Burial In The Sky- Persistence Of Thought- Album Review 8/10 \m/

on October 28, 2016October 28, 2016 By Badger

Burial in the Sky

Persistence of thought

William Okronglis – vocals, rhythm guitar, bass

James Tomedi – lead guitar, bass, keys, mandolin,

Sam Stewart – Drums

Samus Paulicelli – session drums

Out November 4th 2016

Entry I

This song begins with about a full minute of some really atmospheric sounds, they build up slowly before the band comes in hard at the 1: 09 mark where you have the drums setting the pace of this song. Vocals come in about ten seconds after. They fall under a tech death sub-genre, but they are more than that based on the sounds of this first track. They would be more like a progressive melodic technical death metal. The song really starts this album off well, it’s a subtle track, do not confuse subtle for short and monotonous. Nope that is not the case. It’s a subtle track by simply getting the listener acclimated to the sounds and stylings of Burial in the Sky. They have guitar tones and sounds that remind me of bands ranging from the Tony Danza tap dance extravaganza to Pink Floyd. A truly unique band, offering some thought provoking metal. its got that atmospheric feel like Fallujah, I am really digging this album so far.

Entry II

This song begins with a slow start, but it’s a cool soulful melody that’s played for the first thirty eight seconds, before the drums come in heavier, and the rest of the instruments join in. The guitar riff at the one minute mark is a great way to progress into the first verse. I’m having a hard time placing who the vocals remind me of. But they have a sound that brings me back to my high school days and going to the small shows. Damn the guitars at the 2:02 mark have that cool feel again. They bring that prog sound and style to the table, that’s something I do like about these guys. It’s not just tech death, it’s a really smooth blend of atmospheric technical progressive death metal. Or “pretty fucking cool” as I have been describing them these past few weeks. Right around the 3:25 mark when the vocals come in those thirty seconds are great. The tone of the vocals, and then coming out to the blast beats on the drums and the way they are delivered make this a worthwhile track. But it’s also worth mentioning about the guitar work from the 4:40 mark and lasting about 15 seconds that reminds me of Chris Letchford. so that adds another flavor to the mix, they have a sound that can appeal to fans of instrumental bands like Scale The Summit, to metal bands from all the various sub-genres connecting prog metal to technical metal.

Entry III

Ahhh yes this song, it begins much like the previous tracks in a slower and almost smokey way. They aren’t coming right out and playing, they are adding the tiny details to the sound to give you that type of imagery. It gives you this spacey feeling, like you are just floating in air. You know the more I am getting this vibe, the more they remind me of bands like Fallujah who have a similar style. Following that beginning sequence, they come in hard around the :53 mark but in a slow tempo. It’s more of a dramatic feel than trying to blow everyone away with speed. I love the progression of their music so far in this album, it’s subtle, wonderfully crafted and emotional in the delivery. I will say that Entry I, Entry II, and Entry III are best listened back to back. But all three can hold their own ground as far as how good they are individually.

Anchors

This song also begins with that slower, spacey feel like the previous tracks had. One thing worth mentioning before the song takes off, is that this song is 7:27 minutes/seconds long. All the tracks have a considerable amount of time, and it’s not spent playing the fastest blasts or shred fest solos. They fill the time with sounds that buildup to make the songs just that much more enjoyable for the listener. Don’t get me wrong, I love blistering fast blast beats and sick guitar solos. But it’s the proggy tech death bands like this one here that gives you music that is going to encourage the thought process. This is a thought provoking album, it gets the listeners to think. I like when an album has that characteristic. Right around the :55 mark we get some more percussion, shakers, I think I hear a Guiro, either way I like that they are adding some non-conventional in the mix and then only about twenty seconds later the heavy vocals barrel in with brute force. This song has plenty of ups and downs that the listener experiences. And I enjoy that about this album, the songs are keeping your attention, they are bringing you on a ride. A wild and beautiful ride.

Galaxy of Ghosts

This song does not start out the way the previous tracks did, nope this one is an instant 0-100 in a split second right out of the gate heavy track. This is the odd ball track, 4 songs back to back start out cool and smooth, and then this one track begins at full speed right from the first note. This song is a solid track, and unique in its own way. It’s different from the previous tracks but it holds its ground for being a solid track. The section at the 2:46 mark and playing through is a highlight for this track, the vocals sound layered. Then coming out of that is a mellow segment before we get some cool guitar work. Get to the 3:37 mark and you will begin to hear the guitars setting up a killer riff, and getting the listener amped up for when the vocals come back in only about thirty or so seconds after. The rest of this track basically lifts the listener up all the way and then the last forty seconds or so gently bring the listener back to the ground.

