Before listening:
Don't have much experience with Djent, so I suppose this will be somewhat of an introduction to that sub-genre. The avg. rating from RYM isn't especially impressive, but since it's only got 3 ratings, I suppose it's very possible that those 3 people just don't know ****.
After listening:
I found this album moderately enjoyable. Right off the bat they present us with some satisfying use of harmony, especially on "Diapason", but it is indeed accurate to say that throughout the album it does sort of devolve into average, dime-a-dozen prog metal fare, especially on the wannabe epic "Bore", though there are some quite good parts in the mid-section of the track, as well as some very pleasant ambient parts, which also recur elsewhere on the album. On a similar note, I think it's nice that they keep a variety of dynamics in mind (a concept that in a general sense seems to be lost on many a metal band) and juxtapose distorted and clean guitar tones. The latter is used especially successfully on the tracks "Nisus Woes" and "Often the Echoes".
As for the Djent aspect present here; the "mathiness" and use of odd time signatures in their compositions brings some excitement to many of the tracks, though one sometimes gets the impression that it's done to impress the technically minded listener, something I personally resent. At least nobody can say they don't know their craft FWIW.
The fact that all the tracks play attacca (without interruption/silence between tracks) is a nice touch and gives a good sense of continuity and cohesion to the album. As does the re-introduction of certain musical motifs and riffs on different parts of the album. ...or maybe some of their riffs just sound kind of samey... I don't really feel like putting in the effort to verify or debunk that statement.
Lastly, I especially liked the more ambient (or pseudo-post-rock-y) parts of this, especially on the last track (both the faux-ending and the true ending). I actually think this artist could do a pretty decent ambient project if they put their mind to it. But for now I guess they're complacent to reside in the realms of somewhat middle-of-the-road prog metal. Oh well.
In summation: Nothing revolutionary, but I could see myself re-visiting certain parts of this album from time to another. I'll chalk it up to a "like".
6/10
|