STEADY DIET OF MUSIC

ISSUE ONE

Dead Lakes Witchcraft Vader BlackLab The Hirsch Effekt Caligula’s Horse WELCOME CONTENTS

Paradise Lost - Obsidian 3-4

Dead Lake - New Language 5-6

Witchcraft - Black Metal 7-8

Vader - Solitdue In Madness 9-10 Welcome to the first ever issue of STEADY DIET OF MUSIC, a digital magazine aimed at bringing a critical eye to alternative music. If you are BlackLab - Abyss 11-12 reading this, then I thank you for your time and hope you find plenty to enjoy in this inaugural edition – hopefully the first of many to come. In this month’s issue there are reviews of the stunning new Paradise Lost The Hirsch Effekt - Kollaps 13-14 record, the less than brilliant Dead Lakes, the charming and curiously titled Witchcraft album, as well as new releases from Vader, BlackLab, Caligula’s Horse - Rise Radiant 15-16 The Hirsch Effekt and Caligula’s Horse. While this digital magazine finds its feet – and fingers crossed, an audience! – it will focus primarily on reviews, but keep your eyes peeled for interview features coming in the very near future.

Thanks once again for your time and enjoy. PARADISE LOST OBSIDIAN as a foundation of previous interpretations and and The Devil Embraced both lean heavily on what makes this album so varied. It may not turn them into rhapsodies of sanguine terror. the Holmes’ ability to growl like infernal spawn seem a giant leap of dynamism, but there is Nuclear Blast Their building blocks are not far away from the while opener, Darker Thoughts and stand- a subtle shift in moods across the record that characteristics of Romanesque compositions – out track, Forsaken, see his weighty baritone keeps it scintillating throughout. While there is a blending melodic lines rather than contrasting reverberate around the track. This is the icing criticism that perhaps these styles could be better them, as well as rich textures from multiple on the wake cake however, as the songs would incorporated into one another or indeed within independent melodies – and this typifies the be nothing without the lush melancholy of single songs rather than multiple tracks, what It is rare, if ever, that the broadening of a shift in direction. It wasn’t to everyone’s liking, to date. lead into the traditional gothic style from which Paradise Lost’s instrumentation. Across this we have on offer is perhaps Paradise Lost’s best dynamic palate results in the creation of lesser with many fans and critics at the time deriding they borrow so heavily. But despite this level album there are resigned riffs that feel every bit work so far. There is still time for them to push art. The more influences and styles a band can the band’s apparently sudden shift to a disparate Describing something as gothic these days of blackened horror on display there is a light as crushingly depressive as they ought to, while forward into bold frontiers and play with more cohesively pull together almost always results genre – the former has become regarded connotes ideas of a make-up clad Cradle Of Filth shining through: There is a tongue in cheek Gregor Mackintosh’s solos – particularly on dynamic flair in the future as to have a band in one of their finer works. For gothic death and something of a cult classic in recent years - but fan – you have the risible The IT Crowd to thank humour at points on this record, namely in single Darker Thoughts - allow for a brush of optimism surprise and uplift you sixteen records into a doom stalwarts of Halifax, Yorkshire, Paradise the pop sensibility of a band like Depeche Mode for that – but in much the same way we should Ghosts’ chorus that sees the inimitable Nick atop the bleak canvas of Lost’s work. The career, perhaps creating their true magnum opus, Lost, a career has been spent harnessing and -particularly in the late 90s onwards – does mesh look to Mary Shelley or Bram Stoker over Holmes croon ‘O Jesus Christ’. Anyone au fait rhythm section makes these songs all the more proves that there is still plenty of creative energy moulding varying ideas and styles beyond with Paradise Lost’s penchant for misery. There Stephanie Meyer, we should look to Paradise with the band’s non-performative accents will oppressive with a heavy pound throughout that is left in the band. Their lifeblood is not fading the parameters of what many would deem is an inherent darkness to both bands that leads Lost to lead us into the gloom. Every track on sense the wry smile of a Yorkshireman evoking as unrelenting as it is meticulously put together, and as the world becomes a more horrendous acceptable. Beginning as a gothic deathened to the results not being quite so vast a chasm of this astounding record is steeped in a darkness such despairing religious imagery, and yet it meanwhile, the extra bells and whistles of place around us, Paradise Lost may just be the doom band, they hit heady heights with their unusual styles as one might imagine. All this is that most bands would find difficult to achieve. doesn’t take away form the mood or feel of the orchestral stabs across Darker Thoughts broaden soundtrack to the current apocalypse, especially fifth record,Draconian Times – an album often to say that Paradise Lost have never been ones to It may