Between The Buried And Me "Automata II" (2018)

Automata II is the second installment of the Automata double mini-album format the band have split their music into this year. This second half clearly strides into consistency with a stronger sense of theme that their progressive nature can usually make a meal of given the array of influences these musicians share. Across its four tracks the theatrics of showmanship play out in moments of carnival festivity as horns and trumpets emphasis jovial moods emanating between the cracks of rattling drums kits and metallic groove shredding guitars. The chemistry is tuned to its apex on Voice Of Trespass as striking memories of Diabolical Swing Orchestra are conjured.

On the other three songs this particular vibe is less prominent as the slew of intensity shifts, direction changes interchanging of instruments leads it along many paths. Its thirteen minute opener The Proverbial Blow takes the cake as both records best song. Its opening riffs evolve with intricacies in replay as subtle organs and synths wade in on the melodies. Its energetic thrust eliminates the building hype as calm wades in on the storm, holding us in suspense. Singer Rogers brings a vocal performance to elevate the fine direction the song takes, the steadily rising intensity finds its moment for shouts and screams or tight distortion guitar grooves.

A distance lead guitar wails across a suspended atmosphere as the music builds its tension to release. Its fine musicianship but only on this track does it really resonate. The other songs tend to fall into the mishaps of Prog music that doesn't quite engage this listener with the direction itself. As shifts permeate and new instances arise the juggling of serine melodic harmonies and dirty aggressive hammering play somewhat jagged. That's more of a comment on the first Automata though, this is clearly the better release, the best of both could of made a swell record but instead we have two reasonable releases that are sure to keep fans happy.

Favorite Track: The Proverbial Bellow

Rating: 6/10

Between The Buried And Me "Automata I" (2018)

I was firmly disappointed in the bands previous release Coma Ecliptic and I'm marveled to learn its been three years since its release! It makes sense since I have a memory of walking a route at my old home and listening to that record, not resonating with it. My how time flies! Fortunately this time around Ive quite enjoyed this shorter record, clocking in at thirty five minutes it doesn't out stay its welcome however it does have a rather bitter sweet composition where the heavy doesn't always suit my mood.

Swaying between their expansive, Progressive inclinations and metallic roots in Math Metal, Metalcore and Djent, Automata I has moments of scenic harmonies, playful melodies and luscious chemistries between musicians that also, unfortunately, gravitate into the lull of overtly technically and aesthetically bludgeoning tangents of metallic assault. Being a Progressive Metal band it is hardly a surprise but rather disappointing how the heavy end of their sound feels grades below what they accomplish with harmonic breaks and ditching of distortion guitars, the same goes of singer Tommy Rodgers who has a powerful clean voice that gleams, his screams however I find cagey and narrow, to often do they creep in underneath his clean tracks in the transitional sections.

 Its made me question if my apatite for heavy music is fading but I think it has always been the Progressive side of their sound that has lured me in. With the second half of Yellow Eyes and Millions, the band drift into a wonderful passage of free flowing music with touches of Jazz Rock as they tone down some aggression and let drummer groove on his kit. The opening track Condemned To The Gallows manages the swaying of intensities much better but I think this band has so much more to offer when the distortion and screaming isn't present. I also learned today this is essentially one half of a double album so Ill be picking up the other half soon! I'm hoping for more acoustics.

 Favorite Track: Millions

 Rating: 6/10

Converge "The Dusk In Us" (2017)

Converge, a band with a reputation, known as pioneers of the more erratic strain of a Heavy Metal and Hardcore crossover, the Massachusetts based band have never pulled me in yet. Skimming over some of their classics like Jane Doe, I couldn't feel the spark others have raved about for years and unfortunately that's all I can say of this release that has made a fair few top album lists this year... or last. Its mostly not working for me, a few bombastic moments grab a nod but its artsy emotional soundscapes of rip roaring guitar noise and fluttery melodies tangled in disharmony pass me by as they rub up against one another, much like the vocal and guitars.

Disheveled screams rattle away, rippling of the music in a fury of rage. They bounce from the music in their harsh rawness, dispelling any chemistry the bands vision had in store. Elasticated riffs spasm in perpetual motion, their fate at the mercy of the guitarists who love to wail in with hissing screeches of feedback amidst the aimless assault. Battering his kit the drummer flexes dexterously with a solid display of composition that queues the direction and holds musical ideas firmly in place.

I can hear what Converge are going for here. Expansive music lines the front of erratic pummeling Hardcore, broadening the scope with songs that opens up into vivid places far beyond the core of the sound. Singer Bannon's voice just doesn't sit right with me, the constant delves into structure devoid thrashings and nonsensical anti-melodies threw me off pace whenever the band get going. In a few songs, ie the title track, Bannon drops his screeching making an impression but whenever the album builds some atmosphere its quickly demolished. Would liked to of enjoyed this more but the majority of music here drags it down to far for my ears.

Rating: 3/10

The Dillinger Escape Plan "Dissociation" (2016)

Announcing it would be their final record certainly enticed me to listen to Dillinger for the first time in many years. There reputation and legendary live shows are undeniable but the erratic math rockers never drew me in at a time where I was far more close minded. Its their seventh full length in eighteen years and a farewell as the group decide to call it a day and part ways. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but "Dissociation" drew me in instantly and the past few weeks I have been enjoying it ever so much. Its a fun wild ride with all sorts of crazy sporadic music and jazzy inflections between the dizzying onslaught of elasticated aggression.

At times you will be scratching your head, how do these guys perform this dizzying onslaught of erratic noise? Between more convention repetitions the music rolls into bursts of odd time signatures that have the guitars thrashing frantically as blast beats blast without form and it all sounds like a mess, a somehow how delicious, exciting mess. The record is diverse though, between its loaded moments they find measures of melodics, conventional song structures and vocal hooks to sing along to. "Fugue" marks itself as a fascinating interlude of disrupted melodies, schizophrenic baselines and glitched out drum programming quite reminiscent of "IGORRR". In the midst of "Low Feels Blvd" the music breaks from its frantic persona into a splendid affair of smooth Jazz in whats initially a cold break but the music finds its was back to its usual self as the elements get increasingly energized before a blast beat takes us back to the insanity normality.

Another quality of the record I enjoy is the layers of sound. At several moments in the the record there are submerged layers of synth and sound that creep out between the chaos of the leading instruments. It has its moments of simplicity but otherwise its a weaving organic web of sound elasticizing back and forth at the mercy of odd time signatures. There's little to fault, maybe singer Puciato's screams might turn you off but I just loved how much energy and emotion he put into his turbulent screaming, raw, harsh and animalistic although between those moments many more conventional styles arise.

"Dissociation" is a finely produced record with a ton of variety. No moment in the record feels like its retreading old foot steps and the constant evolution of the music keeps one on their toes. With little knowledge of their rest of their discography it seems like a solid record to sign off on however It leaves me wanting more of this sporadic art, luckily their is a back catalog to digest!

Rating: 7/10