Dimensions Divide

So in the first few seconds of play on this track you observe the following. They come in hard from the very beginning, and this has a good feel to it, like this is the track to end the album with. It has that vibe like everything comes together, and is the conclusion of the album. They hit us with a short guitar solo only about a quarter of the way into this track. There truly is a lot going on in this song. And some will take away that this is a three piece band, but they have that spacey atmospheric sound in the background, they are delivering forceful vocals, the drums are locked in with keeping the pace of the songs, and the guitars keep hitting us with cool riffs here and there as well as a satisfying solo a few times throughout the track. Ultimately with a minute and a half left of the song, the track drops down dramatically to a somber spacey melodic tune. Just lifting you weightlessly, taking you away giving you the image that you are doing just that floating away after listening to a powerful set of songs.

This is a solid album, it is only six tracks but each track is between 5-8 minutes long. And each song has a lot packed in as well. This album is intriguing, I can’t explain it well. But when you listen to it, it’s hard to just focus on one track being the best on the album. I find that I enjoy listening to this album start to finish. Some albums have that vibe to them. Where you can just as easily play any track in random order if you wanted. But playing at least the first three tracks back to back offers a more in depth experience when listening to the album. They have that spacey atmospheric style like Fallujah, and it has a prog metal feel to it in other areas, but the whole time they are rocking the tech death line. I think we live in a world where you have to prove yourself in 30 seconds or less on whether or not your band or your album is the next best thing. I encourage anyone who wants to and will listen to this album. To give yourself the time to listen to it. Don’t listen to one track and make up your mind, or listen to 30 seconds of one track skipping to the next. Give this a full play through upon listening to it for the first time. Every song brings you up and down, but really delivers the goods. This album is a solid 8/10 \m/ and definitely deserves to be heard. Give it a listen, check out the links below and take a listen to the fifth track off this album titled Galaxy Of Ghosts.

Check Burial In The Sky out on Facebook

Order up “Persistence Of Thought” by heading HERE to their BANDCAMP Page

-Badger \m/

Visit our FACEBOOK page \m/_(><)_\m/
http://www.badgersmetalbreakdown.com

Odyessey- Voids Album Review 8/10 @OdysseySpokane

on January 8, 2016January 8, 2016 By Badger

Odyssey

Voids

Out February 5th, 2016

Guitar – Jerrick Crites
Bass – Jordan Hilker
Drums – Lukas Hilker

Emerge. Evolve. Adapt

The song begins with some muffled guitar tones playing and fading in, becoming clearer until they start playing a steady rhythm. I am enjoying this, it has a feel good groove about it, and then walks along the lines of something heavy. It’s not one hundred percent metal, these guys are blending several styles from metal, to fusion, some classic rock stylings. This is a solid track to start the album out with, and I get the first impression, that this is their simple song, the song that gives you a good first impression to get your attention. The hold down the groove, and really lay it on thick so you can be nodding your head, tapping your foot, rocking out in general, and really enjoy their unique intrumetal delivery.

Negate The Infinite

I called it, this is a bit more complex than the previous track, this band is not only playing some killer music in the form of instrumental metal, and they are bringing their talents for different music styles, and technical abilities to the table as well. Jerrick can definitely hold his own on the guitar. This has spawned the sudden urge to break out the air guitar. You know what I’m talking about, that moment you hear a sick riff, and you just want to rock out on the air guitar trying to follow the whirlwind shredding riff and all of its finger placements along the fret board. I always enjoy when I can hear the bass in most music because so often they get buried underneath, and some bassists can really deliver so sick bass lines. Jordan holds things down very well.

Like Moths To a Flame

It is way too early to say that this is my favorite track, but I have listened to this one a few times already. I am really digging the way they start this song off, that rhythm, and how they take it, play it for a few bars, add more dynamics to it, and progress with that foundation. The guitar hits us with some solo action around the 1:52 mark, and while it not a dizzying shredfest, it’s a soulful solo. The tempo is quick enough to keep your energy levels up there and your head nodding. This is a fun song to listen to, and what I really like is that Lukas is not trying to play over the guitar or bass. He is not trying to take the spotlight, and he is not hiding in the shadows either. He keeps the beat, keeps it interesting and does so by balancing his talents all across the boards, knowing when to play something with panache, and when to just keep the time.