not be quite as bleak as the latest offering song – a gothic semi-pop metal number – instead the sonic palate of the song and exaggerate the when armed with the staggering Obsidian. lauded as their magnum opus – but quickly hide from influences beyond the sub-genre they from fellow veterans of the scene, My Dying elevating it into a parodic elegy worthy of Type epic weight of despair that Paradise Lost want found that circumstance and taste would dictate arguably helped to pioneer, and with their latest Bride, but the nine tracks that make up this O Negative’s back catalogue. you to feel when listening to their music. the rest of their vast career. Taking a turn to the release, Obsidian, they have taken so many beautiful work are utter miseries. Paradise Lost Paradise Lost’s new album, Obsidian, is aailable synthesised for the mid-point of their career, varying degrees of darkness and misery to heart have plenty in common with gothic artistry; they The segues between the death and the gloom The ability to jump back and forth between via Nuclear Blast May 15th 2020 One Second and Host represented a marked that they may just have created their finest work take a romanticised view of the void as well on this album are masterful. Fall From Grace crushing bleakness and depressed reverence is DEAD LAKES NEW LANGUAGE SharpTone Records It is all exceptionally clean, and it is all aforementioned SMS Happiness are clearly leech the heavy scene of its lifeblood. achingly nice. There is no dirt under the a play at mainstream exposure, while the fingernails of this polished outfit, and with guitars and drums are as diet-Sleeping With Dead Lakes’ New Language is out via that comes a lack of ambition or effort. Sirens as is possible without infringing ShaprTone Records on May 1st 2020 copyright laws. The lack of effort is never more blatant than in SMS Happiness in which the lyric The reason that this release is being “It’s like I’m on fire” is delivered with targeted is not simply because of how poor, In 2020 there is such a wealth of heavy music of its integrity and robbed to the mainstage of Download. It is time all the pathos and urgency of someone how derivative, lacking in originality or wonderful, artistically challenging and many people of their hard-earned cash to quash this revival, and sadly for Dead clinically declared a vegetable. For all ideation or creativity it is, but because it is viable alternative and heavy music that can under the false pretence of being good, Lakes, their latest release, New Language these songs, the vocals sound so resigned emblematic of the kind of music that used satisfy listeners and potentially achieve becoming hugely popular in the process. is in the crosshairs. that it is hard to take them seriously, to get a free pass from people who should wider success. It may feel both culturally Thankfully, many of those bands no longer never mind the forced rhymes in the know better, and because it represents and temporally like a lifetime ago, but there command the same audiences, nor do many To describe this EP as poor is charitable, cliché-ridden, appalling lyrics. Presented a serious threat to the constitution, the were doldrums for heavy music known as of them make the same music. They let but let’s get the positives out of the way without comment, Paradise’s first lyric; representation and the outward appearance the late noughties. In this time many things metalcore lie, growing in strength through first: It is beautifully produced with a clean “Maybe it’s broken/ Promise me that this of alternative art. New Language is no happened to the detriment of outsider bands like Converge, Loathe, Ithaca and, cut sheen that will sparkle on Radio 1 when isn’t the end”. The instrumentation across worse than the self-titled effort by Holding art, but the worst offender of all was the again, countless others. Unfortunately, a track like Close 2 Me gets its inevitable this album, while reasonably proficient, Absence, for example so if you enjoyed sickening misappropriation of the term there appears to be something of an attempt airtime. The instrumentation is competent is so bereft of imagination you wonder if that then fair enough, you’ll probably like ‘metalcore’ by a crop of post-Killswitch at a resurgence in this tawdry type of with no glaring errors apparent throughout there are actually members to this band this. But it has simply come at a time when Engage bedwetters like Asking Alexandria, tune-making with many of the previously the five-track’s run-time, and the vocals are or if instead someone has used a random it feels like enough is enough and this The Devil Wears Prada and numerous other mentioned criminals of music using smaller palatable if for you Kellin Quinn should be number generator to make ‘my first dimly beating heart of the nu-metalcore cynically minded crooks. They robbed bands’ success as a springboard back on out on the same pedestal as Mike Patton. “edgy” pop song’. The barely performed movement desperately needs a stake driven synth parts and the sampled drums on the through it before the beast comes back to WITCHCRAFT BLACK METAL Nuclear Blast Some commentators have described this album there is nowhere to hide and