Showing posts with label The Contortionist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Contortionist. Show all posts

Monday 19 August 2019

The Contortionist "Our Bones" (2019)


I will forever have an eye on this band after their timely and glorious Language. Their following effort Clairvoyant was a fair record but has not stuck as deeply with me. Our Bones is the newest material from the American outfit. It consists of three original tracks and a sweet cover of 1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins. Its a comforting, warm cover with a sunny and smile inducing vibe, a perfect fit for singer Michael Lessard who sings with a soft sensitivity. Beautiful tribute.

The three originals are lucid and fluid. The songs groove to their own identity as the constrains of an ambitious album concept have been set free. No long and winding atmospheres of crafty progression, or overly complicated concepts. The first two tracks play freely with the dynamics of their heavy metallic aggression and melodic serenity. Bouncing between riffs in simple song structures the creativity emerges in the cracks between and variations that let a little lead guitar move forth and flourish, or a bassline rumble and rise. I especially love the reverberated scream that echos like a chill into the atmosphere of Early Grave. The creativity here feels very natural.

All Grey brings in airy melancholy synths and lush pianos for a delicate and sensitive interlude track that has but a single moment before gently fading out. Its a great bridge to the cover. Although Our Bones is a short thirteen minutes, it makes quite the mark as back to back listens still have me excited. It sounds unlikely that these songs will shape a new direction for their next full length but its shows they are very capable of a different approach to the particular chemistry these artists have forged.

Rating: 5/10

Wednesday 27 September 2017

The Contortionist "Clairvoyant" (2017)


Shaking all remnants of their "uber brootal", technical indulgences of past, the Indiana Metal outfit The Contortionist mark their first decade as a band with this new full length that feels like a sophomore release given the dramatic shift in sound that 2014s "Language" brought about. Three years later "Clairvoyant" follows up by shaking the echos of old with barely no screamed vocals and the toning down of distortions to let the musical compositions shine brightly as an aesthetic treat of delicious instruments forming in a union of sound, poised to illuminate expressions and dazzle with melodics.

Being so familiar with its successor, "Clairvoyant" was an instant success, picking up exactly where they left off, it has been an indulging fifty four minutes that continues to deliver even as I listen and write now. After ten or so spins I feel as if I'm just stirring the surface water, the depth of an ocean below unknown. Despite being familiar with the songs, they continue to ooze with aesthetic charm and swells of inspiration as the density of compositions relays the same ideas through all its dimensions of instruments that are gracefully in sync with one another on this rich journey.

The music has a fantastic sense of pace, its progression dynamic and fluent with the contractions its riffs and leads bring about as every twist and return comes with space to breath and reflect. The keyboards play a huge role on this record as the glue that holds the music together, interweaving themselves in the density that lurks behind the guitar led sections and as they break, the keys rise to the fold, moving the atmosphere along between the highs and lows the dense music explores and quite often coming to the forefront with typically Progressive Rock like leads.

Singer Lessard gives a very self indulgent performance, swooning in his own voice he reaches for the subtle, soft and harmonies qualities in his voice and gently pushes them out to the waters. A lyrical dimension is obviously prevalent as the power of some words resonates greatly over top of the instrumentals. Its icing on the cake of a wonderfully atmospheric and indulgent set of songs that take their time to fully experience the magic of their melody without packing it into conventional means. They rather to explore those moments in their illustrious production which is a marvel of sound, getting an utterly sweet and supple aesthetic in a dense environment of energetic instruments that gel together with power and thickness. Its a massive step forward for the group, shedding the now irrelevant screams and metallic guitar moments its predecessor had stitched in. These songs will be fantastic to catch live, which I hope to do so soon!

Rating: 8/10

Friday 30 December 2016

My Top 10 Music Discoverys In 2016


Another year rolls by and the musical journey continues in full effect. There could of easily been another ten artists Id like to see on this list but I had dwindle it down. 2016 Has been hectic with moving and full time youtube but Ive managed and caught some great live shows too, seeing the Savages twice, Korn & Deftones twice as well as their Nu Metal buddies Limp Bizkit. Babymetal, Black Sabbath, Periphery, Cypress Hill, Ministry, Enter Shikari, Bring Me The Horizon and most of all, finally got to see Death Grips! What a year. If you didn't catch my top ten albums of the year you can see it here.

