The Contortionist - Intrinsic
Rating
RIYL
CynicBetween the Buried and Me
Last Chance to Reason
Release Date
07/20/2012
Label
Good Fight MusicTracklist
1. Holomovement2. Feedback Loop
3. Causality
4. Sequential Vision
5. Geocentric Confusion
6. Dreaming Schematics
7. Anatomy Anomalies
8. Cortical
9. Solipsis
10. Parallel Trance
Users Rating |
Your RatingCreate an account or log in to rate this album |
Recent Ratings |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you paid any attention to progressive metal within the last couple of years, you surely heard the name The Contortionist floating around. Their debut record, Exoplanet, sent a shockwave through several metal communities, resonating mostly with younger fans but displaying a maturity hardly seen on a band’s first full length. It was a deathcore record whose magnitude could have been mistaken for that of something released years earlier, when the genre’s staples were crafted. Returning from several successful tours supporting bands like Periphery and All Shall Perish, the group has a renewed concept of maturity and a fresh spin on their old style. Channeling Cynic, prolific musician Brian Eno, and metaphysical literature, Intrinsic comes back down to Earth and questions what’s beyond our consciousness. Beyond lofty concepts, however, the album is concerned with providing a sophisticated mix of prog rock, fusion, and forward thinking metal, something it does with ease.
Immediately the differences between both albums are recognized. While Exoplanet begins with bludgeoning dissonance, Intrinsic opens with Jonathan Carpenter’s subdued singing hanging over top complex harmonies and a controlled atmosphere. It takes a little over a minute for harsh vocals to enter the fray, something that lasts merely 25 seconds before immediately reverting back to the song’s softer side. The mid-section of the tune is made up of a wonderful unison turned polyrhythm until the final build and the subsequently crushing outro. Only six minutes in and it’s easy to tell that these records are worlds apart. It’s no wonder that “Holomovement” opens the album, as it introduces the extreme of the band’s updated sound. The third track, “Causality,” is the album’s first stunner. Leading the listener to wade through weighty, atmospheric moments only 20 seconds in, the melodic content continues to grow, completely outweighing the metal riffing in the intro. Carpenter’s simplistic vocal layering and vocoder usage, combined with the dual guitar prowess of Robby Baca and Cam Maynard create one of the record’s most sublime moments. Fluid and constant tapping over a slower chord progression gives the illusion of floating, and this isn’t the first or last instance of such a feeling. A blazing guitar run leads out of the tapping, relieving all tension and firing the listener into the middle of an absolutely beautiful lead at Maynard’s hands. Though made up of only four or five individual notes, the different permutations of the motif are swift, subtle, and achingly perfect.
Impossibly heavy moments, visceral melodies, and complexity that doesn’t beckon for attention continue to be the highlights of the record. “Geocentric Confusion” combines these three traits to excite fans both old and new, weaving in and out of every niche with an ease that even veteran bands can have trouble with. The fusion passages are perfectly layered, the heavy bits punishing and sludgy, and combinations of both simply breathtaking. The breakdown, for instance, is a remarkable example of tension and elicits an unavoidable motion into the song’s climax. Sentimental and dreamy, the final portion of the song is driven by the holy trinity of acoustic guitar, piano, and Carpenter’s newly found singing ability to produce something otherwordly. “Dreaming Schematics” continues the expert combination of the album’s styles, yet focuses mainly on organic riffing that makes its lead out so grand. “Anatomy Anomalies” and “Solipsis” do the same, providing listeners with the band’s heavy as worlds playing amidst a stellar background.
A band’s second release is often the true test of their abilities and Intrinsic more than proves that The Contortionist is inundated with talent. Beyond their ability to produce low-end might or the space-age concepts they sing about, however, is the band’s growth and redirection of their sound. There’s no question that Intrinsic will have tremendous replay value alongside its predecessor, meaning that the band is gearing up for an all-star catalog to call their own. Now with that said, let’s hear number three!
--Cody Rogers
Comments
Fishers, Indiana
This review's all sticky when I read it. Must be a rails thing...
Top Albums: 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 || Tumblr | Twitter
Columbus, OH
I really enjoyed Exoplanet but felt the deathcore parts basically bogged down the album a bit. I can't say I expected this big of a leap between albums, but Intrinsic really delivers. It's definitely in my top 10 this year.
Currently Listening To:
Lo!- Monstrorum Historia
HeavyArms- Burning Crowds
Shining- One One One
Kansas
As if I wasn't pumped for this album enough already.
http://rateyourmusic.com/~benny06
Canada
Couldnt agree more with this review. Killer album. One of my favorite albums in years
Minnesota
Glad to see you could repurpose my gif :-)
I still need to listen to this. I need to track it down again since my f'ing hard drive died overnight.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Reno, NV
^^Money shot!!! What would make it even better is if you spelled CoDy's name right. Haha. Listening to this right now. More into it than their debut album. Not my forte in style but more listenable than their first one.
Top Weekly Artists Last.fm
http://bandcamp.com/buck09
Baton Rouge
Dude, I'm not gonna read your review until my pre-order comes in, but I am so pumped for this!
Boobs
http://thenicsperiment.blogspot.com/
Baton Rouge
Nevermind, I read it anyway. Nice work. Crap, when is it gonna get here?!?!?!
Boobs
http://thenicsperiment.blogspot.com/
Fishers, Indiana
(I put the D into his last name.)
Top Albums: 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 || Tumblr | Twitter
Great Review, Cody. Can't wait to hear this. Been looking forward to it for quite a while now.
Reno, NV
Gotcha, you are the word Contortionist
Top Weekly Artists Last.fm
http://bandcamp.com/buck09
Fishers, Indiana
Trollin' ain't easy.
Top Albums: 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 || Tumblr | Twitter
I dont even think the words in the review can describe how epic this album is, I dont think it will ever come out of my cd player
London, UK
I like this album, but for reasons I struggle to exactly put my finger on, I don't love it. I'll keep listening but somehow I don't find it THAT exciting or coherent. Lots of really good bits but something's missing for me to rate it a 5....at least so far.
Currently listening to:
Of Glaciers - Heart Museum
Cyril Snear - Riot Of Colour
Boy Sets Fire - While A Nation Sleeps
Sleepers Awake – Transcension
Bruce Soord with Jonas Renkse - Wisdom Of Crowds
Best Of 2012 - Best Of 2013
Baton Rouge
This album is really, really good, but I'm still undecided as to the degree of its greatness. The first half is pretty much perfect, but the second half isn't quite as consistent. I really like where they're going, and I hope they keep it up.
Boobs
http://thenicsperiment.blogspot.com/