7/31/2014

REVIEW: EpisTheme - Descending Patterns


Genre: Progressive/Death Metal
Label: Unsigned
Date of Release: April 8, 2014

PROGRESSIVE DARKNESS

Sicilian progressive metal band EpisThemE was formed in Catania in 2010 by bassist Riccardo Liberti. The project eventually gathered more members and in time grew into a full-fledged quintet. In 2014, their debut release would hit the air, their first full-length called "Descending Patterns."

A good way to describe this record would be 'balanced,' starting with the musicianship. The vocals sound great, with the half-screaming, half-singing bringing a lot of aggression to the table. This vigor, however, is rounded out by the technical instrumentation. Both the guitar and drumming performances are carried through with a progressive and heavy edge. The guitars boast chunky notes laden into addictive grooves and hooks spread throughout the album's running time. Meanwhile, the percussion once again has a complex lining to it, but it remains solid and also makes way for some more catchy grooves to pull you in.

Along with the musicianship, the production knows how to give the record a sound that tiptoes gracefully between boldness and ambiance. To be more specific, it hits the equilibrium where it comes across as powerful enough for the vocals and instruments to leave their impact and clear enough for those same elements to let their technical prowess sink in. As a result, the mixing adds to the music and makes it into a more potent listen.

The last aspect to speak of balance here is the structuring of the music itself. It sort of lies within the vein of acts such as Tool and Tesseract, in that it stitches its hooks and passages together in a simple but complex manner. In other words, the instrumental complexity is there for fans of said medium can admire such about the album, but it's played out in a way that it easily progresses and builds as the track passes so that they're easy to follow. The best example of this would be "Erase that Frame," where the grooves brought on by the progressive musicianship are built in a simple but effective fashion. Because of this, "Descending Patterns" is a good example of an 'artistic' record.

Seeing as how the music has a sort of a bleak environment, the lyrics also share that trait, touching upon social and psychological themes. "Silent Screaming," for an example, deals with self-destruction and deterioration, as demonstrated by lines such as "Wounded spirit defies me to desecrate all the good that's left in my heart, ripping deeply to the marrow of my soul." They fit the songs' tone perfectly, and just like the structuring, they're written with a poetic edge without becoming too wordy, and they are quite intriguing to read and listen to.

While "Descending Patterns" doesn't have quite enough for it to be a total masterpiece of musical composition, it does come relatively close. The way the impressive instrumentation is woven into these tracks with tact and atmosphere is a very interesting feat, and it ends up creating a provocative specimen of metal. It's an all-around strong effort, and it makes it very clear that this band has a lot of potential. Hardcore fans of music driven by depth and complexity should have no problem finding themselves getting lost in this fine release.

Score: 8/10 (Great)


Maybe I should try this again someday...