remarkably most part it is Pelander acting alone as a slightly as being close to the work of Elliot Smith. Pelander has risen to the challenge. gothic singer-songwriter, with extra instruments This is a very surface level interpretation as rarely making an appearance on the record. essentially the only parallel is Pelander’s use of As far as the actual sound of Pelander’s voice Surely this is better suited to be a solo record, acoustic guitar throughout and not much else. goes, there are shades of Leonard Cohen – albeit but the decision was made to release this under His voice is too bombastic on the likes of the an octave or so higher – to songs like A Boy And the Witchcraft moniker. It is hardly their best somewhat arrogantly titled Elegantly Expressed A Girl and Free Country, but generally it is a record and it will leave a lot of fans cold, but it Depression to be close to Smith’s and though his reasonably unremarkable and far from unique does stand out in their discography as a fairly lyrics here are far more matured and insightful performance. The expression of emotion across successful experiment. If in future they are able than prior albums, they do not hold a candle to the record often feels forced and pantomimed to better tie together Pelander’s tenderness on There is a cliché that whenever someone pulls album, Nucleus, it seems apt that Witchcraft’s and do fall in line with traditional heavy metal the Smith’s genius. Lyrically the album is more for effect, but it has a reversed impact making display on Black Metal with the sound they have out an acoustic guitar, bad things will inevitably latest album would follow in that vein, however subject matter ala Sabbath. It is fair to say that than passable, with certain passages even leaving you feel as though there is a falseness to what become beloved for, then we might be looking happen. We’ve all seen, whether in film and no-one could have foreseen Black Metal being although the aural canvas Witchcraft are working pause for thought as you take in the gravity of is being sung; see the almost country yarl at a career best, but for now we will have to television or rarely in reality, someone whip out a fully acoustic record even based on the band’s with has wildly changed, their root influences the hypothetical situation – “I swear I saw Death added to the chorus of Sad Dog. Meanwhile the wonder what could be and settle for what is. their six-string to bash out a woeful rendition of dabbling in the unplugged. remain the same. The 70s hard rock and metal standing in my hall/ Casting her black shadow musicianship on display is more than passable: Kumbaya or worse, Wonderwall at a barbecue, that the band took stylings form on earlier on my white wall” – but Elliot Smith it isn’t. The instrumentation is hardly world-beating but Witchcraft’s Black Metal is out via Nuclear Blast house party or other social gathering (remember Black Metal is something of a misnomer of an albums is still present in Magnus Pelander’s There is such a breadth of artists writing lyrics is tender when it needs to be – Take Him Away – on May 1st 2020 them?). Even at a gig the arrival of an acoustic album title. This record is as sonically removed word smithery, and in that sense this is a true of a similar level to Pelander on this record that and bold as appropriate making for an interesting guitar in the hands of a less-than-brilliant from metal as it is possible to be, however Witchcraft record, but only time will tell how the it barely warrants comparison, so be sure that dynamic across the album. The added piano on vocalist can herald the incoming demise of tonally it does share traits of bleakness with audience is to receive it. To change so drastically while he has seen a significant improvement, Sad Dog does bring some extra gravitas to the the atmosphere. However, when handled by the genre. How black the record is is down to from the stoner rock/doom aesthetic they have none of the faux-poetry on this record is earth- bed of melancholy, tugging at the heartstrings in someone of extraordinary talent, the humble interpretation, as lyrically the record is often become known for without much by way of shatteringly good, nor is it so poor as to stand a rather manipulative manner, but nonetheless instrument can help produce some of the most rather dark, but never so much as to qualify as transitionary period means this album will likely out as he has been guilty of in the past. This achieves the aim of creating sad music for emotive, diamantine music ever created – see blackened. Allusions to and outright mentions miss its intended mark more often than not, but does deserve some praise; on previous records people who want to spiral further into the void. Elliot Smith, Bob Dylan, David Bowie etc. – and of the spectre of death, the meaninglessness of there is a beauty to Black Metal that makes it some critics have accepted that the lyrics are sometimes the acoustic is the only tool for the existence, the slow, decaying crawl of time and stand out as one of Witchcraft’s better records, if forgivable due to the music underlying them Quite why this album is a Witchcraft record – job. After the use of acoustic passages on prior unrequited love all feature heavily on the record not a blindsiding one. being so magnetic, however on Black Metal good though it may be – is puzzling. For the VADER SOLITUDE IN MADNESS Nuclear Blast

