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Corelia - Nostalgia

Rating

RIYL

Obsure Bands
You’ve Never
Heard Before

Release Date

09/06/2011

Label

Self Released

Tracklist

1. Treetops
2. Glass Faces
3. The Sound of Glaciers Moving
4. Aviation
5. Red Sky Harbor
6. Mute Swan
7. Blood Petals

Users Rating 3 ratings	Your Rating Create an account or log in to rate this album
Recent Ratings
Max	Zach Roth
Rick Gebhardt

It’s a shame that Corelia is more renowned for their former vocalist than anything else. Periphery’s own Spencer Sotelo was first the vocalist for the band here in question before moving on to bigger (but not necessarily better) things. As it stands, these San Diegans (San Diegites?) pushed on by finally releasing their first album. Nostalgia does not spend much time lamenting on the past; instead, the band moves forward with their unique take on modern progressive metal.

For those that NEED a reference band, Periphery is not a bad start, but thankfully Corelia offers more. For starters, guitarists Chris Dower and Ryan Borell certainly know their craft. They combine the best of the groove-laden djent movement with the crazy-yet-melodic spasticity of Protest the Hero. I’m not afraid to admit that I was caught (multiple times) by innocent bystanders at the exact moment I inadvertently burst out into air guitar while listening to this album. To all those that thought I looked ridiculous, well you’re basically right. That’s not the point though; the point is that Nostalgia is basically a progressive metal fan’s wet dream. The EP is heavy, melodic, shred-a-licious, and memorable.

Thankfully the band isn’t just a medium for two solid guitarists to shred. Vocalist Ryan Sean Devlin is fantastic, if you like your vocalists in the Anthony Green-meets-Dan Tompkins model. Ryan’s vocals do venture into harsh screams from time to time, but his ethereal cleans really shine and allow the melodies to come through.

It would be somewhat easy to reduce Corelia to a competent djent band, but nobody puts baby in a corner. These San Diegans offer a much more diverse spread than simple meat and potatoes Meshuggah worship. Take a listen to “Treetops” or “Blood Petals” to get an idea of what to expect on the album. In fact, those songs exhibit an almost Closure in Moscow-esque sensibility to them, which helps separate them from the crowded progressive metal genre. Find me a band that is equal parts Periphery, Protest the Hero, and Closure in Moscow, and you’ll have a winner on your hands. That is exactly what listeners have here with Nostalgia.

--Nick Senior