mountains Hide is their sophomore album and it's got all the tricks and melodies of a acts such as Plini or Intervals, with some influence from the earlier prog bands too.
Where Mountains Hide is a bright album, brimming with sophisticated instrumentals but an uplifting melodic maturity that hooks you. Moments of jazz fusion, evolve into Djent palm muting as bluesy elements collide, but never conflict with the traditional prog metal styles. All three players do so at a virtuoso level, their individual performances are stunning but they have a cohesiveness that makes for some entertaining listing.
They've called in a few favours with Paul Waggoner and Dan Briggs of BTBAM adding extra guitar and other instruments, as Rich Castillo of The Callous Daoboys imparts sax on Bad Fight which reminds me of The Dirty Loops. They've also collaborated with Eric Guenther of The Contortionist on the Sound Design of the record, his skill giving it a fluidity that allows each song to stand independently but also as part of a whole. Impressive and uplifting Where Mountains Hide will be warmly welcomed at Arctangent this year I'm sure. 8/10
Wombbath - Beyond The Abyss (Pulverised Records) [Thomas Megill]
In collaboration with Pulverized Records, Swedish Death Metal veterans Wombbath struck for the 7th time with their latest album, Beyond The Abyss. Consisting of an intro and 9 songs, this is an interesting record. The band weaves between complex, almost progressive structures to caveman riffs with relative ease, all ahead of an atmospheric backdrop of synthesizers and violins. At first the atmospheric elements were a bit distracting, but after listening further to the album, and coming back around for a second listen, the violins and synths actually gave the album a unique identity.
The song, Discord Of Doom stuck out to me. The juxtaposition of dissonant, nearly technical guitar parts and harmonies with brutal riffs exploding out of left field really caught my attention. This song made me feel like I was trapped on a rocket ship in outer space with a feral, wild gorilla. Some parts made me envision the unease and wonderment that could result from experiencing the vast complexities of space, only to be brought back suddenly into the moment by the fact I'm being hunted by a raging monster in an enclosed aircraft in space.
The lead guitars were the highlight of this album. The solos and harmonies were crafted by some real technicians that truly understand their instruments. The tracks A Symphony Of Dread and Beneath The Abyss truly stick out in this regard. I very much appreciated the emotion in some of the primal howls from the vocalist on the last track, Consumed By Fire. That was a nice touch. I very much enjoyed this record and would recommend Beneath The Abyss to all who enjoy Old School Swedish Death Metal with a splash of Prog. 8/10
Mindwars - V (High Roller Records) [Thomas Megill]
The thrash doctors in Mindwars just prescribed a healthy dose of thrash metal to all old and new school thrashers alike, with their fifth album V. Released through High Roller Records, this record shall quell any and all thrash withdrawals. V has all the elements of a classic thrash record. Melodic and stompy riffs, blazing solos, and adventurous, catchy lyrics. Most of the songs on this record follow a no nonsense, classic thrash structure. The songs are mostly short, sweet, and to the point.
Mindwars - V (High Roller Records) [Thomas Megill]
The thrash doctors in Mindwars just prescribed a healthy dose of thrash metal to all old and new school thrashers alike, with their fifth album V. Released through High Roller Records, this record shall quell any and all thrash withdrawals. V has all the elements of a classic thrash record. Melodic and stompy riffs, blazing solos, and adventurous, catchy lyrics. Most of the songs on this record follow a no nonsense, classic thrash structure. The songs are mostly short, sweet, and to the point.
That is until we hit Vultures Of The Eighth Wonder which clocks in at 9 minutes and change, but what is an Old School thrash record without a long epic amirite? The Road to Madagascar, the only instrumental track on the album, contains my favourite part of this record where they randomly burst into a Lamb of God-esque breakdown that is so unexpected, I've re-listened to the section about 70 times. That riff could melt glaciers. The bass guitar shines on this record. Some of the bass parts really pop through the mix in some sections, especially on the track Chasing The Wind.
The band meshes very well together, as the bass and guitar complement each other perfectly on every track. Upon listening to this album, one can deduce that Mindwars have a lot of fun playing music together. The Supertramp cover is enough evidence of that, at least to me. That was an entertaining take on The Logical Song to say the least. This was a fun and enjoyable listen. A healthy dose of classic thrash metal with a tinge of modern flavour. I would recommend to any fans of the genre. 8/10.
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