History dictates that death metal’s popularity is force in the death underground is rigorously of gnarled limbs that one would expect from the due to the Floridian and Gothenburg scenes. This stuck to with little room for deviation beyond genre, while the hypersonic tempo and tremolo is fairly inarguable, but as those two locations’ the blast-beating, hyper frenetic frenzy of picked guitars throughout grind away at the crops began to wane – the notable exceptions instrumentation that constitutes this twenty- skull until only a mush of grey matter is left. The being Cannibal Corpse and At The Gates who nine-and-a-half-minute bludgeon. But in reality album is of perfect length so as to not become are still active and near the top of their game – this is what we should expect and revere Vader an endurance test and does a fine job of entering the rest of the world answered the visceral call. for; an “if it ain’t broke” attitude that results and exiting with all the explosive velocity Death metal thrives to this day in a variety of in adrenaline-pumping, gore slathered death of a round of ammunition. This whistle stop forms, but one band continuing to champion the metal with a violent flair that rarely, if ever, tour through the finer end of death metal will no-nonsense approach is Poland’s own Vader disappoints. Yes, the record lacks any form of satisfy the most blood-thirsty fans, and Vader who with their twelfth record prove that balls to dynamism or inventiveness instead standing do a wonderful job at conjuring up a sadistic, the wall DM can still stand with its head held with both feet firmly planted in the corpses of its thrashing torrent of violent rage. If you’re high in 2020. detractors, but you shouldn’t look to a band like looking for musical dexterity and a broad range this to reinvent the wheel. of influences, you will be disappointed, but the There is an argument that Vader may be exhilarating ride is like being lifted up and spat beginning to stagnate with Solitude In Madness. The Slayerisms in the lead guitar of Into out by a blood-stained tornado. The formula that has made them a considerable Oblivion provide the kind of shrieking hellscape “We’re big in Japan” say unremarkable metal Vocally, Morino shows herself to be ambitious bands with very little following in their home and expert in her execution. Moving from the country. There is some truth to the old joke snarled croon of a punk singer on Chained to however as Japan has an unrivalled passion for the weighty growls of anguish on Fade and Melt heavy music that even Europe cannot compete and finaleSun , she is able to segue between two with. Any band making their way to the land distinct and often diametrically opposed styles of the rising sun is allegedly treated as royalty – let us never forget the punk vs metal “wars” and their shows voraciously consumed by a of the 70s and 80s – with aplomb. There’s space frenzied audience. However, Japan doesn’t have for headbanging, moshing and boogying as well a huge global appeal when it comes to its metal as the defiant raising of fists to oppressive forces output. Likely the first band to jump to mind is across this record. Much like BABYMETAL, BABYMETAL, maybe Dir En Grey but many Rammstein, Kvelertak and countless other bands, would struggle to name an artist beyond that. In BlackLab sing (mostly) in their native tongue, the underground however there is a plethora of which will put some listeners off as they will wonderful unsung heroes and heroines making complain that they need to understand the lyrics forward-thinking, dexterous music which to fully appreciate the songs. This isn’t an unfair brings us to BlackLab. A guitar and drum duo, criticism as it purely comes down to personal Yoku Morino and Chia Shirashi respectively, taste, however if you can’t find yourself wrapped self-described as ‘the Dark Witch, Doom Duo up in the melodies that Morino is able to conjure from Osaka’, BlackLab are a distinctive and up – basic though they may be – you may not be exciting proposition to anyone identifying as an best suited to this punk-meets-doom affair. There alternative music fan. is a joyous lyricism to the way in which she sings that makes the vocal hooks infectious much like BlackLab is a rather useful portmanteau of the simple but effective riffage, and frankly it’s the duo’s two most apparent influences; Black hard not to find yourself joining in despite a lack Sabbath and Stereolab. On a track like the of knowledge as to what the hell they might be opener, Insanity, and follow ups Fade and Melt saying. It’s fair to infer from the influences they and the knowingly referential Weed Dream you hold dear that at worst, it might be revolutionary can hear the Sabbath-doom inspiration shine political sloganeering, and at best it’s just about through in all its murky glory as the tower- darkness and Satan. Standard fodder then, but ing, heavily distorted riffs crash thunderously if you think Sabbath can get away with it and around a proficient 4/4 stomp from