(10) The Future Sound Of London

Although I'm yet to get deeper into their discography but their "Lifeforms" record was a fantastic experience in lucid music that could take many forms. A truly impressive feet of music I am glad to of discovered.

(9) Deafehaven

Their debut Sunbather didn't do it for me, I'm yet to give it a try again but "New Bermuda" really cracked it open for me, their genius revealed on a remarkable record. It would of made my top 10 had I listened to it last year.

(8) The Contortionist

Recommended by my buddy Rendog as one to listen to over and over till it hurts, I certainly gave it a good try, it was only later in the year when the dust had settled that I really grew to appreciate them and their new direction.

(7) Babymetal

Initially I dismissed them as a gimmick but how wrong I was, now I realize behind the front trio, who have great voices, are a set of great musicians pushing Metal in strange and new directions which are to be celebrated.

(6) Echo And The Bunnymen


Again I'm guilty of not getting further into a band but with just one record they have won me over as a terrific band and every time a song comes on shuffle I am always engaged. Making this list I know I'll have to put another on next years playlist.

(5) Kate Tempest

I'm guilty of passing up the opportunity to see her perform live, something to correct next year. Kate's mix of poetry, rap and spoken word is unique and expressive, both her albums so far have been fantastic and I hope she keeps progressing as an artist. There will be many good things to come.

(4) Kauan

Not as impressed with their back catalog but "Sorni Nai" maybe the closest thing to a modern masterpiece I can think of in recent memory. It wont be for everyone but the atmospheric doom based around the legend of the Dyatlov Pass incident it is truly engrossing.

(3) Dusty Springfield

 A household name to many, seeing Dusty's record praised in top lists all it took was one listen and I was hooked, "Dusty In Memphis" has since become one of my absolute favorites. Her voice has so much love and compassion it is always a joy to hear her sing.

(2) Savages

One of our brightest new bands, Savages really won me over with their sublime live shows and records to match. The Post-Punkers re-imagine a moment in time, bringing it back to life with new ideas, charisma and musical creativity it buckets. There records however cannot do the energy of their performances justice.

(1) Dead Can Dance

Ive always had a soft spot for music that reflects time and culture of the forgotten, ancient and perished. Dead Can Dance bring other worlds to life not only through music but through the voices of the duo who sing as if from different cultures and eras of history. A truly remarkable band who I need to continue with given their large output of records.

Tuesday 22 March 2016

The Contortionist "Language" (2014)


What I remember of American Metal band "The Contortionist" is a Deathcore group trying to push the genres "heaviness" with tinges of Djent and Technical Death Metal. That sound is a distant memory with the band bringing a keyboard player into the lineup and replacing their vocalist with Michael Lessard who has a fine singing voice outside of the rugged screams and growls. Going in a new, progressive direction "Language" steps into a world of color and melody, an illumination of inspiration.

Flowing organically these songs drift through a free form of momentum that unravels in its own direction, shifting, amplifying and switching tune at many points. Drawn between two forces we are graciously swooned by the sunny and delicate passages of temperate drum grooves, soft distortion chords, serene synthesizers and Lessard's tender tone. In turn, force and aggression emerges from within as instances of instrumental intensity amplifies, their focus turning to aggression and Lessard curling throaty grows and snarls over the emergent change of mood.

Most of the records charm comes from this shifting between sides both in tone and texture. Its as if all instruments have a dial and a puppet master turns them. The guitars can lavish with warm distortion and fire up with rhythmic djents. The synthesizers often taken the more subtle approach also intensifying their potency with volume and depth. Through the course of these songs many balance shifts occur and its as if many combination and ideas are explored through inspiration.

On first listen this could feel like progressive for progressive's sake but with each listen you chip away at the framework, understanding its cause and purpose piece by piece. As I write this now its time to move through my playlist but I feel there is more to discover. A break will undoubtedly reveal more. On a final note this record is lush, smooth with its lighter, harmonious side. Its a little coarse and brash with its heavier distortions, something that could be dispelling at times. It sounds bright and clear from a technical perspective. Well worth picking up if your a Progressive Metal fan.

Favorite Songs: Integration, Ebb & Flow
Rating: 8/10