Motives

The song starts with a heavier feel to it for the first ten seconds and then goes to a more fluid style. The guitar is playing out to some extent, without getting to flashy. I like the change around the 1:30 mark because it sets up the next section and you can see how they progress throughout the song. At the 2:25 mark, the drums and bass set things up for a very cool sequence of the drums keeping the beat and the guitar is playing a cool riff while it may be simple what he is doing, all three of them doing it together blends well and sounds awesome. The last minute of this song is badass, the guitar solo, how it starts out simple and then shreds for a few bars, the drums playing on the toms with the accents on the crash, while the guitar is also accenting on the same notes. This song ends in such a manner that it leaves you hoping that the next thing you hear is going to blow you away.

Echoes

The guitar riff with all of its echo and the bass doing what sounds like volume swells, playing like this for a bar or two and the drums come in with a rhythm to follow along, then progresses to what is like a 4:4 time signature. Evolving into something more but keeping that guitar pattern going. This song is a killer track, I love it, this will be making it to my playlists, as it has that badass beginning, but then when they bring it down a few notches. The guitar is playing with some soul, it reminds me of Clapton, and some Gilmour fused together. This song is one that leaves you reaching for the back button, you know if you haven’t hit that “repeat 1” button yet (which I have and l can’t stop listening to).

Before There Were Eyes To See

This song starts out with a thrash feel to it, and they get right down to the energy boosting rhythms with this song. I really like the old school vibe about it, the guitar solo starting around the 1: 30 mark is great. Jerrick plays a soulful solo and then ends with some shredding licks, only to take a quick breather and hit us with a dizzying riff, it’s a straight up hand cramping riff that lasts almost thirty seconds. They break the time down a bit and give it some accented points to only bring it down some more with the bass all alone setting up the next rhythm.

The Plot thickens

The song begins with a riff and a bit of mystery behind it, which really leads you to wonder which way they will be going. They don’t leave that amount of mystery in question long and dive right into a quick tempo pace with steady drums for the first section. The next change brings things down a slight amount with the drums being played on the toms, and then going into a jazzy feel for a bar, popping right back into a heavy feel again. WE haven’t even cleared two minutes in yet and they are jumping from style to style and giving the listener a brief moment to get acclimated to the change. All the while they do have a solid groove, that while they change tempo a few times that groove follows the entire time. The guitar solo though, Jerrick will be a more known name after this album I am sure of it. You don’t play the way he is on this and not get attention from it.

Delineation

This song starts a bit muffled with the introductory riff, yet you can hear the hi hat being hit, this is a very soothing beginning, I like that it is about to change and it does, the drum pattern on the hi hat accent the rhythm, the perpetual guitar riff and the bass hitting the groove in that low tone. This song seems like it could tell a story, it could leave you thinking about things in a different perspective, and will keep you hanging on every note for the entire 7:17 of song length.

Left Unspoken

This song starts out very smooth and melodic, this is a very relaxing tune so far, and I am certainly enjoying the vibe it gives off. This is like once of those intermission tracks, it’s not very long, it doesn’t have many changes, it’s just a cool soothing track to get you brought down from the last song and get you mentally prepared for the last track of the album, the title track.

Voids

This has a rock solid groove right out of the gate, this is actually a fun song by the sounds of it so far. I am betting they like to end on this song because it sounds like as much fun as it is to listen and enjoy this song, it’s a fun song to play. Jerrick though, he likes those hand cramping riffs I can tell. The song picks up the pace right around the 1:20 mark and delivers some energy inducing drums to get you going into the next change. This is a killer track, I mean that groove alone is highly enjoyable but right around the halfway point they mix things up and then those toms rolling out and setting up that slower more dramatic section. They throw down some funk right around the 3:40 mark where they just start to set it up, but yea you get to that point and they just brought the funk. And to answer your question, no they did not end the album without Jerrick delivering a face melting shredfest of a guitar solo.

This album is awesome, the amount of sound they pack in with only three members is impressive. The styles that can be heard throughout this album range from jazz and funk, to thrash and progressive metal. I couldnt pick just one song to be a favorite, but I will tell you that “Echoes” has been played a few dozen times, it is now my alarm clock sound, and a ringtone, as it is such a killer track. The album really is a an example of variety, not every song sounds the same, yet every song has its own style. Call me crazy but if this was to be paired the way people pair wine or beer with food. This album could be paired with ” The Algorithm” I would love to see maybe a split, where you have The Algorithm doing their thing, and Odyssey doing theirs because they would compliment each other so well. This album can be played any where, from the office to driving. With instrumental metal bands coming out more and more, I will say that this album would rank high in a list of instrumental metal album lists for 2016, if compared to the releases from 2015, I would put this higher than quite a few albums released last year. My only hope is that they eventually release it on vinyl, for my collection. Hands down a solid 8/10 rating is what Voids deserves, and you should pre order today! \m/

Check out this Album promo video they put up New Year’s Eve Check it out below.