Shirashi’s BlackLab can’t, you are sorely mistaken. percussion. The use of squalling feedback and open space between hulking crashes of This album has a very lo-fi production due to chords gives us the Stereolab comparison, and the immense amount of distortion placed on the combined they make for something exhilarating guitars. The tracks often peak and blur into one and scintillating – something borderline unique. another, but this is a rather charming DIY aspect However, the breadth of BlackLab’s influences of the punk side of BlackLab. It is reminiscent of don’t stop at these two artists; on Amusement early Bad Brains recordings, or even the pioneer- Park of Terror, a tremolo picked almost-thrash ing black metal tapes on the late 80s/early 90s. riff opens proceedings and sets the scene for It will be down to a matter of taste, and some follow-on, Forked Road – a song that wouldn’t may find this album more of an endurance test be out of place on any Riot Grrrl record. The than a pleasure to listen to, but for those willing punky brashness that cuts through the doomy to forgive these “errors” – they may well be distortion shows another facet of BlackLab’s stylistic choices – you will find one of the more considerable palate before the track breaks down captivating releases of the year so far. into a heavy blues lick for its bridge. Being Japanese and broadly speaking a doom band – BlackLab’s Abyss is out via New Heavy Sounds particularly on first LP Under The Strawberry on May 8th 2020 Moon 2.0 – the band have seen comparisons to fellow Japanese doomsters, Boris, but this feels a rather trite comparison. The chords and motifs in BlackLab’s music don’t stretch ad infinitum as Boris are wont to, they don’t hang on single riffs for the entirety of a track and beyond that the twelve-bar-bluesy Sleepless Night speaks to a far more 70s hard rock influence than can be found in Boris’ music. BLACKLAB ABYSS New Heavy Sounds THE HIRSCH EFFEKT KOLLAPS

Long Branch Records bum filled with jarring, angular, technically The Werewolf-esque intro to the very longer, however that consideration is pure- proficient songs that never sacrifice good beginning of Allmende – to go back to the ly a matter of taste and wouldn’t necessar- writing for fretboard wizardry. The tracks Dillinger comparison that is often made ily improve the album. It would inherently themselves take multiple paths less trodden – but it quickly turns into a gnarled mass change it and what The Hirsch Effekt have in order to be presented as satisfying and at of low-end syncopated heavy riffing that done here is perfect in its own twisted, times exhilarating. The tenderness of open- swirls around the aether like a torrent of multi-faceted way that walks the line er Kris juxtaposed with the harsh noise of manic ideas. Shockingly, this album never between genius and insane so finely it will Noja is just a glimpse of what the band feels overly ambitious. Every riff, beat and divide people. That in and of itself makes it are capable of. Both of these tracks move idea are clearly meticulously calculated to a great piece of art: It should be discussed The German language evolved during the from most bands in their genre. The glottal Plan is often mentioned in the same breath between multiple movements and motifs – accentuate the band’s inherent penchant for and cause disagreements of interpretation, migration period following the fall of the stops that punctuate much of their music to as The Hirsch Effekt, and the band are the latter featuring a quasi-mumble-rapped songcraft. and Kollaps will do just that. Roman empire. In this time High German date accentuate the polyrhythmic nature of adamant that much of their influence comes mid-section – to arrive at their respective and Old Saxon dialects became distinct their off-kilter post-punk meets math- from composers like Igor Stravinsky – as denouement in startling fashion. A criticism that has faced The Hirsch The Hirsch Effekt’s Kollaps is out via Long from one another and a drastic change in core by way of metal, jazz, neoclassical can be seen in the album’s mid-point, Mo- Effekt throughout their career is that they Branch Records on May 8th 2020 the pronunciation of consonants occurred. compositions, art-core, rock, post-hardcore ment –, the closest point of comparison for The combination of mathcore and post-pop run short on ideas and pad out their songs’ Voiceless stops were geminated, and and even post-pop. It’s a head-scrambling Kollaps is the work of Devin Townsend. elements alongside a System of a Down run times. This is most certainly not the voiceless fricatives followed vowels. Over mix of genres that leaves us with an outfit While there are few sonic parallels to be meets Mr. Bungle dual vocal atonality case with Kollaps; each song feels well a millennium later, the German language beyond typical classification. While there drawn, it is a structural kinship that links on Deklaration is a discomforting listen measured and considered, never outstaying continues to evolve, but these character- are comparisons to be drawn to other art- these two artists: The ability to write that settles into a post-hardcore chorus their welcome – even longer tracks like the istics remain a key part in the language’s ists, with fifth record,Kollaps , The Hirsch hook-laden, simple songs for mass con- that Thrice would be proud of. It shows titular Kollaps and finale,Agera . If there is distinctive sound. Utilising these base Effekt once again make themselves stand sumption pervaded by an impulse to tinker the marvellous ability to wrangle seem- a structural criticism of the record, it’s that habits of language, Hannover’s The Hirsch out as a unique entity. with time signatures and rhythmic patterns ingly disparate styles together and turn things sometimes move too fast for their Effekt – whether knowingly or otherwise that makes a pop song unrecognisable in its them into something cohesive, and more own good and perhaps at times it would – give themselves an auditory distinction While a name like The Dillinger Escape final form. The end result is a ten-track al- importantly, coherent. There is a Sunshine be better to settle in to a groove or feel for CALIGULA’S HORSE RISE RADIANT Century Media Records lengths of Caligula’s Horse’s prior works sure-footed and rooted in the progressive, their songs Caligula’s Horse have undercut – finale,The Ascent a glaring exception even if here they dabble more apparently their explorative abilities. There is plenty – and though this will not satisfy all of in less technically showy genres. Slow of ambition on this album, a vast amount their entrenched devotees, it may allow Violence sees the band tip their hats to of ideation and the end result is something for an expansion of the band’s already Dream Theater, in a concise and bombastic tremendously enjoyable. Vibrant washes considerable fanbase. Though this may fashion, while the balladry of Salt provides of summery tones juxtaposed with heavy catch some off guard, the band’s professed room to open with half-time blast beats greys make this a dynamic affair worth love of Steely Dan should indicate that before settling into a major key stomp. every listener’s time, and if this is the path Historically when a band is in its early Justice For All to the colloquially known the whole album in all honesty; complex this is not a deviation from their roots, but There is a gentleness to the almost- Caligula’s Horse continue down, they will stages, they chase their passion and their Black Album. Surprisingly, it has happened instrumental arrangements, multiple simply another side of the band. whispered, piano accompanied verses surely continue to master the varying styles insatiable need to push boundaries and somewhat to the Australian bastions of melodies coalescing into harmonious that speaks to influence of the symphonic they try to mesh together here. borders as far as possible. At least good progressive rock; Caligula’s Horse. Now rhapsodies and Jim Grey’s muscular Musically this album borrows from – as – whether metal or otherwise – adding bands do anyway. When an artist does so, on their fifth studio album,Rise Radiant, falsetto – a style synonymous with already stated – rock, but also from metal another string to Caligula’s considerably Caligula’s Horse’s Rise Radiant is out via they inevitably reach a natural end point of we see the Brisbane quintet strip things prog rock – belting and crooning as the rather heavily. Hardly a surprise for fans of hefty bow. Century Media Records on May 22nd 2020 how progressive and transformative they back from In Contact and refine their song necessitates it. With the exception the band’s prior works. There are powerful can make their music, thus returning to or sound into a more direct, but no less vivid of Autumn, many of these songs take chords and riffs across this record, perhaps The performances on this record are all moving toward a more simple or accessible approach. influence more from “standard” rock rather most obviously in opener The Tempest that stellar, and the execution of the various style in the subsequent record. It happened than the prog of King Crimson, Rush et al. sees a Trivium-esque histrionic lead guitar ideas is borderline excellent. However, the with Mastodon from Crack The Skye to While this album is a less obviously Not necessarily structurally as there are still courtesy of Sam Vallen lead the way into a genre blending does lack some cohesion The Hunter, it happened with Lamb of progressive affair, the extended plenty of rhythms and polyrhythms that syncopated, djent-like bridging riff to the as the songs feel as though they move God to an extent from Resolution to VII: instrumental in the stunning Autumn does mesh together, but in mainly in terms of tapped verse. This does not necessarily a jarringly between their constituent parts Sturm Und Drang, and most famously nod back to the band’s heritage. There is their truncated lengths. These songs rarely purely metal song make however, and in rather than with succinct segues or overlap. it happened with Metallica from …And still plenty of prog abstrusely woven into reach the extended (and perhaps bloated) their signature sound, Caligula’s Horse This never seemed to be a problem in retain their prog identity. The outfit is earlier albums, so perhaps in shortening THANKS FOR READING

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